Senior Pictures

[clh2]

My DD will only be a junior this year, so, technically I have 1 year before we need ot shell out the sr. picture money. Last night we were at a HS graduation party, and I always try to keep my eyes/ears open to anything that might make DD's senior year more fun, lower cost. I really check out what people are serving at their grad parties, so hopefully I won't be going when it is my time to pull off a party.

So..last night, my DD comes up to me, and says - her friend who just had her pictures done, had an amazing experioence, the pics she has seen so far are fab, blah blah blah...and the person only charged $250 for the sitting fee, but then you get a disc of all the pics that were taken, with the releaase so you can have any of them printed. this fee inlcudes 5 outfit changes and shoots studio pictures indoors as well as beautiful pics outdoors in a garden-like setting.

So - I looked at this person's facebook and website today...WOW - she does great work! Her pics are very casual, which is perfect for us!

I have heard horror stories on how expensive sr. pictures can be, and this person is a true bargain. Wish I could book her today for next summer

 

[linnylu]

It does help when you see the work and like it. $250 for the sitting fee sounds like a lot to me. You will have to pay more to then have them printed. The sitting fee at a local studio here was $50 but they gave $25 off since we have to go someplace else for the yearbook picture. It's funny because their webpage sounds almost exactly like what you wrote: "fee includes 5 outfit changes and shoots studio pictures indoors as well as beautiful pics outdoors in a garden-like setting".
I know where we are going is popular with the kids at our high school but I have only seen 1 small wallet size picture that was their work. We go Friday for DS and DD's sitting.

 

[AristocatFan]

Yes, senior pics are expensive but they do so much and are so worth it. IMO DS's pics were $1200 that was including the $150 sitting fee. His photo shoot was 2hrs, first hour was going around town(open fields with his truck, old buildings, etc) second hour was in her studio, unlimited clothing changes and any props/scenery he wanted. It was such a fun time. If your area is busy like ours is I would book early.

 

[MinnieMe87]

That price sounds like a bargain to me! I have a few photographer friends who charge $25 a POSE for cds. If the cost is $250 and you get the cd with all the pics on it, that's awesome. You could take the cd to Walgreens and print them off for a fraction of what it'd cost at a studio to order them.

When I had my pictures taken 6 years ago, the sitting fee was $50 and we ended up spending at least $600 for the package we got including a frame for one of our wall pictures.

 

[laurie31]

Wish I could book her today for next summer

It's quite possible that you can. It wouldn't hurt to call and ask!

(DH's dad is a professional photographer and stays booked solid with senior pics all summer. Outdoor portraits are best done during a certain 'window' of great afternoon lighting, and so usually only one sitting a day can include those).

If they won't book this far out, ask when is the earliest you can book and mark it on your calendar. Nothing beats a photographer who can truly capture your senior's personality with candids, and not just the posed studio portrait. You will treasure those pics forever.

 

[klfrech]

Just had my daughter's senior pics done yesterday. I spent $200 for two hours worth of shots. My daughter could change her outfits as often as she wanted. We traveled to outdoor locations and did some inside shots in the photographer's home studio. The photographer took over 600 pictures! She then edits them, etc. and gives us the disc. We sign a release and are free to have them printed wherever we like. I can't wait to see them!

I too, did not want to spend a fortune on pics and did want to be bound to a package that I did not necessarily need or want. I found this woman through other people who used her and had a fabulous experience.

The key to good quality pics seems to be in where you have them printed. No Walmart/Costco. I actually have been told that MPIX.com does a great job (actually folks on these boards recommended them to me).

 

[clh2]

It's quite possible that you can. It wouldn't hurt to call and ask!

(DH's dad is a professional photographer and stays booked solid with senior pics all summer. Outdoor portraits are best done during a certain 'window' of great afternoon lighting, and so usually only one sitting a day can include those).

If they won't book this far out, ask when is the earliest you can book and mark it on your calendar. Nothing beats a photographer who can truly capture your senior's personality with candids, and not just the posed studio portrait. You will treasure those pics forever.

Well...DUH...I practically said so myself and didn't even pick up on it...I've sent the photographer an e-mail to find out when she will start to accept bookings for sr. pics for next year. Sometimes the obvious is just SO obvious!!

 

[tvguy]

Apparently I am on another planet.
Around here the school contracts with a photographer to do the yearbook photos. The photographer does those for free, then hopes to make it up selling you additional photos.
No sitting fee, our total out of pocket for the photos were wanted was $75 per kid.

 

[MichelleVW]

Apparently I am on another planet.
Around here the school contracts with a photographer to do the yearbook photos. The photographer does those for free, then hopes to make it up selling you additional photos.
No sitting fee, our total out of pocket for the photos were wanted was $75 per kid.

