St.Mary’s Episcopal Day School

About Picture Day! 

It’s school portrait time!

I am so very excited to join St. Mary’s Episcopal Preschool for portraits Tuesday, October 12th & Wednesday, October 13th. Please check with the school if you need to verify the day your child should be photographed. 

The first thing you should know is I L O V E the preschool & primary school ages! Not only am I a mom of three, I was a middle school teacher for 10 years & preschool director for over 5 years and spent many days with my little friends and have a true appreciation for these age groups! I love and honor how each child has his or her own unique personality. My goal, as your photographer, is to capture that spirit and personality you know and treasure! 

I am excited and honored to be chosen to be St. Mary’s preschool photographer this year. I want you to know I treasure this opportunity! Here is some information you might find helpful: 

·       We photograph each child at school both individually and with any siblings that attend St. Mary’s.  

·       All proofing and purchasing is done securely online- approximately two weeks after photo day you will receive a letter with detailed information on how to view and purchase your photos. The information is also on our website. 

·       We offer both print packages and a la carte options. 

·       We offer high resolution digital images for families who wish to own their files.

Please visit our website www.giannagracephotography.com and click “St. Mary’s” in the menu bar. You’ll find additional information for parents, including my philosophy about photographing young children and some thoughts on what to wear!

Proofs will be available two weeks after pictures are taken. Online orders are due by Sunday, November 29th. Pictures will be delivered to the school when they return from the print house. Online orders will be available through December 31st, however after November 29th, online orders will be charged a shipping fee and all orders will be shipped directly to your home. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at katrina@giannagracephotography.com

 Pictures cannot be shipped to a Post Office Box.

**Pictures in your galleries are only for viewing purposes. Pictures in galleries are not to be shared or screen shot to share via social media unless digital image (not print) is purchased. Scanning a purchased print to create a digital image is a copyright violation and illegal to do so. All digital negatives come with a print/share release.**

 What to wear - The below is Applicable to FALL & Spring PICTURES ONLY

You know your child best, so dress them in comfortable clothes that will make their personality shine! 
If you need a little help, here are a few more ideas for Picture Day.

Accessory Ideas

Accessories shouldn't overwhelm your child, but instead enhance their cuteness! 

Children look especially adorable in fun hats, vests and jackets, and don't forget about their shoes - they will show in full length poses.

Layers and Textures

Dress your child in lace, ruffles, ribbons, etc. 

Layers add dimension and great texture to the portrait.

Sibling Picture Ideas

Coordinate, but don't feel like they have to match. 

Choose a color palette you love and coordinate both children's outfits!

No time to shop?

Denim pants or skirts with plain, solid colored t-shirts are a classic look!

Frequently Asked Questions

School photo day with Gianna Grace will be a little different than what you might be used to from a school photo company. The information on this page is designed to help you get an idea of what to expect. If you need additional information please feel free to contact us.! 

How does it work:

We photograph every child at school. We spend a few minutes with each child. Gone are the days of sit, smile, click, next. ! After teaching art and language arts for 10 years and serving as a preschool director for 5 years, I have spent quality time with all ages and have a gift with children. I do my best to elicit genuine smiles – even if it means wearing a lobster hat. When your children are with me, I never push. I give gentle instructions and allow their expressions to emerge while we photograph.!

What if my child gets upset:

It happens. We will work through it. 

Some children are frightened by the set up of the backdrop or the newness of the situation. I do my best to comfort each child and allow them to warm up to the idea of having their photo taken. Some children like to watch their friends have their turn and some prefer to bring their special ‘Lovie’ with them. I read each situation and respect each child’s needs. There are some times that I desist in favor of not upsetting a child. If you have any information you wish to share with us before photo day please feel free to inform your child’s teacher and I will do my best to integrate it into our session. This is one of the main reasons that I believe in seeing your proofs before you purchase. If you don’t like your photos, you are under no obligation to buy.

Do you groom the children:

No. We ask the teachers to help with simple grooming tasks (i.e. fixing hairdos that have come undone or tucking in shirts). If you want your child’s hair combed please send a comb and make sure their teacher knows what you want. You can feel free tosend a note with any special requests (i.e. glasses off etc.) and I’ll do our best to accommodate.! !

Can you photoshop out the stain on my child’s shirt (etc.):

Try it as we might, there are just some hairs that won’t stay in place or spots on shirts that can’t be hidden by cropping. While we do edit every photo for proper exposure and color before we upload it to your gallery, we will sometimes miss little spots. Please feel free to contact me after your gallery is up if something is missed. There is a small editing fee for minor edits. 

How many photos should I expect in my gallery:

That depends. We do our best to photograph each child in multiple poses to give you as many options as possible. Some children are hesitant or frightened and in those cases we focus on making sure we get at least one relaxed expression. However, most times we are able to offer 2-3 choices in your gallery. We continue with multiple poses only when the children are responding positively. With younger children you should expect fewer poses as we tend to keep them in one spot and aim for multiple expressions. Older children are typically more receptive to attempting different poses. If another mom shares with you that she had six images in her gallery and you only have three, the reason is almost certainly one of two things: either your child was struggling and after multiple gentle attempts we felt that we were upsetting him/her; or I felt I captured a great expression and didn’t want to push any further. Please know that I have your child’s best interest in mind at all times.! !!

• Q: When will my child's portraits be delivered?

  A:Pictures are delivered to the school 2 weeks after the order deadline.

  • Pictures ordered online after the school’s deadline for orders will be directly shipped to the home and a shipping fee will apply.

• Q: When do I need to pay for portraits?

  A: Pictures can be paid for online or through the front office if you would like to pay with a check or cash. If paying with cash, change will not be provided.

  Q: How do I pay for the portraits?

  A: We offer a variety of payment options. Our online gallery order form accepts ACH and credit card payments. You can also pay by check to the front office.

• Q: How can I order more portraits and/or products?

  A: All photo galleries will be "live" (open for ordering) for 90 days, once galleries have been taken down you may request a gallery to be extended for another 30 days for a $15 fee, you will also be charged for shipping and handling to have all pictures mailed to your house.

• Q: Can I get a copyright release on my child's photograph?

  A: Gianna Grace Photography has a copyright designed to protect images it takes, similar to the policies used by movie makers, video producers and writers. Customers may purchase their high resolution digital images which grants them the use of their images for legal, noncommercial purposes and for print release.

• Q: If I purchase digital items and decide I don't like them, may I get a refund?

  A: No, unfortunately all digital items are final sale items. 

• Q: Can I post a picture of my child online?

  A: You may and we LOVE for you so share, as long as you have purchased the high-resolution digital images. It is a copyright violation and illegal to post screen shots of your gallery or scan your print portraits to reprint or post online. All high resolution images come with a print release and rights to post online!