Senior pictures and some basic questions EVERYONE can help with

[thebeginning]

1. If you want to take nice pictures of your friends at prom, go ahead, take pictures. A photographer loves to take pictures, but don't take money.

2. It's not the poses that count, it's the lighting. Read, or take an online course, or SOMETHING! You can get a good university education for 45 dollars in late fees I hear, if you only stay dedicated and learn, and use what you learn.

3. I think that selling crack cocaine to schoolchildren in Texas (yes, the lethal injection state) represents a better business plan than this one. If you want to pay for your camera gear, get a summer job. Ten seconds into this, and you are already trying to whore out your hobby. Have some pride in what you do.

OR

If you want to be a professional. Get a job apprenticing in a portrait studio, and guess what, soon you'll be getting paid to take pictures, and you'll soon lose the love of the craft, if you ever had it. Problem solved,...eh?:er:

some good points, except for that last part, which I strongly disagree with

but i'm sure there's sarcasm in there.

 

[monkeykoder]

Sometimes I wonder if the school when it contracts the photographer for senior portraits tells them to make the kids look as stupid as possible so they can look at the yearbook 10 years later and talk about how they got those kids back for all the things they did.

 

[JIP]

Well I think my initial reactions to this post have been pretty much covered but one thing. I think you might want to work on your wording I know you are targeting high school seniors but an ad like this should not contain things like counting ones "I have to delete and whatnot" "you'd like to take them at" you want to sound a little more professional work on your grammar and wording. Also, as others have said if you are going to charge money for "professional" images I think you should be at least past the stage of asking on a forum how to pose or light them. If you don't know how to do these things where is the value you are giving your potential customers?.

 

[JerryPH]

Without being too harsh:

- we see a young man or woman who paid $650 for a "pro "camera. The D40 is HARDLY a pro camera, even if the odd professional uses it. The D40 is a camera that I bought my 15 year old niece becuase its easy and makes nice pictures easily.

- I see no enthusiasm for photography in you... though I do see a desire for you to get a free camera. If thats a good enough reason for you... its good enough, period.

- You want to offer pro level results on a non-pro camera with little to no experience. What do you think your success rate will be? In the end, I think you could end up making more enemies than satisfied clients.

- You right away think that photochopping pics to compensate for your photographic abilities will make a difference. That points to a distinct lack of ability.

- You then mention you can do some "nifty" things. My 15 year old niece does lots of "nifty" things in photoshop, but a professional photographer will not start modifying the picture excessively, blemishes, scars or warts included (this has room for discussion... but even the 400 pound bride knows she is not Tyra Banks, and knows what she looks like. Modifications take away from the originality of the picture, and though we are "improving" the picture, there comes a point we are bastardizing the photograph).

This may sound like I am pounding hard on the poor person and his idea, but... I think its an excellent idea, but at this point it's just REALLY POORLY thought out and I see no real preparation to giving his "clients" what they pay for... not even 20 bucks worth.

I would suggest learn how to use your camera first, then look at this again later. No amount of "good" advertising, wishes or photoshop skills are going to compensate for you if you have to take 300 pictures of a single person just to get what your CLIENT considers are 10 good shots... for 20 bucks.

You have a pretty good idea... but based on what you showed us, thats ALL you have, there is a TON of very necessary info, preparation and skill missing... ALL of which I am sure you could get with some serious thought, effort and practice on your part.

Good luck.