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By school photographers, for school photographers

School photography that doesn’t feel like school photography.

Shoot natural, outdoor picture day — real light, real kids — and keep more of what you earn.

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  • You’re the merchant of record
  • No facial recognition of kids
  • Photos stay on your machine

Trusted by independent photographers and the schools they serve

From the founder

I shoot picture day too. For years I loved the work and dreaded the software — clunky, corporate, and taking a big cut of money I’d earned.

So I built the tool I wished existed: one that runs natural, outdoor shoots at volume, never scans a kid’s face, and pays you directly. Read the whole story →

A working school photographer · Founder, Photo Chalk

A fresh take

Picture day, reimagined.

School photos don’t have to be the stale gym-backdrop assembly line. Photo Chalk is built to run natural, outdoor, authentic shoots at volume — the way picture day should look.

How it works

From shoot to paid, without the busywork.

  1. 01

    Capture

    Shoot how you like — outdoors, natural light, on location. The mobile app tags each kid by time, so there’s no manual matching later.

  2. 02

    Cull

    AI picks your keepers right on your computer. ~98% of the sort is done before you sit down. Your photos never get uploaded to be analyzed.

  3. 03

    Deliver

    Families get a clean, passwordless gallery. One deadline for ordering and yearbook — no confusing dates.

  4. 04

    Get paid

    You’re the merchant of record. Money lands in your own account, with the math shown plainly up front.

You keep more

Know exactly what you take home.

You’re the merchant of record — money goes straight to your own account. We show the full breakdown before you ever publish a gallery. No held funds. No “at our discretion” payouts. No surprise cut.

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Where a sale goes

  • Your payout
  • Photo Chalk fee
  • Optional school donation
  • Sales tax

Example only — your real numbers are shown before you publish.

Made for everyone on picture day

One platform, three happy parties.

For photographers

Keep more of what you earn, shoot your style, and skip the busywork.

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For schools

FERPA-ready agreements, real fundraising visibility, and zero biometric risk.

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For families

Passwordless galleries, one simple deadline, and clear consent.

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Privacy, done right

And we never scan your students’ faces.

Most platforms use facial recognition to sort kids’ photos — building a biometric record of a minor. We match photos by when they were taken instead. It’s a real difference, and it’s built into the product.

  • No facial recognition — photos match by time, not face
  • AI culling runs locally; photos stay on your computer
  • FERPA-ready DPA and per-student opt-out
  • COPPA-safe as biometric rules tighten in 2026
How matching works

Start free. No card. Built by a photographer who gets it.

Free to start, no card required. Keep your work, your clients, and your money.

Start free See how it works