School Portrait photographers out there please help? Or anyone with good advice ;)

MarieK · Jun 18, 2014

I was just contacted by my sons school to submit a proposal for shooting their schools portraits. I volunteer at all of their events and they are not happy with who they work with and would like me to come on-board. I'm trying to figure out if I can logistically make it work? Would love some help from anyone who shoots school portraits or anyone who might just have some ideas.
Background info: I have been a wedding photographer for just over 10 years but mostly worked for a gentleman who did the behind the scenes work. I was lucky in that: got to do what I love and not deal with the logistics.
The school has 5 sites with a total of about 450 students. They will give me 4 days to shoot (one day will consist of shooting 2 sites but they have a small number of students 50 or so each)
Here are my issues as of right now......
1. Do I sell photos online through a site (smugmug?), or go the traditional route and have a sheet with packages that have to be ordered and then filled through me?
2. The director said she wouldn't mind if I only wanted to offer a digital download. That would be so easy for me but I'm afraid that wont get many sales and that parents would want to order prints?
3. If I do go with online ordering do I offer packages with a la cart or just let the parents pick which sizes they want? Will I lose a ton if there is not set packages? ie: they only want a 5X7 and 3 Wallets where as a package might be 1 5x7,2 3x5 and 8 wallets?
4. Does anyone know of a site I can start up that does allow setting up packages and then a la cart as well?

I think that's all for now any and all help is greatly appreciated!!!

vintagesnaps · Jun 18, 2014

It might be a good idea to do some research on it and decide if it's something you're sure you want to do. It's great to be asked and they must think highly of you, but I'd consider whether or not you feel able to do this so they don't end up disappointed - you probably don't want to lose the good relationship you have with them now.

You mentioned you hadn't handled the logistics of photography when doing weddings, and I think that's exactly what this would involve. You'd need to find a secure website, determine your packages and pricing, make sure everyone is able to view their photos and that orders are processed correctly, figure out how you're going to handle payments and taxes, look into becoming a registered business in your state and having insurance, etc. etc. etc.

To me this would seem fairly time consuming to look at plenty of options and to get off the ground. In my area there's barely two months left of the summer so to me that would feel rushed to put together something that was totally new to me. Depends too on how soon they need the proposal.

Seriously, I think it takes time to research and get everything set up and to do something well. You can find info. on ASMP or PPA's websites related to business aspects of professional photography. You cannot just go by what you get told on a message board! LOL! On here you can get some great suggestions and good information but you'd do well to also go find some photography related business info. I think it would be good to make sure you have every detail covered to prevent dealing with problems later.

imagemaker46 · Jun 18, 2014

It's not the shooting that sounds like it would create too many issues, as long as everything you keep all the students in order with ID's. What will be the biggest and most time consuming will be the post processing, if you put packages together, you have all the prints to deal with. It will be a lot of work. Digital downloads will get you sales, but not like the package deals.

Lots to think about.

runnah · Jun 18, 2014

Sorry but this is a bad idea. Companies like Lifetouch have the school photo day down to a science and are more cost competitive than you will ever be.

Stick with senior photos and private sessions.