Am I Going Overboard on Senior pictures?

[angierae]

We have been photographing seniors for about 10 years. We average $400 per person. You stated money was not the issue and you are getting the high resolution cd, we hardly ever release rights.

Most clients feel the only time spent on them is when they see us behind the camera. We spend almost 10 hours per client, sometimes more, therefore the cost is not really bad.

Switch hats here, we had a senior last year and have another this year and the final one next year. Our current senior wanted to use another photographer besides us, because "everyone is using them", so we spent almost $600 for her pictures and received much less than your package and the ones we offer. They are only high school seniors once, so splurge away.

This also includes the "premium" retouching package, which will even out skin tone, deal with blemishes, whiten teeth and even deal with stray hairs, etc. So I know that it will take a great deal of time and effort to do that, too.

Like I said in another post, I'd probably happily take a package that came with fewer 8x10s and more 5x7s, but given my options, it's not really a better choice, financially.

6 8x10s (DH and I, my MIL, my dad, Aunt #1 and Aunt #2, Uncle #1 That's six right there, and the three aunts/uncles DD is closest to.)

8 5x7s (I can come up with 8 aunts/uncles and great aunts/great uncles off the top of my head that would be thrilled to have these.)

So yeah, I don't think it's a huge number of pictures in that they'd go to waste or anything.

 

[jgreco]

I have pictures left over and bought the smallest package for my son. I still paid over $300. People in my family just aren't into "displaying" pictures anymore.

 

[littlebit0863]

It sounds like you have made up your mind that you are pretty happy with your purchase. If photos are important to you then it is a good purchase. Personally I never pay over the $4 a sheet JC Penney deal because I only like the photos I'll be displaying plus a couple of wallets thrown in for Christmas cards. If I were a senior I would rather have the $500 in cash or for a graduation party. But only you & your daughter can know how much you value those photos.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

I didn't read through thread...but IMO, yes that is "overboard." I know we all love our kids, but in all honestly - who really wants pictures of other people's kids? I mean, grandparents, and aunts and uncles excluded...who else really wants them? I love my pics of my kids, and nieces and nephews, but I'm not prone to hanging pictures of anyone elses kids on my fridge.

Six 8 by 10's?! That's alot of large pics.

Do you plan on handing them out to everyone you know? I am asking honestly - not trying to be sarcastic. I just dont' know why one would need that many pics (in all sizes - not just 8x10.)

 

[ceecee]

Since I know the our extended relatives are not going to want 8x10, I only get one for me and one for the grandparents. Then get something smaller for the other relatives.

Agree! I love my nieces and nephews but do not want an 8x10!!!

 

[ceecee]

Keep in mind that if you're sending to more than very close friends and very close families - those wallets will end up being thrown out. I mean - who keeps a picture of a 2nd cousin or a neighbor's kid on the frig for more than a month or two?

Then again, I highly doubt I'll send annoucements...Seems like a request for a gift when I get them myself. I do send a gift if I'm close enough to the family to actually get an invite to the gradutation party.

We have thrown so many away! My friend had her daughter's done (4 seasons of poses and with pets and sports memoribilla) lots and lots of poses and it was close to $600. I think that sending annoucements is asking for a gift, so if you don't intend on inviting them to a grad party don't send an annoucement.

 

[burnurcomputer]

My mom spent over a thousand on my pics, back in 1998. I had a 5 hour session to get all the poses and clothing changes in. She told me that I really won't ever have an experience like it again, with the exception of my wedding day, so she was going to make sure that I had nice pics. We had wall portraits made for my grand parents (they are gone, I have theirs on my bedroom wall), her, and a huge photo book for my parents in addition to several hundred wallents. She didn't regret going balls wild with them and I really think its great to show my kids how Mommy used to look

 

[Tink-aholic]

I paid $370 for one framed 11x14, two 5x7s, an 8 opening leather folio, and eight wallets. The wallets will probably end up in the trash, but we couldn't buy ANY package without them and all of the items a la carte would have cost more.

It never occurred to me to purchase anything for announcements, but we don't have anyone to send them to, anyway.

 

[patsal]

Sounds like a reasonable price, just had DD's done and DS four years ago. I got the same package for both of them and the price was about the same for both of them. The photographer gave me a bit of a discount for DD because we got talking and he mentioned he was taking his wife to WDW...I was able to give him a bunch of information and maps and he took off 15%.
I only buy the proff book, 60 wallets, an 8X10 for me a 16X20 for the living room to go opposite the 16X20 baby portrait and 4 5X7 for the grands, my desk at work and DH's desk at work.

Sr portraits are very expensive!

 

[angwill]

Holy cow!!! My son is graduating 2013 and we just got his proofs and the most expensive package is $52 and that includes names on the wallets and choice of backgrounds. That is only 2 poses but both were very nice. I think some parents need to go to a PTO meeting and ask for the madness to stop. Honestly, you can simply get the CD and have the pictures made anywhere and they will be no different than the studio can make at about 1/20th of the cost.

One question is do the aunts and uncles really want and 8x10 or will they thank you politely and shove it in a box for that expense. Another question is why would you want to retouch your childs face when they are beautiful just the way they are?

Just some thoughts. In the end if you can afford the cost and don't see it as wasteful then go for it but I don't think you would be asking here for opinions if you were not doubtful about the cost.

 

[PA Princess]

I have struggled with the issue of how much to pay for pictures a few times in life, and what I have found is that it really is a very individual call.

When we married I, I battled with family over picture costs. They really were important to me, and I am glad we splurged on the professional pictures. Having regular portraits of our kids taken over the years, again a priority and we have spent a nice amount I imagine over all of the years with 4 kids.

