Aug 18 2010

What is it Wednesday?

What is up with so many people hating their child’s school portrait?  Why do many people I talk to make faces like the children above when I bring up the subject of school portraits?  Everywhere I read online parents have strong dislikes for their child’s school portrait or the way photographers do things for one reason or another, some I am sure are very true.  This all makes me really as a photographer, one being that even though it is often a lot of children we need to strive for excellence in every job we do no matter the size, two what a great business opportunity school portraits can be, at least at least it seems like a great opportunity to me.  The Lord has gifted me as a photographer and I am grateful for the gifts he has given me to be able to capture images for people that capture their personalities.  I love being able to share images of my clients children with them and seeing them treasured and hung on their wall.  Why can’t school portraits be that?

Well, I have stepped up to the plate to give this challenge a try and I am ecstatic about it!  Some of my fellow wedding & portrait photographer friends must think I am crazy but I am so looking forward to this opportunity to serve at least one school in my area.   Last week, I booked my first school portrait session for this coming October!  I did not set out to become a school portrait photographer but the opportunity presented itself and I knocked on the door and one door has open.  I have a meeting with another school in a few days and we shall see if this  opportunity develops or not, either way I love the opportunity to grow as a business, a photographer and met new people in my community.  For the past two years, I have done portraits for the members of the Westminster Ballet company and I have loved the opportunity to capture great images of each of their girls and I look forward to doing the same for the school this October.

This weeks “What is it Wednesday” question is not what you think an image is or is not, but what is one thing you think a photographer can do differently to better serve a school, parents and the child in regards to school portraits.  Leave a comment below answering the above question and you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate to Bobbi Jo Brooks Photography to be used towards a portrait session, prints, photo holiday cards or other great products I have to offer. Comments will be accepted until Thursday night at 10 pm, so spread the word to your friends to come by and comment as well!

Thank you so much for coming by my blog and enduring my not so great writing skills:-)

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Elizabeth - It’s the fake poses, the quick shots without caring if the child looks horrible, the awful backdrops, etc that make school portraits bad. So what can you do to improve it? Make the kids laugh and look natural and no streaks of gray and purple in the backdrop :)

Christy - I think making the kids feel comfortable and good about themselves and what they look like is important. Let them have fun. Oh, and choose a cool background!! (you always do a great job though Bobbi Jo and I’m so excited for you about this opportunity!)

John and Sue Burch - Since it is a ‘school’ photo – pick a beautiful place at the school for the background. One that they will be able to say that is my school where this photo was taken. And let them bring something that is special to them. If you continue year to year – it is interesting what that special thing is also.

Hey – we missionary types need a new prayer card photo – can you help us out in the next week or so?

ashley grove - Its not the equipment or the amount of training a photographer has. I think it comes down to passion. Passion makes all the effort worthwhile. Your passion definately shines through your work. We can see that passion in your clients and through your creative shoots. With your passion and awesome attitude I am sure that you will take great school photos. I can’t wait to see them! Good Luck!

tina - Cheesy backgrounds!! But I also get frustrated when the photos come home and there’s one glaring detail the photographer was in too big a hurry to notice. It would just take them a second or two to button the button that’s come undone, or smooth the loose strand of hair. Better not to be in that huge of a rush if you want lots of orders :)

carmenlydia - I THINK THE FACES ARE CUTE! ;)

carmenlydia - But if you give it a bobbijo touch to it it will make it interestring unique! And that’s what I would personally love in my sons picture! Not the boring pose with the boring background! We can make it more fun for kids! Maybe a career they would choose. For example a cop! Then there’s a pic with them dressed as a cop! And hey u never know, 20 yrs later u c them showing their kids their picture, and how he knew that he wanted to be a cop from a very early age! Lol! My humble opinion! Love u bbj!

McKenzie - have a couple of school locations for their backdrop and let them pick which one they’d like. Schedule their apts based on the location so you don’t have to run around all day.

Susie - I love the school pictures of my kids outdoors… they seem so much more natural. I think photographers have just done “school portraits” for so long, they don’t think about it like you have, questioning: why does it have to be this way? As long as the school buys in, why do they have to be so staid? I guess they want them to all look somewhat consistent in a yearbook, but I think people would enjoy seeing the kids’ personalities come through!

Minette - School portraits was always a stressful time for the students. You get one shot and often times the photographer clicked before you were ready and on to the next person. Make the kids feel like their turn is as important as the next. That you actually care that they look good and want to make them look good. You will do great!!

Kim V. - Details that are overlooked–sometimes big, sometimes small. Hair that looks way out of place or a terrible expression, etc. We get the photos back sight-unseen and I wonder what on earth made the photographer think this was a good picture.

Elizabeth - Speaking as a teacher who’s there when the photos get taken, kids generally HATE it when the photographer says, “Who’s your girlfriend/boyfriend?” to try to get a smile out of them. Nobody likes being told where to put their chin or shoulders, either. Saying something genuinely funny or personal would probably elicit more natural grins and poses.

But I’m sympathetic to school photographers, too. They have to get shy and rambunctious and surly children to smile at a complete stranger. They have to keep things moving quickly so kids don’t get antsy while they wait in line and teachers don’t fret about lost instructional time.

Making good portraits is probably going to take longer. Parents will definitely appreciate your extra effort! In talking with administrators, though, I’d encourage you to 1) be realistic about how long you’ll need with each class; 2) cast a vision of photo day as a celebration of their beautiful students, not just an interruption in their routine; 3)suggest specific ways that increased parent satisfaction would benefit the school.

Your passion for capturing people well is contagious, and I think that once administrators and teachers saw you in action, they’d find that devoting extra time to photos was well worthwhile!

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