How to do school pictures

I was recently asked to pictures for parents day out, the kids range from ages 6 months- 4 years and there's about 300+ kids altogether.

I've never done something this big before, so I was just wondering how would I begin to organize this? Does anyone have a good

suggestion or ideas of how I can organize and plan this out.

<p>#1 get model releases from everybody and the parents of everybody you photograph. I'll leave the other items for others to answer.</p>

<p>She doesn't need releases from anyone to shoot portraits that won't be used in any other manner. She does need permission from parents to shoot the kids.</p>

<p>300 portraits is a lot of shooting. At one a minute, that's 5 hours of continuous shooting. Make sure your strobes are up to that kind of work.</p>

<p>You must have a method to associate a frame number with a name. Some suggestions include having the parent write the child's name on a card that the child holds under his/her chin for the first shot. You can use a spreadsheet to keep track...</p>

<p>I would suggest shooting tethered to a laptop so you can get immediate feedback about focus, blinking, etc.</p>

<p>You don't mention whether you have studio strobes, but if you do, be sure to sand bag the light stands and tape ALL cords to the floor. You don't want a little one tripping over a wire and pulling a light stand down on top of them or someone else.</p>

<p>Avoid hot lights at all costs here. Too much danger with that many little ones.</p>

<p>Good luck, it's going to be like herding cats, at best.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

<p>Babies are going to be the toughest - since they can't walk yet and maybe are just starting to sit up.</p>

<p>Plan on being down low for those shots - if you can.</p>

<p>As for releases / permission - you don't need either if the photos will be offered to the parents for sale. One caveat - Check with the Daycare about any families indicated that they don't want their child's picture taken for ANY REASON. </p>

<p>The Daycare that I worked with for a few years had a check box right on the enrollment papers that indicated if checked, that child's photo would not be taken or used for any reason, unless the parents specifically requested it in writing prior to photo day.</p>

<p>Use the Daycare workers to help you organize the children by age / class. </p>

<p>As for ID-ing the children - I'd just divide by class and post on a password protected site such as smug mug pro or photoreflect and let the parents know the password and provide them with a link to them. If you are planning on doing the print and sell method or the preorder method - then use the daycare workers to help you ID the children. On preorders - I'll write down the image numbers on the order form as I take the photos.</p>

<p>Dave</p>

<p>Hi Ana,</p>

<p>From a parent who has bought way too many school pictures, mostly bad, I have a few recomendations:</p>

<p>1. Make sure that each child's hair is combed</p>

<p>2. Make sure that each child is posed correctly</p>

<p>3. Make sure that each child is smiling</p>

<p>Your assistant can help with this as it will get tedious very quickly. But doing these will make the difference between just the average (crappy) school picture and the really good school picture. I can imagine that it will be tough staying focused to make sure that every picture is good while doing it quickly. I don'y envy you. </p>

<p>(Last year was the first time ever that we received really good school pictures. They were so good, that we bought additional prints. This year however, the school pictures we bought were crappy. It was obvious that the photography was rushing through everyone.)</p>

<p>Just me two cents. Wish you the best,</p>

<p>Barry</p>

 

<p><em>"I was recently asked to pictures for parents day out, the kids range from ages 6 months- 4 years and there's about 300+ kids altogether." </em><br>

<em></em><br>

First you need to clarify what the school wants/expects. Are they expecting portraits of individual kid/parent groups or are they looking to capture candid moments during the event? Does the school want the images? Are you able to sell individual prints to the parents? The ages suggest a daycare rather than a school. Way too little information here to offer up suggestions.</p>

<p>yeah, Dave Schilling, it is a parents day out, which is a mothers day out(3 days a week)and the pics are going to be taken outside, I'm not going to be taking the pics all in one day because different kids come on monday, wednesday, friday. So it wont be too bad.   Dave, the parents are just wanting a portrait of their child taken and yes I am able to sell individual prints to the parents.  I am an employee of the parents day out and the director of it camer to me because she wants to help me out on my photo business. I'd like to do it, it just seems overwhelming.</p>

<p>Heres what I'd do-- First make sure your photo form is informative- packages, pricing,Parents Name:____ ChildsName:_____ a box for image # ask the school to hand out form one week in advance.Pix are outside, right? shoot in the shade under a tree, be very aware of the whole backdrop whats behind the tree. pose the children that can stand leaning against the tree. Babies6 months to 1 year- make sure you bring colorful stffed animals -elmo, ernie bert also something to get babies attention -I use bells like the ones santa uses. On the form that you create make a box that says photographer use only-this is where you'd put the image #. I'd shoot all photos write their image # on the form then do wallet proofs. 8proofs on 8x10 sheet of photo paper cost me 1.30 divide by8=16 cents proof. 300x .16=$48 bucks to proof the whole job. I'd consider taking more than one pose parents love options. IMO shoot in the school, get a bookcase backdropp, camera on tripod, 2 strobes with umbrellas, camera connected to laptop that loads photo imeddiatly showing image #. workflow is key!</p>

<p>Thanks Chris, I appreciate that, very informative. I'm going to try the photo form that a great idea.</p>

<p>How did it go, Ana? Can you share your experience with us??<br>

Thanks in advance</p>