Authentic School Portraits Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to all your school photography questions organized by topic.
Photo Preparation
What to wear, sibling photos, registration process, and session details.
Special Considerations
Accommodations for special needs and privacy policies for your children.
Viewing & Ordering
Gallery access, troubleshooting, group photos, products, and payment options.
Technical Support
Account management, retouching requests, download help, and print issues.
What should my child wear for their photo?
If your school doesn't require a uniform, and you're aiming for a timeless look, we recommend clothing in solid colours or small patterns to keep the focus on your child's face. Avoid large logos, distracting text, or trendy outfits that may date the photo quickly. That said, your child should wear something they feel great in. If that's a bright Minecraft shirt or a beloved, slightly-too-small dress — that's perfect too. Comfort and confidence are what matter most.
Sibling Photos and Registration
Can siblings be photographed together?
Yes — but only if you have pre-registered. Sibling portraits are offered during our visit to the school, and those photos will be delivered in a separate gallery at the same time as the individual portraits. If you don't pre-register, we will not photograph siblings together, even if they're at the same centre.
Will my child be photographed if I forgot to register?
Yes. We will still photograph your child unless you've specifically instructed the school that you do not wish to have photos taken. However, we only photograph individual portraits in this case. Sibling photos require pre-registration.
The Photography Session
When will my child be photographed?
The school typically works with us to determine the photography schedule. They may communicate this with families, but in many cases, children are photographed when they're ready and in the order the educators provide. If a child isn't in the mood, we're happy to wait until they're feeling more comfortable — we want to capture them at their best.
Can parents be present during the photo session?
We understand it can be tempting to be there, especially if your child is nervous. However, unless there's a specific reason for needing to attend, we kindly ask parents to let their children go about their day as usual. In our experience, this helps the child settle more easily and allows us to connect directly with them during the shoot.
Special Needs and Privacy
What if my child has special needs or requires accommodations?
We're committed to creating an inclusive and comfortable experience for all children. Our photographers are experienced in working with kids who need a little extra support. We work closely with educators to ensure each child's needs are considered. If you have specific concerns or requests, please notify your school before photo day so they can pass this information along to us.
How is my child's privacy protected?
Privacy and security are a top priority. Every child's photo gallery is protected by a unique access code sent only to the contact provided during registration. Our system is securely backed by the school's data, and we do not share images or information publicly. Digital group photos are not provided to ensure safety and to prevent unauthorised distribution.
After Photo Week — Gallery Access & Viewing
I haven't received the gallery. What do I do?
First, check your junk or spam folder, as our emails sometimes land there. Then, confirm that the contact information you gave during registration is correct. If everything looks right and your child was present during photo week, but you still haven't received anything, please get in touch with us and we'll look into it for you.
How do I log in and view the photos?
To access your gallery:
- Go to the login page provided in the text or email.
- Enter the unique access code sent to you.
- You'll be taken to your child's gallery to view and purchase images. If you're using a mobile device, it may be slightly limited — a desktop or laptop provides the best experience.
Gallery Access Troubleshooting
I lost my access code — can you resend it?
Yes. Just let us know your child's name and the school or centre they attend. We'll verify the details and resend the access code via your preferred method — either SMS or email.
My ex-partner received the gallery, but I didn't. Can I get access too?
Due to privacy and safety policies, we need to confirm with the school that you're approved to receive the gallery. Once the school verifies this, we're happy to send the access code directly to you.
How do I link my children's galleries together?
Once logged in at orders.authenticschoolportraits.com, go to the menu and click "Link sibling codes." Enter the access codes for each of your children, and their galleries will be grouped under a single login for easier access and ordering.
Group Photos
Can I request a different image for the group photo?
We carefully select group photos for consistency, expression, and overall composition. Changing one child's photo within a group image requires extra editing time. If you'd like to request a swap, we can do this for a $35 editing fee. Let us know if you'd like to proceed.
My child's name is misspelled in the group photo — can you fix it?
We'll first check whether the name was entered during registration or provided by the school.
- If it was misspelled on your end, we can upload a corrected version of the group photo to your gallery for purchase.
- If the mistake came from school data, we'll provide a complimentary reprint and recommend contacting the school to update their records.
Can I buy a digital copy of the group photo?
No, we do not offer digital versions of group photos. This is to protect the privacy and safety of all the children featured. We do offer physical prints, which can be purchased through your gallery.
Ordering & Products
I want to buy all the digitals for multiple children. Is there a discount?
Yes, we offer several ways to make digital purchases more affordable for families with more than one child:
- Each child's gallery has its own digital pack. The standard price is $99, but you can reduce this to $69 per gallery by adding $39 or more in prints to your cart first.
