Photographer for Children with Special Needs — Austin, TX

Austin School Photography is seeking a photographer with genuine experience and patience working with children with special needs, including autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing differences, Down syndrome, non-verbal communication styles, and behavioral support needs. This role serves therapeutic schools, special education classrooms within traditional schools, early intervention programs, and developmental preschools across Austin and Central Texas. This is not a standard picture-day position. Success here looks different — it means a student who usually refuses to be photographed choosing to participate, or a child with nonverbal communication feeling seen and safe rather than rushed or pressured. Our approach to therapeutic school photography is built on flexibility, patience, and genuine care. We do not measure success by volume of shots taken or how quickly we move through a class. We measure it by whether each child had a positive experience. On picture day at a therapeutic or special education school, you will work closely with teachers, aides, and support staff to understand each student's individual needs before the session begins. You will adjust your setup, your energy, your pacing, and your expectations based on the child in front of you — not the other way around. You may spend five minutes with one child and fifteen with another. That is not a problem. That is the job. Preferred experience includes: working in therapeutic day schools, behavioral health programs, or special education classrooms; understanding sensory processing differences and how traditional photo setups (bright lights, loud shutters, unexpected proximity) can cause dysregulation; reading nonverbal cues and body language; knowing when to pause, redirect, or try a completely different approach. We provide full training on our equipment, workflow, and post-production pipeline. No editing is required — our team handles everything after the shoot. This is a contractor position with flexible scheduling based on school picture days throughout the year.