There’s nothing more frustrating than a poorly executed picture day – upset parents, stressed teachers, administrators just trying to keep it together. Nope, not pretty and not the experience you want for your students. The right photography company won’t let picture day turn into a scene from a horror film.
But how can you tell if it’s just a bad day or a bad match? Here are a few signs to watch for to decide if it’s time for a new school photography company:
You Haven’t Looked Elsewhere
If it’s been a few years – or decades – since your school has considered a different photography company, it might be time to shop around. While loyalty to a company is great, you tend to “forgive and forget” due to comfort, time, and energy when working with the same company for so long.
Instead of allowing minor mishaps due to comfort, shop around and look into different school photography companies. Not only has school photography branched out creatively, but working with a NEW photographer can lead to the development of relationships with open communication, better images, and cleaner workflow before, on, and after picture day.
You’re Stressed, Parents are Upset, and Picture Day was a Mess
Firstly, picture day should not be stressful or messy. Still, some schools experience stress, upset parents, and complete disorganization on picture day. While some of the experience is due to the administration of the photography company, many issues are caused by the photographers themselves.
For example, did you know that MANY photography companies don’t actually hire photographers? Most companies are simply looking for – and hire – a “camera operator.”
Each Student Gets One Photo
Yikes. No one is great on the first take – and your students shouldn’t have to be either! A lot of parent dissatisfaction comes from poorly timed photos of their kids and no other options available. Easy fix? Yes. Will they change their protocol? Probably not.
When talking to a potential photography company for your school, make sure they offer multiple photos of students rather than just one.
How to Choose Your Next School Photography Company
So, how should you choose your next school photography company? It’s easy – look for a company that solves all of your problems. For example, you should look for a photography company that:
- Takes more than one photo of your students. With more than one photo option, you’re less likely to deal with upset or disappointed parents – which is half the battle.
- Offer different photography styles and set-ups. We’re talking about School Photography 2.0; this is where photographers spend time with each student, so the pictures feature a variety of poses and expressions that have been thoughtfully captured to show a kid’s authentic self. And they’re shot against natural backdrops – usually outside. Just like a mini portrait session!
- They’re trained photographers. Trained photographers worry less about “just getting the shot” and more about capturing a student’s personality, working to make sure they’re comfortable, and getting a shot that both schools and parents love.
- They use an online ordering system, which eliminates paper forms and offers the convenience of online ordering and payments. There are no order forms transferred between students and photographers, so your school admins don’t have to get involved in the ordering process.
Freed Photography offers all of that – and more. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all, point-and-shoot approach to photography. Our mission is to rid the world of boring school portraits. Ready to get started? Reach out to us today!
