Senior Portraits...

[EthansMom]

When I graduated about 18 years ago, our school had kids all bring in their own photos for the yearbook. So, you'd go to a photog, have the pics taken and submit the photos to the yearbook.

Because my parents (divorced) and I each liked different pics, it cost $600 for all of the the photos, which we split 3 ways. In retrospect, there were a few things we could have done that would have brought the cost down (no need to buy the proofs, for instance, and could have bought fewer/smaller prints for extended relatives).

In todays day and age, if I had a close friend or family member who was halfway decent with a digital camera, I'd ask them if they would take some pictures. And there's no way I'd pay $80 for a hair stylist.

 

[browneyes106]

I graduated in '03 and I paid close to $300. I'm sure now that prices have gone up. In some areas school photographers can be cheaper than other studios. My cousin graduated this year he didn't take pictures with the school photographer because he was at a football camp at the time. He took pictures with a local studio and he ended up having to pay $500. He got the amount of pictures that that some of his friends and they paid a little over $300. He has been kicking himself about not leaving the football camp early to get his pictures done. I think compare prices and call around.

 

[Shadow Dancer]

Many of the photographers look for high school seniors to be reps for them.

In the spring/early summer before starting their senior year, the students have their photos taken. The photographer gives the student ALL of the proofs for free (and doesn't charge a setting fee, either).

The student is also given business cards with their names to pass out to other students and their families. The cards offer free wallets to students going to the studio.

The student photo rep also received 30% off of the photo packages and either $8.00 cash for each business card redeemed or additional money off the packages.

Both of my kids did this.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My DD is graduating in 3 weeks and we still haven't ordered the pictures.

The cheapest package was $250. Senior year is expensive- especially if you have girls. The total cost for the prom is unbelievable!

 

[mamacatnv]

DS graduated last year - here is what we did.

We paid the $15 sitting fee and sent him to the "official" photographer so his picture would be in the yearbook. Then we waited until Spring of his Senior year and hired a photographer and did a series of indoor & outdoor photos plus some family portraits at the same time. I liked adding the "current" photo to his grad announcements.

I spent $700 but this included the family portraits

The senior year darn near broke us it was crazy. I recently added it up for a friend and including the grad party and his new laptop for college - we spent over $5K

 

[wdw4us2]

DD is a senior about to graduate. We went through the school, as did most of her friends.

The sitting fee for two outfits (plus the drape) and 20 poses was $20.

We bought a package that included the following:

3 8x10s
6 5x7s
4 4x5s
64 wallets
proof set & display which holds 8 photos
wallet book (for friends photos)

I believe the total for what we purchased (in addition to the sitting fee) was $280.

 

[S. C.]

I second the recommendation to find a local photographer. Have your child get recommendations from friends who graduated this year.

DD had two separate sittings in outdoor locations and had several changes of clothing for each sitting. It only cost about $300 and the photographer gave us a cd with all the photos. And her photos were fantastic.

NMamy. would you mind letting me know which photographer you used? I'm in stockbridge and grandson needs his pics taken, he will be a senior next year. He informed us yesterday that he needs his senior pics taken soon.

 

[mandy200587]

I graduated in 05 and I went through the school for yearbook and just choose my proof and didn't buy the package. We had to have formal looking ones.

I went to a local photography company and I wanna say it was close to 500 maybe for what I got, I really don't remember.

 

[kimber79]

I spent $700 but this included the family portraits

The senior year darn near broke us it was crazy. I recently added it up for a friend and including the grad party and his new laptop for college - we spent over $5K

My son just graduated last Friday!!

His pictures were a little more than your son's....this is just CRAZY!

I am with you on senior year breaking me! I have a couple friend's that will have a senior next year ~ I have told them to start saving now!! I will be a little under your total but not too far off. Glad I thought ahead and started buying for his party when stuff was on sale!!

 

[mandy200587]

My son just graduated last Friday!!

His pictures were a little more than your son's....this is just CRAZY!

