NEED TO KNOW
Brooke Hamilton is a mother of two from New Brunswick, Canada
Although the 35-year-old is well accustomed to her 10-year-old’s spunky personality, she never expected it to shine so boldly in her school photos
A TikTok video of her daughter’s playful pose quickly went viral, racking up 7.5 million views
When Brooke Hamilton sent her daughter, Zuri, and son, West, to school for picture day, she expected the usual lineup of sweet, smiling portraits – the kind that end up framed on a mantel or tucked into a grandparent’s wallet.
But when the final photos made their way home, the 35-year-old mother was equal parts shocked and amused by her daughter’s chosen pose.
“I instantly started laughing,” Hamilton tells PEOPLE exclusively. “The photos brought me so much joy!”
Although her 10-year-old daughter is known for her signature pose – one hand on her hip, the other flashing a peace sign, tongue out and a playful wink to top it off – Hamilton never expected to see it featured in a school photo.
According to the mother of two, the fifth grader had asked the photographer if she could “try one of her own poses,” and he had let it slide.
“She is always posing in photos and in videos at home,” Hamilton reveals. “This is her ‘go-to,’ making the photo a perfect representation of her.”
Courtesy of Brooke Hamilton
Zuri Hamilton; West Hamilton.
In previous years, Zuri and West’s school photos felt more posed and serious, with expressions that seemed “uncomfortable.”
This time, though, the pictures captured her kids’ true personalities — the kind they’ll look back on and fondly remember.
“Zuri is always full of drama and spunk,” she says, adding that her 8-year-old son “is always smiling and happy to go with the flow.”
Courtesy of Brooke Hamilton
Zuri Hamilton.
This, however, isn’t the first time one of her children decided to get creative while taking professional photos.
A few years ago, around the holidays, West somehow convinced Santa to flash a “rock on” sign toward the camera – creating a photo the family would never forget.
Courtesy of Brooke Hamilton
West Hamilton and Santa.
And yet, Zuri and West’s 2025 school photos left such an impression on friends, family and Hamilton’s online community that many even asked for their own copies.
“We will be giving everyone a print with their Christmas cards this year,” she tells PEOPLE.
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Courtesy of Brooke Hamilton
Zuri Hamilton; West Hamilton.
When it comes to school photos, Hamilton believes kids should have the freedom to express themselves — whether that’s through their outfits or fun, age-appropriate poses.
After all, she says, those little touches are what make each photo truly special.
“I’m all about letting kids be themselves,” she says. “Even if that means doing things a bit differently!”
Read the original article on People