What Picture Day at NOPA Montessori School Taught Me | Bay Area Picture Day

Written By Nicole Seguin

Every spring, I return to the same Montessori school for Picture Day

I've watched children grow from shy toddlers into confident preschoolers. I've photographed younger siblings who arrive just as curious as their older brothers and sisters once were. I've built relationships with teachers who now know exactly how Picture Day flows.

But over the past five years, I've realized something unexpected.

I thought I was bringing my teaching experience into their school.

Instead, the school was teaching me something I am only seeing now.

The first thing I notice every year

The first thing I notice every year isn't the classrooms or the beautiful Montessori materials. It's the atmosphere.

The school feels remarkably calm. Teachers speak softly, and yet the classrooms are full of conversation, curiosity, and laughter. The calm doesn't come from strict rules or silent hallways. It comes from respect.

Teachers consistently meet children where they are. They kneel to their eye level, offer choices instead of commands, and give them a moment to think before expecting a response. Even simple transitions feel intentional.

After spending years in that environment, I found myself doing the same. Instead of thinking first about the portrait I hope to create, I now begin by observing the child standing in front of me.

Who are they today? Curious? Shy? Bursting with energy?

Those questions have become far more important than asking for a smile.

Observation before direction

One of the most valuable lessons I learned wasn't about photography at all.

It was about trust.

Children don't arrive on Picture Day with an opinion about me. They borrow one from the adults they already know.

Before we begin every Picture Day, I spend a few minutes with the teachers and assistants who will be helping me. I explain that the way they introduce me matters. If they approach me with confidence, warmth, and genuine excitement, children naturally assume they're walking toward something safe and enjoyable.

That first walk from the play area to my backdrop often sets the tone for everything that follows.

It's a small detail, but over the years I've seen how much of a difference it makes.

Respecting a child's pace

People sometimes ask if I have a secret for getting natural expressions.

The truth is that there isn't one.

Children don't all respond to the same joke, the same question, or the same game. Some immediately tell me about their favorite dinosaur. Others carefully observe me before deciding whether they trust me enough to join in.

Experience has taught me not to cling to one idea.

If pretending I ate worms for breakfast makes one child laugh, wonderful. If another child stares at me as though I've completely lost my mind, I simply move on.

Sometimes we whisper. Sometimes we jump. Sometimes I ask silly questions.

Sometimes I show them the back of my camera and intentionally get their name wrong, knowing they'll delight in correcting me.

The goal is never to make a child feel like they have to be compliant!

The goal is to discover what helps this particular child feel comfortable enough to forget about the camera.

A team effort

One of the things I appreciate most about working with this Montessori school is how thoughtfully Picture Day is organized.

An assistant stays with a small group of children while another brings them to me one at a time.

Nobody rushes the children, or pressures them to smile.

If a child needs extra reassurance, an assistant may quietly sit nearby while we chat or play for a minute before I even lift the camera.

That partnership creates a calm environment where children can simply be themselves.

Montessori made me a better school photographer

When I first began photographing at NOPA Montessori, I thought my background as a former teacher was one of the reasons the partnership worked so well.

I still believe that's true! But over time, I've realized the learning went both ways. Working alongside teachers who consistently choose patience over urgency and observation over assumption has influenced every Picture Day I photograph today.

It has reminded me that children don't need adults to shape their experience quite so quickly. More often, they simply need adults who are paying attention.

Working with the same Montessori school for the last five years has been such a privilege.

Thank you!

Related Resources

Nicole Seguin https://www.photodaybynicole.com
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