Does anyone current take photos of High School sports and sell their photos and digital copies to high school year book staff? I'm looking to present an idea to the school's AD where they can buy as needed. Any ideas?

Its worth a try, but they probably got enough free ones that they are happy with and I think the school contracted photographer has to photograph a few events and probably provides the school with these for free.

Instead of asking for money which I'm sure they don't have. What if I asked them for a free booster membership which includes a link to my website from schools website with my business name on their sponsorship boards throughout the school. I would be basically be donating my photos in exchange for advertising my business.

what about advertising space in the year book?

Great idea Gerry. I want to write back with some ideas and respond back to the Year Book Advisor.

I parlay my relationship with the football boosters club to receive a sponsorship on the field (large poster on the sidelines), an ad on the booster page and references to my company. In turn I send them photos they can use on the web site and use in the yearbook as long as they give credit. It is a valuable consideration because it boosts name recognition and validates my images in the mind of future customers (the parents of players).

I give my images to the school for yearbook and other publications/brochures. Parents have the opportunity to purchase prints. I think asking for a link to your site and an add in the yearbook is completely reasonable. Just becoming a known photographer in the school community could bring in a lot of senior portrait business.

Originally Posted by sweet caroline I give my images to the school for yearbook and other publications/brochures. Parents have the opportunity to purchase prints. I think asking for a link to your site and an add in the yearbook is completely reasonable. Just becoming a known photographer in the school community could bring in a lot of senior portrait business.

What is the easiest way to provide images to the yearbook? Do you make prints for the parents to purchase or direct them to your website?

Email is probably the easiest way to send them to the yearbook.

showing the parents the pictures on the computer in person is probably more effective than sending them to the website, and you will probably get a much much much better turn around time. I prefer not to do an online picture viewing by giving them digital proofs, but for the ones that live an hour away I have done this. its taken some of those parents 9 months to get back to me, so this year I am trying really hard not to do the online proofs. For one thing it takes to long to create them and they usually end up on facebook even though I ask them not to.

Originally Posted by photodad1 What is the easiest way to provide images to the yearbook? Do you make prints for the parents to purchase or direct them to your website?

I set up a password protected smugmug gallery that allows downloads for the school for newsletters, etc. I am actually the yearbook teacher, so I put the pics in the class smug account and the kids download as needed. For the parents, I send out a link to galleries on my website and they order prints.

caroline, since you work in the school do you take advantage of that and offer senior portraits? :)

Originally Posted by GerryDavid caroline, since you work in the school do you take advantage of that and offer senior portraits? :)

We haven't had any seniors yet. So far it's pre-k through grade 11. But I'm sure I'll be the preferred photographer when that day comes.

Originally Posted by sweet caroline We haven't had any seniors yet. So far it's pre-k through grade 11. But I'm sure I'll be the preferred photographer when that day comes.

your school has prek-11 but no 12's? thats a bit unusual.

Juniors love to have their portrait taken as well. Ive been offering a junior spokesmodel program as well and last year half my models were juniors and this year some of them are coming back to me for their senior pictures. :)

I am agreeing with r9jackson and think you'll get more bang with football and other sport boosters and a banner than with the yearbook ad--nobody sees those ads. I shoot my kids marching band and have had 3-5 pics in each yearbook for the past 5 years (2 years to go...). I am not a pro so just ask for typical photo credit and it has brought the occasional side job with folks who know me and want the unique senior photo out in the hills.

Also, as a former high school yearbook photo editor and shooter in college I don't think we ever used pro shots. The point of the yearbook is for students to shoot, layout, and produce the book. I guess if you have something fantastic they may want to include it, but I would think that is the exception. My shots in recent yearbooks have been things the student shooters didn't cover so needed my shot. I also do the large band group shot at start of year so they use that one. As I am on sidelines now shooting marching band I meet the student yearbook photogs and have even loaned them my big glass during games and given pointers. Works for me since they shoot the game and I shoot the half time show.

I think your best business result is the banner on the sidelines as a supporter. They are prominent at our high school, and well supported by parents. Keep in mind those aren't cheap and you should farily value your work and then be ready to provide enough photography to equal (or exceed) the retail value of the banner, or ad in yearbook. Good luck.

How much does it cost for a banner at your school?

I'm a high school teacher and have yet to teach in a school where the yearbook had the money to engage a professional photographer. As someone else noted, they try to use photographs taken by high school students. I have provided my own photographs to the yearbook (as well as some suggestions for both the yearbook camera and how to use it). I use a sharegroup which contains galleries of events identified by date and name. I provide a link to this to the yearbook advisor, and she uses what she needs. In this way, I control access to pictures. Occasionally, I've been asked to take pictures when an organization was dissatisfied with the work of the professional hired to do the group and individual pictures. These I will usually E-mail.

I'm afraid I can't offer intelligent advice about the business end. I make my money off selling to the newspaper and the occasional commercial use of non-people photographs.

Originally Posted by GerryDavid your school has prek-11 but no 12's? thats a bit unusual. Juniors love to have their portrait taken as well. Ive been offering a junior spokesmodel program as well and last year half my models were juniors and this year some of them are coming back to me for their senior pictures. :)

The school started with only elementary and then expanded outward in both directions. They have been adding a grade each year at the upper end as the kids get older. If they had some older applicants, they would add grade 12 this year, but few students suddenly decide to leave their high schools to go to a small private school that late in their educational careers.

"Also, as a former high school yearbook photo editor and shooter in college I don't think we ever used pro shots. The point of the yearbook is for students to shoot, layout, and produce the book. I guess if you have something fantastic they may want to include it, but I would think that is the exception. My shots in recent yearbooks have been things the student shooters didn't cover so needed my shot. I also do the large band group shot at start of year so they use that one. As I am on sidelines now shooting marching band I meet the student yearbook photogs and have even loaned them my big glass during games and given pointers. Works for me since they shoot the game and I shoot the half time show. "


In my region, I've ALWAYS seen the portraits done by a pro or a company that specializes in school portraits. For our year book, we use as many student photos as possible, but the portraits are the ones I took. Even my more advanced photography students simply wouldn't have the time to take the portraits. The students do all the layout design, decide on content, set pricing, advertise, etc. I just don't see how the kids could do all the head shots.

Anyway, for the events I shoot, the yearbook has access to those shots to use use in the book as needed and I e-mail a link to all the parents to order prints. There is no way the yearbook program would have any money in the budget to pay for photos. I make a little money through print orders.