700 portraits in one day

[outdoor_guy]

<p>My co-worker loves my work as an event and wedding photographer has asked me to do the class pictures for 700 students. As for working with large groups of people shooting portraits, I have assisted in doing a Marine Ball which we cycled through about 150 - 200 people but that's drasticly diffrent from children. I am willing to rent lighting, backdrops, and use available resources to get this task done. One of the resource that I have is a retired school photographer that has experiance. <br>

The question is should I accept the assignment? </p>

[francie_baltazar]

<p>Do you need to do this in one day? If so you will need mulitiple photogs - I believe that just too many children to do by yourself and keep them in order etc. I think it would take at least 3-4 photogs with assistants to run through this many in one day. good luck!</p>

[howard_m]

<p>work the numbers. maybe figure 4 minutes per child<br>

4x700 = 2800 minutes<br>

2800/60 = 47 hours<br>

47 hours / 4 photographers = 12 hours</p>

<p>so you're looking at 12 hours of absolutely non-stop work for 4 photographers w/ no breaks, lunch, equipment failures</p>

<p>You *might* get it done in 2 days, probably more like 3</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Assume 1 minute per person, minimum two photos, one with a number card and one or more without. It doesn't seem to fit into an average school day.</p>

<p>Now if you are shooting classroom size group photos, yes it can be done. You will still need at least one assistant.</p>

<p> </p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>Yeah, 2-3 days work with an assistant. Once you get going it will be pretty smooth.<br>

Make sure the school provides some 'wranglers' to keep the flow and discipline.<br>

Charge a decent fee.</p>

[outdoor_guy]

<p>Okay so I figured 3 photogs and possibly over two days. The parent volunteers will act as wranglers and we have about 30 - 35 special needs children. I haven't quite figured out the workflow for the day (s) </p>

[seismiccwave]

<p>I sure hope you are getting paid very well for thinking about it. That is absolutely chaotic and impractical. These are human beings. Please as your friend to treat them as such. Human needs space and time. They are NOT to be herded and prodded. Just the thought that some human beings will try to move 700 humans threw a line in one day is beyond my comprehension. That is simply inhumane!<br>

Some one is trying to take advantage of your "friendship".</p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>The photographer who takes school pics of my children probably cycles through 2 kids/minute. It's a volume business - the shots are never very good.</p>

[seismiccwave]

<p>2 kids per minute! Sigh, I am in the wrong business.;-)</p>

[starvy]

<p>outdoor,<br>

what kind of gear are you going to be using? i am recalling how my school photographs were taken. they used those old plate cameras. the last one was in 1991 though.</p>

[brit_tanner]

<p>I am both a special education teacher and photographer, so I have somewhat of a different take on time frame. The special needs kids will probably run you anywhere from 5-15 minutes each, and that's if the teacher has in mind how to place them (if they are in wheelchairs) before coming in. Please try to have the kids out of their wheelchairs when yo udo their picture-otherwise they look like they have horns coming off their backs with the handles! You might suggest those classes coming in earlier than when the school day officially begins. Our school portrait photographers are usually set up by 7:30am (day begins at 8am) and I bring my students in one at a time as they get off the bus. This helps keep the flow going during the day by not having to hold up any lines. <br>

As far as general classes go, our school has an administrator stay in the gym (where pictures are taken) and radio to the office to call classes to come in. This keeps the flow going. Also, alphabetical order is a must, with the teacher giving you a list before the first student's photo is taken (even have the teacher go first as a class divider). Just my 2 cents..hope it helps!</p>

[beau1]

<p>If you want to produce standard school pictures ( which -can- be done properly and quickly ) the job is doable in a single day with a single photographer, if the person is moving very quickly and in an organized way. This would really require an intimate familiarity with your setup, equipment, and the process though, so it may be unrealistic for you (noone goes out and shoots 4 kids/minute on their first try) If I were you, I would set asside 2 days for the job, or get a second shooter. I've done this kind of work previously, and so I can give you some advice on the workflow of things. Get a list of the classes at the school and distribute copies of this list to your aides. Explain to them that it is very important that you keep shooting and that you dont have delays between classrooms coming. If you start getting 10-20 minute lulls between classes, you will cut your rate of fire dramatically. Make sure one aide is handling the number cards for the kids and that it isnt slowing things down. Get the pose that you want to shoot in mind and know what to say to make it happen quickly "Sit on the box, put your feet on the X, elbows on your knees, smile at the birdy!" click! Beckon the next kid in. Dont wait for the kid to get off the box/chair and leave before beckoning the next kid in, that slows things down -a lot-. Ok, now go do that 700 times! </p>

[peter_ferling]

<p>Your a brave man. When at corporate events I shoot every sales rep that hits the door as due part of checking in. Takes all day to get three-hundred folks. I still hold sessions the following morning for stranglers, folks too stressed from long flights, etc. Regarding children, you might cycle them all through, but there's always a chance you'll miss a few, etc.<br>

Also, bear in mind that unless you are using flash as your sole source of light (recommended - I use a five light set), that ambiance from outside will change throughout the day.<br>

I would plan extra days/time as no one will penalize you for finishing up early.</p>