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school photographer


12 years 10 months ago #95535 by 135 Mark
A friend of mine recently made a suggestion that I should become a photographer for my local elementary school. She received her 1st grade son's yearbook and wasn't happy with the picture quality.

Well anyways, does anyone know what is involved in being a school photographer? Like I don't have any studio lights or backdrops. Would I need to buy those items, if so...what brand do I buy? Who do I actually contact at the school for this such job? What do I charge the school? Or not charge the school at all, but only charge the parents?
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12 years 10 months ago #95577 by Johnnie
Usually it is the Parent Teachers Assocaition who coordiate the school photos. You would need at least two lights and modifiers and of course your background. Blue is popular because it helps with the skin tones etc. Alot of school photographers today are using Green Screen. Many of the larger School Photography Companies give a portion of the sales back to the PTA for allowing them to photograph the students. HTH
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12 years 10 months ago #95585 by kyclover237
I have been looking into doing school photos too - I have contacted the school board and waiting for them to get back to me. I'm sure with school out for the summer it will be a while and probably no chance of getting the contract for this year, which is fine - I am really hoping for next year as my daughter attends a different district and graduates next year.
vintagecloverphoto.com
[email protected]
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12 years 10 months ago #95591 by photobod
I specialise in school and nursery photography, you will need a backdrop with stands to support it, the most popular being white at the moment, parents love high key photos, also something for the kids to sit on or lie on, I have a furry rug about 3metres x 2 metres.
You will need 3 lights, 2 for the back ground with barn doors and 1 for the front with a softbox.
A decent camera is a must with a zoom lens from 24 to 200mm this enables you to get full body shots and zoom in for head and shoulder shots. take 4/5full and 2/3 head shots per child.
Patience is a must and speed when you are in schools, they want those kids back in class pronto, it works out about 1 minute per child.
Nurseries are a little better, about 5 mins per child.
You must know your techniques, how to achieve a high key background, how to use a grey card so the skin tones are not different when you zoom in for a head shot, how to get the best out of a child in such a short time, always be down on your knees dont tower over a child.
Getting in to shools is the next problem they will expect to see a portfolio, so borrow friends and family children to practise on, lots of practise.
Get some business cards and leaflets printed.
Go on a course on how to shoot children it will pay dividends, and dont expect it to be an easy job, when I get home after a shoot every muscle in my body is aching and aI need a darkened room to lie down in for an hour followed by a hot bath.
Having said all this I think it is the best job in the whole wide world, especially when you get good feedback.
www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn
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12 years 10 months ago #95689 by icepics
Maybe it depends on where you live, my experience as a teacher was that it was basically an assembly line - the kids would be lined up, then plunk on a bench, the photographer would snap a couple of head shots and it was on to the next. Which is probably why your friend didn't get a photo she was happy with.

But a lot of families like to go get portraits on their own since the standard school photos aren't necessarily all that good, that might be an option. The major city in my area has a couple of local publications in magazine/newspaper format geared for families (which can be picked up at the library) that always have ads from portrait photographers doing portraits of children, senior portraits etc.
Sharon
Photo Comments
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12 years 10 months ago - 12 years 10 months ago #97007 by photobod

icepics wrote: Maybe it depends on where you live, my experience as a teacher was that it was basically an assembly line - the kids would be lined up, then plunk on a bench, the photographer would snap a couple of head shots and it was on to the next. Which is probably why your friend didn't get a photo she was happy with.

But a lot of families like to go get portraits on their own since the standard school photos aren't necessarily all that good, that might be an option. The major city in my area has a couple of local publications in magazine/newspaper format geared for families (which can be picked up at the library) that always have ads from portrait photographers doing portraits of children, senior portraits etc.


Its very different nowadays, several different poses to choose from and a full body plus head and shoulders, times have moved on.
www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn
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12 years 10 months ago #97015 by Rob pix4u2
David our school district hires a big company, Lifetouch , to do the portraits and they do assembly line, cookie cutter head and shoulders shots until your 12th grade senior portraits. then you go to the studio for a one or two hour shoot that is more personalized but way more expensive
Remember to engage brain before putting mouth in gear
Rob Huelsman Sr.
My Facebook www.facebook.com/ImaginACTIONPhotography
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