I am with you on senior year breaking me! I have a couple friend's that will have a senior next year ~ I have told them to start saving now!! I will be a little under your total but not too far off. Glad I thought ahead and started buying for his party when stuff was on sale!!

That is true, I remember my senior year being insanely expensive. You had yearbooks, senior pictures, senior prom, all the graduation announcements and anything else you can think of.

 

[taximomfor4]

My DD is graduating in 3 weeks and we still haven't ordered the pictures.

The cheapest package was $250. Senior year is expensive- especially if you have girls. The total cost for the prom is unbelievable!

Let's just say I am ecstatic that my dd (finishing Jr year) thinks prom is just a dance with bigger, more $$$$$ dresses. She has NO interest in going. She says if her boyfriend really wants to participate, she'll try to convince him to go bowling (or something), and MAYBE go to Afterprom.

We're not doing a graduation party (heck, we don't do birthday parties either)...we'll let her pick the restaurant for out-to-dinner.

JC Penney or Sears, $19.99 portrait package instead of senior pictures.

of course, annoyingly enough, dd also wants to skip commencement. She says she isn't into "ceremony-type-stuff"

 

[MichelleVW]

Our cheapest package was right around $500. I am sorry I got it. I am now sitting on lots of wallets that kids don't pass out anymore. It seems with facebook, kids just don't pass out wallets like the use to.

I think we probably spent 800 when it was all said and done, and we had to order extra wallets because my DD does pass them out.

Here are a few of her pics...the studio was amazing..sorry for so many pics..

 

[Kirby]

My daughter is graduating next week. We went through the school chosen photographer for her yearbook picture. Then I let her choose a local photographer for her "official" senior pictures. We spent about $200 on them. It was her elementary school art teacher and she cut us a deal.

For those that have lots of pictures left over, the tradition around here is to include a wallet size senior picture in the graduation announcement. It may be too late to do that for many of you though.

 

[NMAmy]

NMamy. would you mind letting me know which photographer you used? I'm in stockbridge and grandson needs his pics taken, he will be a senior next year. He informed us yesterday that he needs his senior pics taken soon.

I'm sorry, this was a photographer in New Mexico--dd lived with her dad to finish up school with her friends.

 

[Becky2005]

Eek! I can't believe all of that, it's crazy prices!

That was my thought too but it seems typical! I will say Senior portraits have changed IMMENSELY since I was in school back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth as I tell my kids.

My DD is doing a pageant and we have a local photographer that is sponsoring her by doing her photos. I was looking at all his proof books from Senior Portraits and then he gave me his price sheet!!! YIKES but apparently not out of line. I'm glad he's sponsoring her so we only have to pay for extras. You are going to spend a min. of a $200 and that's for a bare bones 8x10; 5x7; 8 wallet package.

We just went to the photographer's studio that the school told us to go to, no change of clothes, a fake backdrop curtain was pulled and that was it. No props (maybe a book for the boys as I remember my brother had one), etc... The ones I saw had kids with their band instruments, letters, one had pictures of her in her prom dress I'm assuming, sports outfits, etc... It was surreal to me but I'm pretty sure in a few more years we will be there.

I know here around August, there is a photographer that will do the yearbook photo for free at a local park location. He's contracted through the school. You can go with their photo for just the yearbook and then somewhere else for more photos. They can do a full photoshoot and/or I believe you can also bring in a photo from somewhere else but I'm not 100% sure about that. I know they have to be turned in *really* early in the year though for the yearbook.

 

[Nancy]

I know I paid a lot for my middle DD's pictures, they ran around 700.00. BUT my oldest daughter dropped out so I didn't get any for her..she just went the GED route, no pics for her.

Plus, I love her pictures, we got a number of poses and I paid a bit more because we had them airbrush out her braces. Did that on 3 of the poses. They took her yearbook shot with the draping, they also delivered that to the school. Then we picked out 2 other poses. She did hand out most of her wallets, her friends are very into pictures. The guy that took the pictures was very meticulous in making sure that every detail was perfect. I think we were there around 1 hour.