Digitally Enhance our Kids Pics - I Think Not!
With school photo day fast approaching, I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit excited. As the owner of School Years Photo Frames, I look forward to adding another photo to my kids' frames and eagerly await the arrival of the photo packs in their school bags.
I recently read an article on Go Ask Mum that really resonated with me (click here to read). It shared the story of a child who was missing his two front teeth and had a charming, albeit imperfect, smile. To the mother’s shock, the school photography company digitally altered the photo, adding the missing teeth without any consultation or approval from the family. This got me thinking—while we all love to see our children looking their best in school photos, these images should reflect the authentic version of who they are in that moment. Missing teeth, messy hair, and awkward smiles are part of what makes these photos so special. They should be true and unaltered representations of how our children looked that year. We don’t need digital enhancements or someone else's idea of how they should look.
After reading this article, I couldn’t help but recall a family portrait we had done a couple of years ago as part of a school fundraising event. Family photo sessions are tough to schedule, so I was thrilled to take part. I had everyone color-coordinated, tidied up, and feeling good about how we looked. Imagine my surprise when I received the photos to find that our 8-year-old daughter’s lips had been digitally enhanced to look as though she were wearing pink lipstick (see photo). While it matched her dress, it wasn’t the look I intended for her. Upon further inspection, it became clear they had applied a filter to smooth our skin and even added the pink lipstick effect to my own photo. Personally, I didn’t mind the touch-up on me, but was it really necessary for my 4- and 7-year-old boys? I don’t think so.
As parents, we need to embrace our children as they are, in all their glory—imperfections and all. They grow and change so much over the years, transitioning from adorable little ones to awkward pre-teens, and finally into young adults. This is exactly what makes School Years Photo Frames so special: they capture a timeline of how our kids looked and evolved through their school years.
So, on photo day next week, I’ll take a moment to check that my kids don’t have breakfast remnants on their faces, but I won’t stress about their appearance. I won’t be setting the alarm early to create the perfect hairdo for my daughter. Instead, I’ll trust the Class Carer mums to ensure everyone’s ties are straight and there are no glaring wardrobe issues, and I’ll love them just the way they are.
