Parent FAQs

BEFORE PHOTO DAY FAQS

Playful and professional. We use great lighting and colorful backgrounds, but the real magic comes from connecting with kids. Expect genuine expressions, not stiff school-photo smiles.
Hype it up! Let them know Photo Day is fun, like recess, but with lights. Remind them it’s okay to be themselves. Silly jokes and practice smiles at home are totally welcome.
Keep it comfy and classic. Solid colors or soft patterns work best. Clean necklines (like a collared shirt or simple dress) help frame the face. Avoid loud logos or writing. And if your school has a dress code, stick to it unless otherwise told by your school administrator.
Natural is best! Keep it off the face and minimize accessories to let their personality shine through.
If your school is offering them, sibling photos are a fabulous way to capture those sweet moments between brothers and sisters. Recess Portraits offers complimentary sibling sessions—make sure your school signs up for them. These quick 5-minute sessions (registration is required!) happen during or around school hours. Double the fun, double the smiles!
We’ve got you covered! We encourage each school we partner with to offer a retake day so that no one misses their moment to shine. Life happens, and if your child misses Photo Day, they’ll automatically be rescheduled for a make-up session if it is offered.

Siblings, Retakes & Missed Days FAQs

Yes — if your school offers them. Sibling sessions are complimentary and just as sweet as you'd imagine. Sign-up may be required, and they take place during or around school hours.
Don’t worry. If your school offers a retake day, they’ll be automatically scheduled. No need to stress — we’ve got backup plans.
You can request a retake! Just note: when you opt in for a second session, we’ll replace the originals with the new ones.

Ordering & Products FAQs

Yes! You’ll get an email with your private online gallery about two weeks after Photo Day. No pressure — buy only what you love.
From your gallery, you can select digitals, prints, or bundles. It’s click-to-cart easy, and the store includes tips if you need help.
Check out our cost-saving purchasing tips HERE.
Recess Portraits offer a variety of beautiful backgrounds that make your child’s natural expressions stand out. And guess what? Unlike some other companies, we don’t charge extra for these options.
Fall galleries close on December 31, Spring galleries on June 30. After that, archived = no more orders.
Our Family Choice digital bundle gives you the most value. If you love prints, try mix-and-match packages D, E, F, or G — they include large frame-worthy sizes and a discount on digitals if you want them all.
Yes! Register with the same parent email to see all available galleries in one place. Register with Recess HERE to easily view all of your children’s active galleries in one location.
Class composites are created after Make-Up/Retake Day so that every student can be included.
If you ordered before the composite was finalized, the rest of your order may ship first. Your class composite will be delivered separately once it is complete.
Don't forget to select your child's favorite image for the composite before the deadline. If no image is selected, we will choose one for you.

Backgrounds, Effects & Edits FAQs

Yes — and we don’t charge extra for it.
Only for packages with multiple poses. Single-image packages = one background per pose.
Totally. Choose your effect in the editing tool before checkout.
Images are displayed in landscape format with extra background space, allowing you to customize them for different print sizes and orientations. Because print sizes have different proportions, cropping may vary between products. Please review and adjust the crop and orientation for each print before ordering. Orders are printed exactly as shown in the crop preview. To make changes, select Customize Photo within each product.
Nope. The proofing gallery will have a watermark, but purchased photos and digitals are clean and crisp.
Please note that the watermark displayed in your gallery may give the appearance of retouching. This watermark will not appear on any purchased prints or digital images.
As part of our standard editing, we remove noticeable bumps, cuts, or bruises. We do not retouch skin or permanent features.
Background removal may naturally reduce the appearance of some flyaways, but images are otherwise left as captured.
Additional retouching is available as an add-on in the store for small adjustments, such as:
- temporary blemishes
- minor touch-ups
For more advanced edits, please reach out before purchasing retouching in the store.

Privacy & Support FAQs

Class photos are available as 5×7 and 8×10 prints only. At the request of many parents, digital downloads are not offered to help protect the privacy of all students.
Digital files are final sale. For prints or products, if something’s not right, reach out — we’ll always try to make it better.
Click the link in your confirmation email or log in to your account anytime.