Senior Pictures?

[calie_j]

DS will be a senior next year and he's already getting postcards from photographers for senior pictures. I know a couple people who used to do senior pictures as a side job so I thought why can't I do my own with my digital camera? The big question I had was if the yearbook photo needed some sort of special print and if I could do that?

Any comments or suggestions on doing it myself?

Thanks, Calie

 

[CelticBelle]

sometimes the school requires the prints to come from a certain photographer. A couple of years ago my school required everyone to go to a certain place, but you weren't required to buy anything. You might want to check with their requirement. maybe they need to look uniform or something?

Besides that I know many many people who had relatives or parents take their pictures and they came out beautifully. especially if your able to go outside on a nice day. i hope this helps.

 

[rockstargeisha]

I know as a senior we were required to use a certain photographer with a set background for our photos. We weren't required to purchase photos but our yearbook staff wanted all the photos to have the same background, I personally think this looks much more clean and professional. Nothing against personal photos though.

 

[branv]

Well one certainly shouldn't go into debt if they cannot afford senior pics (they are expensive), please do not, if you can avoid it, try to take these pics yourself. I know alot of people consider themselves amateur photographers and I know people who decide to use said people, friends, relatives, etc for special events. I'm not saying it never turns out well, but I've personally never seen one that did. Even the best pictures still look like pictures taken by friends. Photogs don't just point and click, they know just how to pose a person for the best and most attractive effect, they understand lighting, color, etc. Even better, in the digital age it's astonishingly easy for them to clear up some of those little flaws, like the angry little pimple that always pops up just before pics. I remember for my senior and wedding pics being stretched into what felt like the most awkward poses that ended up looking spectacular in pictures. I'm pretty sure in real life I don't ever look as good as I did in those photos! I'm Ms. El Cheapo, but it was worth the money.

I remember one girl in my yearbook who took her own photos. That one picture stood out like a, well, rather frightening sore thumb. Though a pretty girl, she looked like a girl standing in front of a sheet after a night of really hard drinking. In a yearbook row with all these very crisp, clean headshots, it looked awful.

If money is an issue, you don't have to do a big package with the props, other locations, etc. And you certainly don't have to buy alot of photos. But I suggest at least taking him somewhere for the basic head shots.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution.

 

[Feralpeg]

I was the advisor for the yearbook for our school this year. All school photos were done by one photographer. However, no one was required to purchase those pictures. We just wanted all yearbook pictures to have the same look. For the pictures you want to send out for your senior, you could definitely do your own.

 

[MrsPooh]

Ok, I just dealt with this myself so I'll give you a parent's point of view.

Our school did have an "official" photographer. Photos for the yearbook had to be taken at that studio. The prices were very high for portraits and we are very broke after two serious family illnesses and a job loss. The photographer had several days in the fall set up for people who were not purchasing photos and only needed a pic taken for the yearbook. We went on one of those days and the cost was around $20 just to have that photo taken but if we would choose to order any than it would be applied to the order. If you made an appt for another time than the cost just to take the pic was higher.

My daughter goes to a private school and was appalled at the idea of just having anyone take her photos. Also, the kids all choose to have photos at the park with several changes of clothing. The studio was going to charge a minimum for $350 for that.

I used our local craigslist to find a photographer who is starting out and just wanted to build his portfolio. We agreed to meet at a park and she could change as often as she wanted. Initially he said he'd charge $30 for the first hour and $20 for each additional hour to take the photos.

It took about 90 minutes and he only charged us $30. He did all the photo editing and then uploaded the proofs to a local camera shop website with a great reputation. We ended up with 52 proofs, most all of which were very good or awesome. I ordered a full set of proof and then we could pass them to family members to select their choice of pose. I just ordered the photos from the camera co. website and picked them up in the store the next day. Prices were great - $.19 for 4x6, $.28 for wallets, $5.99 for 8x10. We have full copyright for the photos and purchased the entire set on disk for $3.99.

