School photos = $$$$

[Allen]

Our first child just started pre-K this year so this is our first experience with buying school photos. The costs seem pretty excessive to me.

The class group 8x10 photo costs: $12.00
The individual photo breaks down like this:

Plan A -
1- 8x10
2- 5x7
16- wallet
Total: $25

Plan B-
2- 8x10
4- 5x7
32- wallet
Total: $35

Just seems pretty high to me, but I guess it's something I'll have to deal with, right?

[jdwme]

not really, take your own. I did my niece's photos this year so the only thing they would have bought from the school is the group photo.


edit...
actually those prices aren't too bad

[jagphoto]

Actually compared to many others, those prices are very good. That is basically 4 sheets for $25 and 10 sheets for $35. My kids pictures were $62 for 6 sheets. I will admit the guy did a really good job though. I would not have bought them otherwise.

[brad]

I'm with Lisa, those prices are way better than others I've seen.... not that they are likely very good, cattle call photography rarely is. (Its not the photographer's fault, of course, there just isn't time in that environment to reset the lights and correct posing for each child.)

Do what the rest of us do.. take your own... you'll be happier in the end, and you'll get practice shooting kids.

[BrianY]

Sounds low to me. Don't forget that the school is probably receiving a portion of the sales.

[CobyPhoto]

Originally Posted by byu

Sounds low to me. Don't forget that the school is probably receiving a portion of the sales.

A portion? Way more than that. Most school want a per-head payment or on average 35% of the sales! As I own and operate a studio and do some school photography, that is REAL cheap. Hopefully the photos themselves won't be as cheap and cheesy as the packages, and you will have gotten a great deal.

Just to make a simple point, try taking photos of 300-400 kids in a day (Small school!) and then tell me those prices are too high! Willing to be you would be raising your prices as it is not easy work.

CJ

[BrianY]

Coby, I was being kind - I can't see how the photographer can be making much at those prices. Must really love their job.

[Huck]

Just wait. When my kid made the jump from K to 1st grade, they charged us a TON of money for graduation prints. They had caps and gowns. But ONLY for photos at the school. They did not have caps and gowns at the graduation, just the caps. Kinda sucked, but we paid the big bucks. And needless to say they misspelled her name on her graduation certificate and photo. The company said all sales final.

[iCe]

Those prices are low...

[Allen]

Originally Posted by iCe

Those prices are low...

It seems most of you share that opinion. Like I said, this is my first of two children to start school so I guess I didn't have anything to compare the experience too. I feel better after reading some of your replies.

I do take a lot of portrait type photos of both kids already and probably should have just gone for the group photo though.

[CincoJoe]

That's very cheap. How did they look?

[Allen]

Originally Posted by CincoJoe

That's very cheap. How did they look?

We haven't seen them yet.

[Wes]

Looks pretty inexpensive to me. But then again, I stopped paying someone else for images of my kid a few years ago.

[CincoJoe]

Originally Posted by Wes

Looks pretty inexpensive to me. But then again, I stopped paying someone else for images of my kid a few years ago.

Ditto

[Mandy]

Sounds VERY inexpensive to me too.