But I have also found there are places where I do not need to spend on pics. For instance, I do not need a picture of every kid on every sport team and every dance class and every...well, you get the idea.

I also have a child graduating this year. We did the school picture this summer for the yearbook, but he had no idea what he wanted to wear , props, etc so we did not do the full shoot...just a yearbook shot.

What are we doing about senior photos? Well, three weeks ago we spent a week on the Fantasy. I shopped and planned diligently for family photos for that trip. I decided we would buy the CD of all pics and the hard copies (like $400).

As we were planning, an idea occurred to me and I talked to ds about it. He liked the plan, so during that week one afternoon he threw on some very casual but so him clothes and went and had a photo shoot at the lifestyle type area (white background). The pictures turned out well, ds was pleased and we called it senior pictures! I can print however many prints we want from the CD at minimal cost.

A part of me feels like I cheated because this was so easy and so not expensive LOL But I have two younger daughters and I have no doubt they will be far less satisfied with this type of arrangement for senior pics.

All this to say that if you are pleased with the results and have the funds, I think the cost is in line with what many pay for senior pics (or Disney cruise ship pics;-) so you should make the purchase and cherish the pictures!

 

[drgreene1096]

I didn't read very may replies, but if it were my daughter, I would do it! Of course, I am partial to pictures. I had a step-son that died in 1996 and we have very few pictures of him...so I am a picture nazi. I spend an average of $200 per year on school pictures and birthday pictures for my daughter and then about $300 on pics of my grandkids. That doesn't even begin to touch the approximately $500 I spend on developing of snapshots. They may not mean anthing to anyone else, but I enjoy going through my pictures and looking back at my kids and grandkids at their various stages. My question to you is will you regret it if you don't do it? If the answer is yes, then do it!

 

[marlynnp]

Instead of thinking of the cost, focus on the use. Are the aunts & uncles really going to want an 8x10??? Do they have large photos of extended family displayed? We use a mix 3x5 and wallet size frames.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I bought a package with 11x14 (1), 8x10 (2) plus a free one I had with a gift certificate, 5x7 (2), 4x6 (4), 72 wallets and an album with 22 photos. It also comes with 15 images for Facebook. That was $300, the sitting fee was $50 but I had a GC for that and the above mentioned free 8x10. I think that is pretty average pricing for around this area. There are also other packaages for more $ and some for less as well as a la carte. She holds the copy right to all photos and does not offer a cd giving permission to print. I am fine with that.

On another note many seniors are doing their own photos ie having a friend or parent take them.

 

[angierae]

I spoke with my sister yesterday about something else, and I said "If I gave you an 8x10 of Brit's senior pics, would you hang it up? Honestly, because I'm trying to decide how much to spend on this."

She said that she would LOVE an 8x10 of any of her nieces and nephews, usually all she gets are little tiny ones and she would love something large enough to frame, especially a professional picture and not the crappy snaps they do for regular school photos.

I do have concerns about the cost. (DH says I'm being a worry wort, and that it's a once in a lifetime thing, we're very proud of her, and to chill out) but as I listed a few posts back, only three of those six 8x10s would go to aunts - between our house, and two grandparents, that's three of them right there. And if one of her aunts/uncles did not want an 8x10, well, then I guess that's two for us!

Honestly, I wish there was a smaller, less expensive package that came with the CD, but there isn't. And any of the packages that are more than $50-75 cheaper both don't come with the cd AND don't come with nearly the amount of photos.

(We've had the "are announcements a gift grab" debate here before. I do not send announcements because I expect a gift, and I have never received one and felt obligated to send a gift. Announcements are a way of "announcing" your child's accomplishment, and showing how proud you are. That's it. (In my opinion.))

 

[elmo2wdw]

I think that is a lot of money for pictures. I took the advice off another post on senior pictures and found a photographer through craigslist. She was awesome!!!

I was looking for a photographer that would let me pay a flat rate for the pictures. I paid $100.....she took over 75 pics, (outdoor at location of my choice with 4 outfit changes) edited/retouched them, put the best 35 on a CD for me and gave me the copyrights to them!!!

I used a free shutterfly code to create a 8 x 8 "book" of my son's senior pictures...with shipping and tax....$8.46. I used a groupon code for getting a 8x10 print done on wood...it turned out awesome and it only cost me $39!!! Now, I am getting ready to order prints for myself and my family using a site my photographer reccomended for professional quaility prints and it under $100 for everything I need.

Senior Year is sooooo expensive that I am trying to save moneyy where ever I can.

 

[Eastern]

Honestly, do people really still buy 8 x 10 portraits of single people?

I would get 5 x 7s for the grandparents and the rest 3 x 5s and wallets.

 

[angierae]

Honestly, do people really still buy 8 x 10 portraits of single people?

I would get 5 x 7s for the grandparents and the rest 3 x 5s and wallets.

My mother in law has both of her son's senior pictures in 8x10, both of her son's wedding pictures in 8/10, and wants her granddaughter's senior picture in 8x10 as well. They are all on her mantle.

Maybe it's just a cutural/region thing, because most people I know do in fact display 5x7 or 8x10 portraits of their neices/nephews/grandchildren if they are given them. I have several 5x7 photographs of my grand-nieces displayed in my home (I need to swap them out, actually, my niece just gave me new ones.)

What I'm seeing here is that the price I've been quoted is pretty on-track with other professional senior pictures, and that some people do not like decorating with photographs. Sounds good. Thank you to everyone for their input.

 

[girli565]

Is there an option for a CD-only package? That's usually the best deal because then you can print the images yourself or order them through sites like Mpix or shutterfly when they have deals.

Edit to add: Sorry, just read that they don't offer a CD package. sucks.

 

[okeydokey]

Maybe order a few from there and get them taken somewhere else as well for the announcements.