Beauty Queen, Cheerleader, Senior Session.

05/12/2008 09:32:04 AM · #1

.... and its all the same girl!! :D

This is Paige.... my first Senior Ambassador (yay!). We had a 3 1/2 hour session on Saturday and had a great time. This girl was sooooo comfortable in front of the camera that she really made my job easy.
Outdoor shots were done with 2 flash units and a gold reflector, indoors done with 4 AB strobes and some reflectors.

For those interested in getting started with seniors... here is how MY senior ambassador program works. I invited 4 kids to be my ambassadors (from one school). Each is in their Junior year. They pay for their session fee ($95) and choose one of two senior packages ($199 or $299). Along with their package they get a custom designed senior album with about 100 images from their session and a stack of "rep cards". Rep cards are 4X8 cards with pictures of the teen and my logo and contact info. They give their rep cards to their friends.... every card that comes back to me with a scheduled senior session earns the kid whose picture is on that card $25 cash! There is no limit. Its brilliantly simple to let the kids do the marketing for you and well worth the pay-offs.

Just wanted to share. :D

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 09:42:06 AM · #2

Nice, nice shots. Good lighting and variety of poses. Do you do a lot of senior shots this far before the school year?

05/12/2008 10:11:51 AM · #3

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:

Nice, nice shots. Good lighting and variety of poses. Do you do a lot of senior shots this far before the school year?

Thanks. Most seniors do their senior portraits during the summer before senior year. I'm urging my reps to do their sessions now so that they can start showing their friends before their friends start booking sessions elsewhere. I had 2 reps scheduled on saturday, but one got very sick and will reschedule.

Eyesup

Sigma 70-200 /2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II

05/12/2008 10:41:37 AM · #4

Woderful group of shots! really great stuff! and that program of yours!!!! purely briliant (at least from the point of view from this dull mind...lol)

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 10:53:08 AM · #5

Originally posted by idnic:

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:
Nice, nice shots. Good lighting and variety of poses. Do you do a lot of senior shots this far before the school year?

Thanks. Most seniors do their senior portraits during the summer before senior year. I'm urging my reps to do their sessions now so that they can start showing their friends before their friends start booking sessions elsewhere. I had 2 reps scheduled on saturday, but one got very sick and will reschedule.

So then your reps get free shoots and then pay for prints? Or you comp everything?

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

05/12/2008 10:57:36 AM · #6

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:

Originally posted by idnic:

Originally posted by HawkeyeLonewolf:
Nice, nice shots. Good lighting and variety of poses. Do you do a lot of senior shots this far before the school year?

Thanks. Most seniors do their senior portraits during the summer before senior year. I'm urging my reps to do their sessions now so that they can start showing their friends before their friends start booking sessions elsewhere. I had 2 reps scheduled on saturday, but one got very sick and will reschedule.

So then your reps get free shoots and then pay for prints? Or you comp everything?

The only thing they get free is their rep cards. They pay normal session fees and normal package prices. To be a rep they must be invited. The draw is the $25 per referral, they know they can make big bucks if they try.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

05/12/2008 11:15:14 AM · #7

Isn't it amazing how one young woman can look so different in different circumstances?

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bradshaw

Spypen QX-O

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

05/12/2008 11:22:00 AM · #8

Thats very strange I don't know if it just because I live in Canada or maybe its just my area but I couldn't see this working here. I have never heard of some one in their senior year going out and getting their picture taken simply because it is their senior year. I find this very strange, I mean people come to the school and do graduation photos and if you want you can get some casuals but I don't think I know a single person in the four years I have been in high school who has had this done. Interesting to see how where you live can have a affect on what kind of studio work you can get.

Side question is it mostly girls who get this done or do a lot of boys also do this?

klkitchens

Pentax K-1

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

05/12/2008 11:26:21 AM · #9

Originally posted by bradshaw:

Done all the time here in the states. For at least that last 20 years or so. My wife had a bunch of senior photos done. When I graduated five years before her, I had not seen or heard of it here, but that doesn't mean much. I went to a studio, put on the tux shirt/jacket and had the yearbook photo done and that was that.

Eyesup

Sigma 70-200 /2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II

05/12/2008 12:02:04 PM · #10

Originally posted by bradshaw:

I take that to mean that there is a markey here that we haven't tapped.... sinior photo's don't happen alot here eaither (Calgary that is), but I see that as opportunity.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

05/12/2008 12:27:39 PM · #11

An interesting before / after....

The senior sessions are VERY poplular where I live (Florida). More girls than boys have sessions done, but one of my 4 reps is a boy (haven't photographed him yet).
A local studio claims to average $1200 per senior in after sales to the parents, but my average so far is much lower.
This senior did tell me she wants 3 albums, one for her, one for mom & one for dad (parents are divorced). :)

Message edited by author 2008-05-12 12:27:54.

bassbone

Nikon Z8

05/12/2008 12:44:40 PM · #12

Dang Cindi - You got skills! Nice editing job.

Originally posted by idnic:

An interesting before / after....

rob_smith

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/12/2008 03:36:06 PM · #13

Great shots Cindi!

The lighting is very good, how much time do you spend editing, I would be editing all day just to make sure they are perfect, so would probably make little per hour. I guess when it is a business you have to get everything right in camera or you are just eating into your own time..?

I had never heard of senior shots before I joined this site, not done in the UK, possibly an untapped market given kids' desire for fame, celebrity and the perfect image.

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

05/12/2008 04:12:22 PM · #14

Nice variety of poses! Great job, Cindi.

jmlelii

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

05/12/2008 05:02:47 PM · #15

This is a good market if you have availability to a studio!

05/12/2008 06:02:20 PM · #16

Originally posted by rob_smith:

Hey Rob. I shot with Paige on Saturday from about 10 - 1:30, took a break for lunch, then started editing. Besides the collages that I did today, all of her images were edited and ready for viewing before I stopped working saturday evening. About 5 hours total. I do try to get everything right in camera, but I also hedge my bets by shooting RAW.

rob_smith

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/12/2008 06:12:32 PM · #17

Thanks Cindi. It's something I would love to do, but I would have to work my @ss off to get it to pay full time. They are great shots though...

rob_smith

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/13/2008 03:19:17 AM · #18

Can I ask where you got your white backdrop from, I am looking for something similar but didn't want to spend a fortune.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/13/2008 07:29:10 AM · #19

Nice work Cindi. Very professional in every way.

05/13/2008 07:58:35 AM · #20

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, guys!

Rob, I use Denny Manufacturing's white vinyl. I caught it on sale and got a 10' X 20' for about $150. I throw it in the washing machine when it gets dirty. Well worth the money.

There is a thread around here somewhere where I show how my $10 columns were made by me & a friend. ;)

Found it.... //dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=761075&highlight=props%20columns

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 08:21:35.