Anyone ever do school pictures?

Hi! I'm new to the forum and wanted to ask a question.

I've been shooting weddings during the summers and I have an opportunity to

make some additional money shooting with a studio that does school pictures.

It doesn't pay a ton, but it's okay...and it's only during school hours, so I

don't have to worry about child care.

My question is this: They obviously don't care so much about experience or

creativity (the ad said "will train")...if you've done this kind of work

before, is it worth it? Is it a good "fill-in" kind of thing, or would you be

better off "filling in" with something else?

Thanks!

Be aware that you will quite properly have to submit to investigation that you are not a child molester, etc.

How tolerable children are depends a lot on how old they are. ;)

It's not a bad fill-in job, especially if there is nothing else on the horizon. I did it for a couple of months when I was between jobs and enjoyed it very much.

There wasn't allot of creativity involved since most of the camera functions, power-pack and light functions were taped down(dummy proofed) to certain specifications decided by the office.

The kids are mostly well behaved, but getting them to smile is another story. I would recomend a good kid-joke book. Look out for blinking eyes, phony smiles and non-tucked shirts or blouses, those were the biggest biggest complaints from the parents.

Oh yeah, relax and have some fun, because if you are tight, or nervous, the kids are going to sence it on you and tighten up accordingly. Good luck !

I've done them, but not through an agency / or firm.

Good thing:

The agency will have to deal with all of the parents complaints that you didn't get the right shot of Sally or Jack.

Bad things:

The pay typically isn't the greatest. There's a reason they say they will train. The typical starting salary for the firm with the local monopoly in school photos is between $10.00 and $15.00 US per hour and doesn't include a percent of sales nor travel time.

2nd bad thing is that typically you're a commodity producer. Meaning that you've got 2 hours to photograph x number of kids and x is a decimal number greater than 20. So that gives you about 5 minutes maybe 10 per kid. The dealer doesn't want you to be the next Ansel Adams. They want bulk. They make money when the parents get the 8 zillion proofs of the same stock pose and can't bear to part with any of them.

My advice (after looking at your site) - find other fill in work and leave that to college kids, unless you go it yourself, you'll go bonkers.

Dave

Just a hobby guy here, but after a few minutes poking around your website, you'd be dumbing down to do school photos, unless you just purely want to make the money, then yer a "get it done" person, and thats cool too :-)

Jim

Heather, I was viewing your wedding folder on your site. Is the one couple at COSI in Columbus Ohio? I actually just got back from there last week. I didnt realize you were so close. Very nice website. I like the music.

Here is the same clock from another angle I just happened to have.<div></div>