Our photograper didn't charge us anything more than the initial $30. I even offered to pay him more but he refused. He only wanted to be able to use the photos for his portfolio. Actually he even emailed me to say he is getting some new equipment and if we would like more photos he will meet us and take them for free.

Check around for prices but all professional photographers will be rather pricey. One girl in my dd's class had a art student specializing in photography do hers and they turned out great too.

Good luck!

 

[Bearvet]

Definitely check with your school yearbook advisor. DS's school recommended their photographer, but the pictures were terrible in my opinion. We could use anyone we wanted, it just needed to be a specific size and yes, people do take their own too.

DS's school (Amherst, MA) is very "into" the kids creativity and free spirit - some kids drew self-portraits, some took candid shots (one was dressed as a ninja!), used the 4-set of pictures from a photo booth, etc. You get the idea.

I choose to use a local photographer who did a great job with mostly outdoor shots. They bring many outfits, including any sports they play; I also had some done of DS in his suit in case he needs it for any type of interview, etc.
My favorite is of him in a red polo shirt leaning against a tree. We put together a wonderful portfolio of 6 of our favorites. Worth every penney!
I think the package came to $350, but we could have pared it down a bit. He took about 120 pictures and sent them to us on a CD to view - really easy.

Good luck!

 

[4greatboys]

we had to use the school photographer for my oldest sons pic that went in the yearbook. Now I didnt like the other pics so I didnt buy them and had pics taken somewhere else but they wouldnt accept any outside pics for the yearbook.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

yeah, I have a Senior next year also.

I think our school requires a portrait with their photographer for the yearbook, I haven't really checked into it.

My son and his girlfriend and a couple of others want some group shots together. When you start adding additional bodies and poses, the prices go through the roof.

We were talking about it the other day and all agreed that we would first go to the park pavillion with my digital SLR early this summer, once the landscaping turns green and the flowers start to bloom. Then if we don't like how those turn out -- we'll consider another photographer and having the families split the cost. Our local Community College has a pretty strong photography/art program. I thought about just looking up the name of an Instructor and calling to see if anybody taking a class this summer needs to grow their portfolio.

God knows, I just spent over $100 on the Junior Dance photos. The price of some of these things is just ridiculous.

 

[skjuls]

I had my Senior Picture taken for the Yearbook at the school, we had the black drape over our shoulders and the boys had to wear tuxes (I think)

Then I also had another set of Senior Pictures taken at a local studio (my pictures were great!!) I only ended up chosing a few of the poses but all of them were good! Why because yes they were expensive but I had so many props to chose from and we were also able to go outside to take pictures.

Lately, I have seen some kids having Senior Pictures taken at Sears and other studios like that. That would be cheaper than some other places.

Seniors like to trade their wallet pictures. I have about 20 wallets of my fellow classmates put away. And we sign the back of them and whatnot. Memories!

 

[SCQ86]

My son's school required $20 for the sitting and $40 if you wanted more than the standard poses.....what a waste! My son looked horrible....and it wasn't the photographer's fault. He just never combs his hair. Well, the school got their photo for the yearbook, but after graduation, we are going to The Picture People. The are the most reasonably priced photographers, they don't charge per pose. They let you take extra clothing if you want to change it up a bit and if you order $100 worth of photos (which can be about 100 photos) you get a CD of the entire sitting free....what a deal!

The unfortunate part of this, my son doesn't graduate in cap & gown, they graduate in tuxedos, so I need to find someone with a cap & gown to do those set of photos.

Hey, I might sneak myself in the picture too....can't do that from the school photos

 

[hinodis]

I was required to go to a certain photographer for DS senior pictures for the yearbook as well. I decided I would go ahead and do that and go elsewhere for the rest. Turned out, this guy did a fabulous job. He had so many awesome props and great ideas! I stuck with him. Even though it was a little pricey I thought it was well worth it. He was only a senior one time. I really feel you get what you pay for. Hey, those senior pictures were cheap compared to the books I had to buy for college.

