STICKY:  How to photograph a high school Senior - Part 2

rjharris wrote in post #16174319
At least where I live in the Dallas area, most of the photos that go into the year book are taken by contracted photographers. The school I teach at (my full time job) has Lifetouch or Prestige do the yearbook stuff. They have to have the yearbook photos by them. On the flip side for lifetouch or prestige is they have to do those yearbook photos for free and then try to sell packages that I think are outrageously priced. Yes it's a jungle and can get down right bloody but it's a hobby for me so I don't fret it too much.

I was about to ask what they charge. I have heard that the school senior photographers are pretty cheap compared to us quality shooters, and I've heard that they are crazy expensive. I figured it might be relative on income.

I think $500 for a senior session might be cheap to many photographers here.

Yah i'd like to know the packages/prices for the senior sessions too if anyone is kind to share. Especially here in california.

GerryDavid wrote in post #16176928
I was about to ask what they charge. I have heard that the school senior photographers are pretty cheap compared to us quality shooters, and I've heard that they are crazy expensive. I figured it might be relative on income.

I think $500 for a senior session might be cheap to many photographers here.

I think that in Dallas $500 would be cheap. I work in a suburb of Dallas and the students/families here are very cheap. Some or a decent majority would rather have Prestige do their pictures for the yearbook, scan those and put on Facebook then use their I-Phones for their senior pics and call it good. You can see my prices on my web site (www.rjhphotos.com) and they are cheap but typically they'll tell me it's too expensive and go with something from the I-Phone. I'm just a rookie at senior photos but I do better than this. Money is not a factor, they just feel like they shouldn't have to pay for them.

Price also depends on your location. Middle of the mitten (MI) in the country, the 'most affordable' pro is around $200 with a studio on his own property. Other decent photographers without a studio are charging around $100, with dozens of amateur's charging anywhere from $25-$75 with a full cd of images. (more quantity than quality yet they call themselves pros)... Populated cities bring in more, but I'm not familiar with their charges.

Here are a couple of pictures from todays Senior shoot.

IMAGE LINK: http://s108.photobucke​t.com …32-1_zpsf8a4775c.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s108.photobucke​t.com …16-1_zps4afbdb70.jpg.html

Nice pictures. ^^^^

I'm just getting ready to go out on one at 6:00 this evening. It's too hot down here for most right now. We'll be in the shade thank God but I'm still gonna break a sweat.

1.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94020356​95/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94048008​28/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94047889​76/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94020320​85/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94020492​77/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94048098​66/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/goshke/94047932​88/

Here's one I edited from yesterday. Man was it hot out! 102 degrees when we started and I was soaked from head to toe by the time we got done.

rjharris wrote in post #16180250
Here's one I edited from yesterday. Man was it hot out! 102 degrees when we started and I was soaked from head to toe by the time we got done.

Man that one is nice. The only thing I can offer is a personal nit-pick - the sun dappling on her left arm. This is minor though. Really nice shot!

What part of "near Dallas" are you? I am in Richardson.

apixelintime wrote in post #16185464
Man that one is nice. The only thing I can offer is a personal nit-pick - the sun dappling on her left arm. This is minor though. Really nice shot!

What part of "near Dallas" are you? I am in Richardson.

Thanks for the compliment. I live southeast in Mabank but I work in Forney. Here's another one from the same shoot. This one was actually more work in photoshop as the way she was sitting left the back of her shorts and shirt sticking wayyy out.

rjharris wrote in post #16185529
Thanks for the compliment. I live southeast in Mabank but I work in Forney. Here's another one from the same shoot. This one was actually more work in photoshop as the way she was sitting left the back of her shorts and shirt sticking wayyy out.

Absolutely! I know where Mabank is - Had a friend that lived there in the '80's - may still be there.

I love that location! And if you hadn't told me that you resolved a wardrobe issue, I would not have known - well done again!

apixelintime wrote in post #16185816
Absolutely! I know where Mabank is - Had a friend that lived there in the '80's - may still be there.

I love that location! And if you hadn't told me that you resolved a wardrobe issue, I would not have known - well done again!

I was just at your web site. Where is that oldest suspension bridge in Texas at?? Might be a nice road trip to go at least take a peak at it.

rjharris wrote in post #16187133
I was just at your web site. Where is that oldest suspension bridge in Texas at?? Might be a nice road trip to go at least take a peak at it.

This might be it.
https://maps.google.co​m …67870&spn=0.015​,0.025&t=h

This site has some good info.
http://texasescapes.co​m …spension-Bridge-Texas.htm

Here's a Senior to keep things on track.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/pelting/9313950​257/

Thanks, I think I've seen those bridges before on the Two Wheels for Texas motorcycle site. Nice capture above. I find it (at least for me) very hard to get a senior to not smile and look halfway serious / seductive like that. Here's another from my shoot last weekend. It's tilted, I know, but we were on a pretty good slope when we shot that so I left it as is.

He nailed it - it is reasonably close to Fort Griffin, which is a really cool place to shoot at night... (which is pretty hard to do as it is a state park and closes at dusk... lol)