My DD's school does that too, but we don't buy those. Most people get their own pictures done and it's a big deal. We lived in North Dakota when oldest DD got hers done and it was probably 700-800 dollars, but they were an amazing studio and the pictures are awesome and totally worth it. So awesome in fact that I wish I had time to take younger DD back to North Dakota just to have her pics done!

 

[minkydog]

Yes, senior pics are expensive but they do so much and are so worth it. IMO DS's pics were $1200 that was including the $150 sitting fee. His photo shoot was 2hrs, first hour was going around town(open fields with his truck, old buildings, etc) second hour was in her studio, unlimited clothing changes and any props/scenery he wanted. It was such a fun time. If your area is busy like ours is I would book early.

$1200 Holy cow!

 

[4greatboys]

I used an outside photograher for both my older sons senior pictures and paid around $500 but I also had some shots done of all 4 of my boys together.

 

[*JoGo*]

You should contact the photographer. Atleast find out when she starts booking sr. sessions and also ask if she has a rep program. a rep program is when your daughter would have her sr pics taken, then the photographer would give her business cards w/ her studio's name on it, but also your daughter's name. and your daughter would also get a book of her pics. she takes her book & cards to school, and she earns free/discounted prints depending on how many people come in w/ the business card.

basically, she's advertising for the photographer and in return gets prints/discounts.

but photographers that have reps generally have only 1 rep per school. and the pics are taken early spring (of Jr yr), so she can show off all her pics at school and the kids can book their session that summer.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Wow! Just Wow!! That's a lot of money for something that isn't a wedding photo! I must be on the other planet with tvguy!!!

OP - Glad you found a photographer you like.

 

[MrsPete]

So..last night, my DD comes up to me, and says - her friend who just had her pictures done, had an amazing experioence, the pics she has seen so far are fab, blah blah blah...and the person only charged $250 for the sitting fee, but then you get a disc of all the pics that were taken, with the releaase so you can have any of them printed. this fee inlcudes 5 outfit changes and shoots studio pictures indoors as well as beautiful pics outdoors in a garden-like setting.

I know a couple photographers who are running that same type of deal, and it's exactly what I plan to do for my daughter next year when she's a senior.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

My school made the appointment for us, but you could choose to do it somewhere else on your own if you wanted to.

They charged $5 if you just had the yearbook photo done, $20 if you were doing 4 outfit changes and casual sitting

From there, they put the proofs online and mail them to you and you pick which you want to order.

 

[golfgal]

I would JUMP at the chance for that deal. You can then take the CD to a photo processing place like Target, Walgreens, etc. and print exactly what you want/need. You will probably spend less than $300, including the $250 sitting fee. It is a GREAT deal.

 

[MichelleVW]

There's a big difference in Senior pics around the country. My DD went to high school in North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas and what I've seen is that the South uses the school photos for their yearbooks, (boys in a tux and girls with that stupid drape and pearls). Schools in the North usually let the kids get their own done by an outside source and put those in the yearbooks.

I don't have an example of the boring school pics because we didn't buy them in Texas...but here are the type of Senior pics they did in North Dakota just to give an example of what the high prices go for.

 

[agnes!]

I HATE the girls-with-draped-cowls/boy-in-tuxes pictures...ugh, it looks so 1965-ish to me. And love Michelle VW's pics. Pricetags? That's a completely different issue.

Hmmm...that pic with the cat needs a caption...

agnes!

 

[MichelleVW]

I HATE the girls-with-draped-cowls/boy-in-tuxes pictures...ugh, it looks so 1965-ish to me. And love Michelle VW's pics. Pricetags? That's a completely different issue.

Hmmm...that pic with the cat needs a caption...

agnes!

Her kitty was so good at the studio!! The photographers loved him!

I think we paid 700-800 or so for her pics. The sitting fee and a book with all the proofs were 500 I think, and then the other 200-300 was for the prints we ordered. I got a few 8 x 10's for us, a 5 x 7 for my mom and then a million wallet sized and it wasn't enough and had to order more.

 

[golfgal]

Her kitty was so good at the studio!! The photographers loved him!

I think we paid 700-800 or so for her pics. The sitting fee and a book with all the proofs were 500 I think, and then the other 200-300 was for the prints we ordered. I got a few 8 x 10's for us, a 5 x 7 for my mom and then a million wallet sized and it wasn't enough and had to order more.

We made the mistake of going with a "friend" for DS's pictures. She did a great job but I stupidly didn't really check out her prices figuring that she would be ballpark-VERY WRONG. We got an 11x14 for us, 2-8x10's for each set of Grandparents and 48 wallets with the sitting fee they were $550 . We won't be going back to her. She keeps wanting me to refer the kids' friends but I can't when she is TRIPLE what everyone else charges.