childrens portraits profitable?

[mommymartin]

I have been taking candid portrait of my friends and realatives children for a couple years but I did it more for experience than money. I worked ina studio for about six months and realized how much I hate working with adults. Can you run a studio (business) doing just kids? and possibly maternity and family....?

[panasonic]

The photographer I work for says there's no money in kids photos, ie, school pics, but on the other hand we have a franchise here called Pixy Foto which specialises in children's studio photography and they haven't gone bankrupt yet ... ;-)

[mommymartin]

yeah definitly dont wanna do school pics...lol...but honestly if you could get a mixture of traditional and more fun artistic or candid portraits for your kids would you do something like that over the fully posed forced smile pics you tend to get at most chain photography places?

[coreypolis]

sure there can be, but you'd have to be great on the business side. You could have the best images inthe world, but if you don't know how to runa business or market yourself, you'll never sell a single image.

developing a unique style is key, you want clients to want that special something that only you know how to do or can provide.

[taygull]

www.weefolksphotography.com

[mommymartin]

omg! those are beautiful pics and an awesome site! very close to what I had in mind...Thanks it gives me hope I have an awesome idea for a "one of a kind studio" and cant wait to get started now!

[mommymartin]

ok I have to say one mor thing...I totally love the way all those portraits are warm and loving and fun and so not......completly fake,..I worked in one of the walmart studios for a while hoping to learn more about dealing with difficult people.(boy! did I learn a lot) and I hated how forced all the pictures looked and I would get awesome shots and parents only ever wanted the stupid looking into the camers big cheesy grin pics which are great but I dont feel that they convey who your child is and after all isint that why we photograph our children to start with?

[NYC2BGI]

Here is another site that I visit sometimes http://ilovephotography.com/forums/ . It is the best site dedicated to childrens photogrpahy. You have to sign up to be able to read the forums. I have really learned a lot from the people who post over there.

http://ilovephotography.com/forums/

[Todd_K]

Why aren't school pictures profitable? I can't tell if you guys are joking but I think school pics are very profitable. One studio here in town has every school in the surrounding 5 or 6 counties. It's a huge market but I am finding hard to get into. His lowest package is $18.00 and highest is $50.00 he gives the school about $3.50 per student. An average elementary school around here has 500 kids. He probably on average makes $15-20 off each student after prints and paying the school. For a low amount he makes $7500 off the school and is done before lunch. They also take Spring pictures, so pictures at the elementary middle and high school twice a year. Plus senior pictures and most kids go to him and his lowest package is $300 which includes 1 outfit and 3 poses. I'd guess for a low amount he makes 75k-100k a year of one school's yearbook pictures this doesn't even count sport pictures.

From my understanding there is a lot of money in school pictures.

[mommymartin]

I'm sure you can make money doing it. Thats just not quite what I had in mind I have talked to some people and they say they make really good money if you can get contracted with a school district.

[xandria]

coreypolis: "...you'd have to be great on the business side. You could have the best images inthe world, but if you don't know how to runa business or market yourself, you'll never sell a single image."
This statement is true no matter what "type(s)" of photography you do if you want to have a successful business. Having said that, I believe that you can be successful with a very "specialized" type of photography. This is one of my favorite "baby/kid" photographer's websites: http://www.footprintsphotography.com/ - she also does great things in the community in her specialized venue. Go for it, but have your business/marketing plan in place. There are a LOT of people who don't want the "forced" chain-store photographs. Find your niche.