"I believe that you and your children should have memories of as much of their growing up as is possible."
School Portraits
Why?
Why do I do school portraits? Because many years ago, the wife of a prep-school headmaster approached me, "I love your portrait photography. Would you come and do your style of portraits at our school? I hate it when a pupil brings back their pictures taken by the big companies, with the words, 'Mummy doesn't want this picture of me.'"
This sentiment resonated with me. School portraits are more than just pictures; they are cherished memories for both parents and children. I aim to capture the true essence of each child, creating images that parents will treasure and children feel proud of.
By focusing on the individual personalities of each child, I ensure that each photograph reflects the unique character. It's about moving away from the impersonal approach of large companies and providing a personalised, artistic touch to school photography.
"My goal is to produce portraits that families will love and proudly display."
How?
To attain the ultimate in school portraits, I photograph individuals and siblings in the school grounds, using backgrounds that are familiar and comfortable to them. This approach helps children feel at ease, allowing their true personalities to shine through in the photos.
If a child is shy or insecure, I respond with sensitivity and patience.
Unlike the rigid methods of larger companies, I don’t limit the number of images I take. What matters most to me is capturing the most relaxed and emotive images possible.
By focusing on letting a child be itself, I ensure that parents have a beautiful selection of photos to choose from, each one a genuine reflection of their child's unique character. These images are more than just school pictures; they are wonderful mementos of a child's school years, cherished memories that families will be proud to display.
What?
Protecting a child is of the utmost importance. In accordance with GDPR guidelines, each school is allocated a password-protected section of my website, with each child having a separate chapter.
Within each chapter, the images are displayed as thumbnails, which can be enlarged for better viewing.
Parents can order additional prints from a selection of sizes, easily available through a drop-down panel that appears with each image. This process ensures a smooth and secure experience, allowing families to obtain beautiful, professionally finished portraits of their children.
When parents sign up for their child to have school portraits, they pay a 'sitting fee', which entitles them to choose one picture from those on offer. This selected image will be adjusted and printed to 9 x 6 inches (approximately 23 x 15 cm), and presented in a heavyweight mount. The mount carries my signature and includes a slightly larger black backing, giving a finish.
MICHAEL BLYTH PHOTOGRAPHY