The history of school photography dates back to the late 19th century. Early school photos often involved long exposure times, requiring subjects to remain still for extended periods. This resulted in stiff poses and formal expressions, as seen in many vintage classroom photos.

The story goes that a man employed by Wilson Magazine Company, a camera company, was really good friends with the superintendent of the Philadelphia public school system.  The superintendent said his schools were making folders for students' cumulative records and his principals realized that they really wanted a picture to go in the file so they could remember what each child looked like to ensure they were discussing the correct ones.  The friend told the superintendent absolutely, as long as he could sell them to the parents to help pay for the service.  That story spread and started to sell schools on the concept of taking student pictures for record-keeping purposes while giving parents the option of purchasing one picture for 10 cents and six pictures for 50 cents. 

After learning of the huge interest and success, S. P. Barksdale elected to start his own company, Barksdale School Portraits, later that year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  As Barksdale traveled and expanded his business from state to state he came in contact with a sharecropper, J. E. Strawbridge, in North Carolina, and shared his vision for the industry.  Based on that one conversation, J. E. Strawbridge left farming immediately to become a photographer, and within a year, started his own business in Durham, North Carolina. He formed Strawbridge Studios, Inc. in 1923, where he focused on taking classroom pictures and fall portraits in schools across the Southeast.

Like all business ideas, it took little to no time for the idea of school photography to spread across the country.  These companies built many of their own “box” cameras with long rolls of film to capture the vast number of students in each school.  Their focus was to capture a head-and-shoulder look on each student that is consistent and would allow schools and parents to see the progression and journey of each child through the years in education. 

Over time, school picture days became more streamlined, with standardized backdrops, poses, and packages that made it easier for schools and parents to order and receive prints. However, the basic process of taking a portrait in a school setting has remained largely the same for more than a century.

As technology has advanced, school picture days have become more efficient and sophisticated. Today, most school pictures are taken digitally, although you would be amazed that this transition has only happened industry wide in the past 10 years.  

Despite technological advances, many of the basic elements of school picture days remain the same. Students are still asked to dress nicely and pose for the camera, and many schools still use traditional backdrops and poses for their portraits.  

Personal Memories: 

For individuals, these photos represent personal milestones and memories from their time in school. Each image captures a unique moment in time, reflecting growth, friendships, and experiences.

Historical Records: 

On a larger scale, school photos act as valuable historical records. They give us information about how education was like and what society was like in the past. Historians and archivists often use these images to learn more about different time periods.