How do you do 'Schools' for group portrait work?

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SJS77

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:help:Hi everyone ! I have been keen to give school portrait photography ago for sometime now, often thinking about it then forgetting about it and never really acting on any ideas I might have had.

Thats why i have joined this forum in hope that some friendly photographer can give me a little insight into this the sector of school portrait photography!

I have done some school portrait photography in the past fopr a newspaper I freelanced for about 5 years ago and really enjoyed it, but now I am looking for more of an insight into the industry, can anyone shine some light this way??

1, how does the industry work for school portraits? do you offer the school a percentage on overall sales???

2, Do you need any special setup as far as a giant 'set' for children to stand or sit on to get the big group pictures?? (like a makeshift scaffolding grandstand?)

3, How do you market yourself in breif to schools? Is it best to just drop them a line?

4, Who might be the people who make the desicions about the portraits... is it the head teacher or a HR department usually??

5, How much is the going rate for this sort of work, what should a photographer be looking to walk away with as 'GROSS' profit?

6, DOES ANYONE OUT THERE NEED AN ASSISTANT:) !!

7, What is the time of year/months that this side of the buisness starts hotting up??? And how long ahead of time should you be booked in with a school to do this sort of work??

I look forward to any insightfull and honest replies.

Kind reguards,

From a curious practitioner!:help:
 
To be fair, I think people already dealing with this side will be......unwilling, I suppose, to give away their own experience - for obvious reasons.

I would suggest you best bet would be to carry out your own research directly with schools. Many of them local to you may already have a photographer they are familiar with and don't need the hassle of changing.

I'd perhaps suggest however, that photographing school children alone is never going to be a strong business proposition given that the times a school will need a photographer will be limited, and often the need for each school comes at the same time of year.
 
apkent said:
To be fair, I think people already dealing with this side will be......unwilling, I suppose, to give away their own experience - for obvious reasons.
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I think you're probably right there, school photography seems to be one of the last bastions of 'traditional' photography (at least where my mother taught, in Norfolk). Where wedding photography is being invaded by newbies with cheap DSLRs, school photography is still a pretty closed sector. Probably because it's easier to get started with weddings.

Sorry to be so negative there :(
 
Hi mate.

I work as a teacher in a large primary school. We have photographers in once per year - usually in September / October to photograph the new school year and new classes.

Basically what happens is the tog comes in, we set the children up - normally using the wooden PE benches and a nice backdrop of trees / school hall. The tog then snaps away. This is followed by individual shots of the children and also pictures with siblings. The whole thing (for about 400children) normally takes 1 full school day.

From then on, the tog goes and prints a small sample image, about 8cm x 8cm. This is then sent home to parents with pricing details and sizes. Parents order from there and then the tog prints out / frames the relevant orders. Our school takes a 30% cut.

In fairness, nearly everty parent buys the pictures - who wouldn't want an image of their little darling to put on top of the TV ? So it's a good money maker for both the tog and the school - albeit annually.

Can't speak for secondary schools - but in primary schools it is always the headteacher who makes the final decision on who is used. Therefore, to market yourself, contact the headteacher of local schools and offer your services. Now would be a good time to do this as a lot may be looking to photograph the new school year. That said, a lot of primary schools also take the pictures at the END of the term (July).

Hope that helps you a little and good luck!!

Anth.
 
I do a little togging at our school - for the prospectus etc, but then I am a governor..
Thanks to Huntley etc you MUST have a current Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check to go near a school, let alone with a camera
no CRB no access..:rules: :bat:

Dave
 
How would you go about obtaining that Dave? :)
 
Betty said:
How would you go about obtaining that Dave? :)
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I got mine by being a governor.
afaik you can't ask for one directly, the school has to apply on your belalf.
there is a charge, and a wait list...:rules:
 
But what if you wanted to take pictures of kids, like in a studio session? You wouldn't need one then right?
 
You just never know nowadays :( Just trying to cover all situations :)
 
Betty said:
You just never know nowadays :( Just trying to cover all situations :)
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you cant get one anyway, you have to get them through someone else. thats the problem.
I have one that needs updating, but i cant get it updated, because i dont work for the organisation anymore.
DiddyDave has one, and has never been asked for it.
These days, its generally men who tend to need them, as if they're working with young kids, most people go overboard.
 
