What’s the latest thing on the chopping block at schools everywhere? School picture day!

It’s been an annual rite of passage for decades……And used to be one of the main photo records of a child each year. Parents ordered copies to send to grandparents, and students swapping wallet-size photos with friends.

But these days, a lot of parents think school pictures are a waste of money since they can use their smartphone to take snapshots of their children whenever they want and immediately post them on Facebook to share with relatives and friends.

So, schools across North America are cancelling picture day.

But portrait companies are fighting back. They agree that the digital age has made it possible for parents to take their own photos. But they point out that most photos stay on a parent’s smartphone, or digital camera and aren’t printed and displayed around the house.

School photographers are also getting creative and trying to hook parents by ditching the conventional blue photo-shoot background and taking one-of-a-kind photos instead. Like having students dress up in pro sports jerseys and superhero costumes or taking action shots of them while jumping rope or skateboarding. And they’re all in focus, beautifully lit, capturing their personality, and ready to frame for grandma and grandpa.