 

[Adi12982]

The place my school used you could just go in and do the yearbook shot (grls they gave you the peice you wear (black) and boys should wear shirt and tie. Then if you were planning on buyng you could do more pictures and bring outfits with you.

I know my DH just did his picture for the yearbook with his company and then went somewhere cheaper for the rest.

 

[mtblujeans]

My son and I had a wonderful experience with his senior pictures. I picked a local photographer whose advertising pictures I thought looked very nice. Most of the photographers around here will let you choose where you want any pictures taken and I wanted his taken at a local historical site, The Conrad Mansion.

My son was asked to bring 3 sets of clothes and he was going to have to change clothes during the set, which made him uncomfortable since he did not know the photographer.

He asked me if I would come and stay during the shoot. She allowed me to go with them and she asked for my input on which sites around the beautiful grounds I would prefer. I held some of her equipment for her and we carried on a conversation the whole time they were working. She even allowed me to take photos of my son, in the poses and places she had directed him, with my digital camera after she took her shots.

When we went to view the photos and pick out which ones we wanted to buy, she asked me how my digital photos had come out! I would not hesitate to take my youngest son's senior pictures myself after this experience. I would just have to make sure I understood when the deadline to get the photo to the school would be to make it into the yearbook...the photographer turned the picture into the school for us as part of her service.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

I take my kids pictures every year and luckily our school lets you pick a photographer for year book. They all get the standard picture done for their file/id cards every year, but other than that, I take the pictures. This year, I did use my digital camera and took pictures in the fall by the river and they came out beautiful! The year before I used a 35mm camera and black and white film and I have to admit, those are my favorites. You can get such a natural look when you take pictures of the kids instead of them pushing their head to one side, shoulder in......I'm not saying photographers are bad, not at all!! I just feel I get a more natural look with them Plus the price is pretty expensive as well! I'd say go with what you feel comfortable with

 

[tinkerbell615]

I gotta tell you, DS graduated in 2004 and we have been through this before. Our school highly recommends their preferred photographer but does not require you use them. They only require that you submit a photo in a certain size by a certain date. I will tell you, however, that when the yearbook was published and we received it... you could definately tell that these pictures were done by someone else. They do not look as crisp and clear as the rest. A little blurry etc...

The way I look at it is this. DS only graduated from HS once. We spent a small fortune on pictures but it was what I wanted to do! I saved money from taxes to use for Senior pictures and his graduation party because it was a big deal for me (you see I say me!! he's my only son). The pictures are beautiful and we will have them for a lifetime.

Now I have DD who is a freshman and I need to start saving to do this all over again!!

Good Luck!

 

[BabyTigger99]

I work part time at Sears in the portrait studio. I have been there for 12 years. We now do a lot of senior pictures. Quality is great, and you pick exactly what you want/need/want to spend.

 

[CelticBelle]

i have to admit its a lot cheaper to do it yourself, but the quality and over all ease of the whole process goes by so much easier with a professional, or at least someone with a good deal of experience. in my sig theres one of my senior pics with my car. My favorite because when you get to incorporate things that yo9ur passionate about it makes the pictures that much more meaningful.

 

[calie_j]

Thanks for all the replies. I talked to DS and like another poster said she was going to do, we're going to take some pictures early this summer with our own digital and see how they turn out. He's also going to talk to one of his friend's mom, I know she used to do senior pictures on the side and has one of those fancy cameras and experience as a newspaper photographer. As a last resort we'll go to a studio (possibly Sears), but DS will know up front that he's paying for part of these pictures if this is what he wants. Yes he's only a senior once but I'm sure there will be plenty more expenses this year that we won't have a choice on trying to find a less expensive alternative.

Calie

 

[scoutmom41]

My son will be graduation in a couple of weeks from High School.

We did the pro photographer route and then my son asked me to do some.

We ended up getting great photos that both of us love at low costs.

Our yearbook has no rules.

He has gotten so many compliments on his photos,
and I have already been asked to do some kids next year.

Good luck!