Dave Scanlon said:
Thanks to Huntley etc you MUST have a current Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check to go near a school, let alone with a camera
no CRB no access..:rules: :bat:
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I'm taking an elevated photo tomorrow (weather allowing) at a school, of all the children. I wasn't asked about CRB.

I always though CRB only came into it if you were going to left in charge (and/or alone) with the child/ren :shrug:
 
Was it someone on here (male) that went to his kids school play? Mothers were allowed in with cameras no problems, but dads/grandfathers with cameras etc had to sign a form?!?! :shake:
 
JumboBeef said:
I'm taking an elevated photo tomorrow (weather allowing) at a school, of all the children. I wasn't asked about CRB.

I always though CRB only came into it if you were going to left in charge (and/or alone) with the child/ren :shrug:
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There's 2 types of CRB, the basic one is generally ok is the person isn't left alone, the advanced one is for people who will be working unsupervised.

Having said that I've done shoots at local pre-schools but not been asked but I was recommended in each case :shrug:
 
I found it funny that I've had to have a CRB since sixteen... it just made no bloody sense to me, I'll be allowed into school all day with the same people I need a piece of paper to coach in an evening! :loopy:
 
Yeah, a CRB is out of date the second it's completed - bit of a loophole really....
 
TheKrikkitWars said:
I found it funny that I've had to have a CRB since sixteen... it just made no bloody sense to me, I'll be allowed into school all day with the same people I need a piece of paper to coach in an evening! :loopy:
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I had my CRB check done when I was about 17/18 paid for by NCH Children's Centre, as I was a befriender volunteer with them working with autistic children, and were, more often than not, left alone.
 
dellipher said:
I had my CRB check done when I was about 17/18 paid for by NCH Children's Centre, as I was a befriender volunteer with them working with autistic children, and were, more often than not, left alone.
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Well, what got me was that I was working with "children" my age upwards, who were totally normal, and I was already (am still) in a relationship with one of my "charges". It was such a stupid bureaucratic ruling.
 
Ok - for the record ....

You DO NOT need a CRB check to work as a school photographer or to take photos of children.

You DO need a CRB check if you are going to be left unsupervised with the children.

Delly, that applies to both men AND women ;)

Must dash as i've left my class unsupervised!!! hahahahaha.

Cheers.

Anth.
 
More and more schools are now holding proms which need photographers. Most students will pay more multiple prints, individual, groups etc. That would only be an evenings work!
 
How did "anno" slip through the txt filter? :lol:
 
Actually, although I've never been asked for mine, I have had people enquire and book who've mentioned it as they've seen it on my website - this has included both Teachers and Police as clients

While you may not NEED it to shoot kids, it's just another bit of a marketing tool that can help differentiate you from your competitors

DD
 
Just catching up on this thread ......

Aye, technically CRB checks are crap. Using the example of Huntley, he would (possibly?) have passed a CRB as he had never murdered 2 innocent school girls before!

The irony of them is that nowadays, becasue everyone wants them to 'protect themselves' a lot of schools are actually using staff that do not have them, whilst they wait for the CRB to catch up with their backlog! The situation is slowly improving - but it happens!

As regards the men -v- women debate - always a one I watch with interest. As a male primary school teacher (in Key Stage 1), I have been described by many as a rarity. There are not many of us! I've not, or known, anyone to be discrimintaed against by staff or parents. Many parents are pleased to have a male role model with their children. Add to that the fact that the mums like a flirt before the bell goes and your laughing!!

I openly hug the children I teach - both boys & girls - and I am comfortbale in doing so. The parents acknowledge this as a sign that my children trust and are confident with me - which hopefully leads to them doing better in school.

To some people, a 33 (34 next weds) year old bloke hugging a 6 year old girl may look weird .... but in my eyes, that's their problem not mine. That said, I do ALWAYS make sure people can see me and that I'm never in a position where I could be accused of anything indecent.

Rant over!!!

Cheers.
Anth.
 
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