Because I’m a mom before I’m a documentary photographer, choosing the right school for my children has always been a priority. In less than six years, my children have lived in three different countries and even more cities. Before each move, my first thought has always been to consider their education.

What school options would we have? Are the teachers experienced? Kind? Enthusiastic? Do they love to teach? How about the students? Will my kids fit in? What extracurriculars are available? What’s the curriculum like? Does the school have a supportive community? Is the school a safe place? Is it a happy place?

Looking for more than just the lunch menu

Choosing the right school is not an easy task. Often, the only thing I had to base my decision on was the school’s website. These websites usually didn’t hold much beyond some announcements, a few photos (or worse…stock photos), and a link the holiday schedule.

I wanted to know all the facts about a school, but above all, I wanted to know about its heart and culture. What’s the place really like?

These are things that you are probably not able to tell just by reading a list on a website. But what if you could SEE what life is like through a photo gallery that captures the story of a school?

I think a photo can say much more than thousand of words.

With this idea in mind, I thought there may be other parents who had the same issue and hoped to discover more than what was being served for lunch that week.

Because I’m a mom and a documentary photographer, the answer was easy to see. Documentary photography could provide a behind the scenes look at the real story of a school for prospective students and their families.

Going behind the scenes

I approached a few schools in my area to introduce myself and this idea to include documentary photography in their websites.

Margaret Waterbury from Freedom Park Preschool was the first to answer my call.

She had clear ideas on what she hoped the photos would accomplish:

• Tell the stories of her school.
• Speak about the school community.
• Demonstrate the strong relationships that exist within the school.
• Show the blooming friendship between small human beings.
• Convey how the school values their children.
• Reveal the amazing adventures that take place every day on their beautiful playground.

Margaret wanted to have true, candid, and real images that had the power to communicate with people without words.

This style of photography does just that! Her needs were exactly what I had in mind for my project!

I spent an entire week at Freedom Park Preschool.

It was so interesting to see the school from not only an outsider point of view, but also as a mother. I knew that teaching children is hard, but I have a whole new appreciation for teachers after watching them through my camera lens. My biggest surprise was how even through the most chaotic and trying moments, they were always smiling and happy to be with their students. Due to their dedication, the children were glad to be there with them, too.

A story for everyone

When I started this project, I was really only thinking of helping prospective families find the right school. After I finished, I realized how tremendously useful these photos would be for families of current students.

We send our children off to school each day and never really know how they spend all those hours. Documentary photography provides a window into their life at school. These images can reveal how our children relate to their classmates, their teacher, and what they are learning. As a mom, I want to see my kids in action and to be able to experience a little of their day.

And maybe it’s just me, but I’d love to see documentary photography used in place of the typical school portrait.

Just look at all these personalities!

When you are looking for your child’s next school, true and raw images will help you better understand the culture and values of each school. Because documentary photography connects current families to their students, it strengthens the community of their school. Telling the story of your school through photos brings both current and new students together.

To capture the story of your school, contact me today.

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