I'm in the wrong business (Senior pictures $$)

[Brianne]

I think my package was around $300 many moons ago but damned if I know where those pictures are now. There was one photographer who took all the yearbook photos but most people (including myself) then went to another studio for all the "fancy" shots.

I'll probably end up taking my kids to Picture People or Glamour Shots or something along those lines once the time comes. I can't see spending a ton of money when there'll be weddings, etc in time!

 

[MICKEY88]

my stepson brought his paper home yesterday for Senior pics,

I was happy to read that if we bought the 900 package we would save 275 dollars...

there was even a 1500 package...


thank goodness I'm a Photographer,

I'm very tempted to offer to do a shoot for any Senior at cost, just to send a message to the other photographer, I had a slight disagreement with the studio 2 years ago when I discovered that they had sports pics of my stepdaughter for sale on their website...


totally outrageous, but as long as parents will pay the price the photographer can get away with it..

I'm already shooting his 2 best friends and a few female friends asked him if I would do their pics as well..

 

[MerryPoppins]

Senior pictures are a racket! My son is a senior this year. We were given 4 studios to choose from, because the photos that go on the 2006 collage at the school have to all have the same background. I called each studio for a price list and went with the least expensive one. But I'd had pictures taken there before and was happy. They took his required "coat & tie" pictures, some casual Hawaiian shirt pictures and also his Eagle Scout pictures. This was one of my favorites, and they even removed the color from part of the picture at no extra charge. I thought it was interesting.

I think I paid in the $150 range, and I got enough wallets to include them in in announcements. Most of the studios were MUCH higher and I bet my pictures are just as good. So do shop around!

I will say that in our area there was a senior picture option for those who didn't want to buy, but just be included in the collage and yearbook. You could get that photo made free.

 

[PaulaSue]

Wow, I am even more glad my mom does pictures (not professsional but very good, she even did my wedding).

 

[Mary Anne]

Yes, even though we did not do any package, the school took his picture for the yearbook. The cost of that was included in our $300 senior dues. I have no idea what we get for those dues. Haven't seen a thing yet, I'm assuming it's the cap & gown, and fee for where the graduation is held. A rip off but that I had to pay.

We have little or no family to give pictures to, so that is why I did not go with the package. So, we'll have a picture in Mickey Grad Ears in front on the castle from one of the street photographers.

 

[Belle0101]

We, DH & I, tried in the nicest way possible to talk with our friends about the prices ... and I got my head bit off!

My DH let her DH bring it up and when the price was mentioned my DH just said along the lines wow, that seems like a lot of money. To which her DH rolled his eyes and said I know, I could spend a week in Florida for that kind of money.

Later my friend brought over the packet they gave her with all the info - nice packet, I'm starting to see where some of the money is going.

Remember the $375 sitting fee? Well, they were able to get it down to $175 but still no pictures for that price.

The $900 package includes 1 framed 16 X 20, 2 unframed 8 X 10, I think 3 unframed 5 X 7, and it seems maybe a couple of other smaller sized pictures, unframed. Not a lot of pictures in my opinion.

Now because that is not a lot of pictures and she is starting to feel bad saying that anybody who wants a picture will have to buy their own ... she's going to buy a package of wallets, no wallets in the package. She's going to buy a package of 288 for $290. She'll get 4 poses. From that she's going to get 8 X 10 frames and mat 4 wallets into each frame to pass out. I don't think that's an altogether bad idea, just expensive. And yes, she really feels she'll need 288 wallets. Believe me I asked and that's when she started getting snippy and bit my head off.

Later she asked me if I knew of any credit card offers out now with 0% APR for new purchases. No, why? She wants to put it on a credit card.

The photographer does offer some freebies but the freebies only kick in after you spend $850. One of the freebies is your photos on a DVD that you can play (i.e. at the Open House) but you don't own the rights to copy pictures from it. 10% off packages over $900 if paid in full by a specified date ... again, in my opinion, nothing really great.

So now we're talking $1365 for pictures!

I did what I said I would do, gently suggest to shop around, got my head bit off, I'm done with that. Bottom line is that it's their money (or credit card) to spend as they please.

 

[ashlynn_j_m]

I had my senior pics done in 96 and my total was around 800, and that included my sitting fee....