Senior Shoot, advice needed

kyeezie

I have been asked to do my first senior shots! I am very excited but am not sure how exactly to go about it. When I was a senior, we stood in a line and got our pictures taken in that black cover up with a rose and just different head tilts and that's all. I know seniors have been able to expand on this quite a bit (and I'm not even that old), but what exactly do I offer them? Do I have to do anything to make sure the pictures can be used in the yearbook? What sort of packages or offered or given for these and around what price range? :scratch Thanks for any help!!

jeffreaux2

kyeezie wrote: »

I have been asked to do my first senior shots! I am very excited but am not sure how exactly to go about it. When I was a senior, we stood in a line and got our pictures taken in that black cover up with a rose and just different head tilts and that's all. I know seniors have been able to expand on this quite a bit (and I'm not even that old), but what exactly do I offer them? Do I have to do anything to make sure the pictures can be used in the yearbook? What sort of packages or offered or given for these and around what price range? Thanks for any help!!

I have a tips link in my signature.

Pricing is up to you, but be sure to put a package together with at least 50 wallets. I start out with 80 wallets, 2 8x10s, 8 5x7s and 20 4x6 prints. Let them download websized proofs for their facebooks and be sure you watermark those with your site name. Offer press printed books or albums....invitations etc. The wallets are mailed out with invites to friends and realatives.


Make it personal and fun.

Our yearbooks contract studios so all the photos match. I do on location shoots....the kids choose the location.:D

A few samples...

kyeezie

I sure was hoping you would respond to this. I don't know why I didn't think to look in your signature. Thanks for the advice. Do I need to contact the school or anything to make sure it is ok? I am really excited and you are my inspiration! Thanks!

jeffreaux2

kyeezie wrote: »

I sure was hoping you would respond to this. I don't know why I didn't think to look in your signature. Thanks for the advice. Do I need to contact the school or anything to make sure it is ok? I am really excited and you are my inspiration! Thanks!

Nearly all of our local schools send the kids to a studio that is under contract for yearbook photos. They shoot the guys in a tux, the girls in a stole, and boys and girls in cap and gown. Those go in the yearbook. I dont contact the school at all.

You should find out how it works in your neck of the woods. If your shots will go in the yearbook you will need to know from them what size image is required and what is the dpi (dots per inch) requirement. Before the shoot, crop some random head and shoulder shots you have taken in the past to the required dimensions to get a feel for what you need to do to frame the shots loose enough in camera to provide the best possible composition at the final dimensions. There is a learning curve there.....trust me.:D

Caspian

Kyeezie,
Some of the best samples of senior pictures are Jeffreaux2 and Hackbone. Look at their web sites and read their comments on other people's posts too. Divamom also has some nice portraits posted. Dgrin has some good discussions on pricing in the Wide Angel>Mind Your Own Business section.

jeffreaux2

Other examples....if you are digging around....

photogmamma
heatherfeather
urbanaries
swartzy
zoomer


* all have posted great examples of senior or senior portrait -like portraits at some time or other.

Be spontaneous, but stay in the shade.:D

Hackbone

Check with the yb advisor if they will accept your photo. Find out if it is in B&W or color. If color try to match the School photographers background somewhat. Also what size print or file they want. The school contract is not necessarily binding. Under the Freedom of Information Act I petitioned the local school for it and it states that the school will not get all of the kickback (my term) if they are not the exclusive school photographer. This is a real sore spot with me. The school asks me to bid a project and usually the bid goes to the lowest bidder. However in these cases the bid goes to the photographer who gives the most kickback. No other way to say that. So in effect the school is telling the parents where they have to go to spend their monies if they want their child in the yb.

I have packages but they go by sheets. 1 8x0 .......2 5x7' same pose......4 4x6' of same pose. I might have a 3 sheet pkg......7 sheet pkg.........etc.
I would never include wallets in my pkgs.......that cuts down on your sales. Wallets are an extra!!! I also have different sessions. Each one is more but has more clothing changes and time involved also has minimum orders.

Don't forget to include your time. For every hour I spend shooting I spend close to 45 min retouching and want to be paid for that time. If I don't charge for this I would make more monies by being a greeter at WalMart. Also you've got to charge a portion of your print price for your insurance, heat, electricity, computers, printers, flyers, programs, cameras, lens, filters, reflectors, equipment, props, repairs, travel, educaiton, etc. Don't forget you really should be registered with your state sales tax people to stay out of trouble when selling prints to your clients.

tomnovy

Very nice shot. Im not a big fan of overcontrasted photos - but here the method is good. Congrats!