School portrait photographers please help! OR anyone with good advice ;o)

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!!!

jowensphoto · Jun 18, 2014

That seems like a huge undertaking, but given that you have been a wedding photographer for so long, I don't doubt you'll be able to handle the work load.

The shooting is the easy part, IMO. A static light setup, maybe 2-3 bg color options and a stool to sit on.

I *think* WHCC offers "pick a pack" deals for this kind of thing, but not entirely sure what all that entails. Do you know anyone who shoots youth sports? I worked with a guy once who did and used some sort of package/a la carte pricing, but not entirely sure how he did it either.

sscarmack · Jun 18, 2014

Oh heckkkkk nooooo! Run run run run run

CCericola · Jun 18, 2014

1. The school may have asked you to submit but nothing is written in stone. You must be approved by the committee.
2. The proposal must include what percentage of sales you are giving to the school. Pictures are a fundraiser for schools.
3. You may need to be PSPA certified through the PMAI. Not always but some require it. You may also have to pay for and provide police background checks for you and any employees of yours.
4. Set up pre pay packages with envelopes. They can order more later if they wish.
5. If you offer online ordering you need to make each child has a private gallery or you will be bombarded by angry parents worried about privacy and safety.
6. Millers, WHCC, etc... have school programs including envelopes. Pick one since you are not printing yourself.
7. Be prepared for refunds, reprints and retake days. Sometimes up to 15% of sales will need to be refunded or retaken because of picky or angry parents.
8. Have a range of packages so you don't discriminate against low income families.
9. School software such as Timestone or Photolynx is recommended.
10. Just pick one background. Or you will never get done in time.
11. You will need a second set up and a second shooter and it will be nice to have an assistant to help with paperwork
12. DO NOT TOUCH A CHILD except for a quick turn for posing. Have the teacher wipe faces and comb hair.
13. If you provide combs have them throw away each comb after pictures. Taking and sharing combs can cause lice outbreaks.
14. Teachers are free, children of teachers are free (within reason)
15. The school will need all photos for records. Ask them if they need ID cards made. (AFTER retake day) and a disc for their yearbook company.
16. The lighting, posing, I won't insult your intelligence with that. That is the easy part.
17. Have everything delivered to the school and let the school handle distribution. Charge shipping for extra orders by parents afterward.

I'm sure there is more. I'll try to post again when I think of them. The software is really key to keeping the records in order. The schools provide you with excel files with the student's names, ID numbers, homerooms, etc... and you import the list. Then just match up the pictures with the entry (Can be done onsite or afterward, we did not start onsite use of the program until we had the whole process down)

But the software is not cheap. You may be able to use lightroom. I know some smaller companies that still use Adobe bridge. It just becomes tedious, time consuming and easy to get errors.