- Once this threshold is met, the discount will automatically apply to the digital packs for galleries you have linked. These can then be added one by one at the newly discounted price.
- You can also select a Sibling Pack or Family Print Pack, which lets you mix and match print images across different galleries. Let us know if you need help finding the best value based on your order.
Mixing and Matching Products
Can I mix and match prints or digitals from different children's galleries?
For print packages, yes — the Family Print Pack allows you to combine images from multiple galleries, including sibling galleries. For digital images, each gallery is sold separately, but you can still unlock a discount:
- Add $39 or more in prints to your cart (from any gallery), and you'll be able to purchase digital images from each gallery at $69 instead of $99.
- You can also purchase individual digital images at a reduced price of $15 each (normally $39) once your cart includes $39 in prints.
Our system doesn't allow for mixing digitals across galleries into a single package, but this method helps you get great value either way.
Are there any discount codes available?
Yes — if you are experiencing financial hardship, we've partnered with schools and centres to provide discount codes for families in need. These are distributed directly through your child's school. Please reach out to them to request support, and they can provide you with a code to use when ordering.
Payment and Delivery Options
Do you offer payment plans?
We don't currently offer payment plans. However, we never delete your photos, so you're welcome to save up and place your order when it suits you. If your gallery has already been archived, just send us an email — we're happy to reopen it for you when you're ready to purchase.
I missed the free school delivery window — what are my options?
No problem. If you missed the free delivery period, you can still place an order and have it shipped directly to your home. Select private address delivery at checkout, and your order will be delivered to your preferred address.
Download & Account Help
How do I download all my digital images at once?
To download your full set of images:
- Log into your account at orders.authenticschoolportraits.com.
- Go to My Account > My Pictures.
- You can download each photo individually by clicking Download picture, or
- Click Download all bought pictures as zip to download the entire gallery at once.
Important: If you're on a Mac using Safari, you may run into issues with the zip file not downloading correctly. We recommend switching to Chrome or another browser if this happens.
I'm having trouble viewing or purchasing from my phone — help?
Mobile works, but it's limited. For the best experience, especially when placing large orders or downloading multiple images, we recommend using a desktop or laptop. If you're on a mobile device:
- Tap the menu icon (three lines in the top left).
- Select Download digital files.
- Under Picture Sets, click View to see all your images.
I forgot my password — how can I reset it?
On the login page, click "Forgot your password? Click here." Follow the prompts to reset it. If you're still stuck, contact us — we can manually reset your password and send you a temporary one. We recommend changing this as soon as you log in to keep your account secure.
Account Management
I want to unsubscribe from emails — how do I do that?
Log in and go to My Account > Account Settings. From here, you can uncheck communications for all galleries or just specific children. Alternatively, you can reply to any email from us with "Unsubscribe", and we'll remove you manually.
How do I delete my account?
You can delete your account anytime:
- Log in.
- Go to My Account > My Settings.
- Click the "Delete My Account" button.
Note: Deleting your account will permanently remove your access to any digital images you've purchased. Please download anything you want to keep before deleting.
Retouching & Edits
Can you retouch a scratch or mark on my child's face?
Yes. If you've already received your gallery and just want a few images (2–5) retouched, we're happy to do that complimentary. Simply send us screenshots or filenames of the images you'd like edited. Once we've made the touch-ups, we'll replace the originals in your gallery.
I'd like all the images retouched — is that possible?
Yes. If you'd like the entire gallery (usually 10–20 images) retouched, we can do that for a $30 editing fee. Let us know you'd like this option and we'll send you an invoice before starting.
Can I request retouching before I see the gallery?
If you let us know ahead of photo week that you'd like retouching done, here's how we handle it:
- All images are processed as usual and uploaded to your gallery.
- Once you've reviewed the gallery, send us a shortlist of the images you'd like retouched.
- We'll edit those for you (2–5 complimentary, or full gallery for $30), then replace them in the gallery for you to order.
Prints & Technical Support
Print Issues
- If prints didn't arrive, check that the order was completed and paid, and whether you selected school delivery.
- For damaged prints, either post them back to our studio or visit our studio in Macgregor with the prints at a pre-booked time.
- If prints are cropped strangely, this usually happens when a customer accidentally zooms in during ordering.
- For color issues, bring your prints to our studio for assessment.
Technical Support
- We archive your photos (we don't delete them) - galleries can be reopened upon request.
- We accept payment via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, and most debit/credit cards).
- For payment gateway issues, try a different card, clear browser cache, or use a different browser.