How much to expect to pay for Senior pictures, what's the best month to have them taken?

[J'swife]

We have a friend that has done some photography and I e-mailed her and asked her how much she would charge and what the best month to have them done in, dd will be a senior here soon.  So what have you paid recently?

[Miss Peregrine]

Around $200.

[Katy]

Oh, I play at photography and have done some shots for friend's kids.  I think as a kid the best time to do them is the summer before being a senior, and the prettiest shots are outdoors, in the two hours after sunrise and the two hours before sunset.  The best time to do them for your particular child might have something to do with what sports & activities she's involved in, and if you want to incorporate those into her outfit & prop choices.

 

The lowest end options I've seen start at $300, for a 15-30 minute 2 outfit indoor session.  More typically it's in the $500-1500 range in most areas of the midwest.  I don't know about other regions as much.  I went to college in New England, and most of my college friends didn't have the same senior portrait experience.  And in the area of Florida that I grew up, they still do special senior yearbook portraits, the guys in tuxes and the girls in these off the shoulder black velvet tops.  I think they're priced exactly the same as normal school photography there.

[texasmama]

Two years ago, I paid $100 for college girl's senior pictures, but it was to a teen photographer, and we went to her house.  We got a CD with many pics, which we printed ourselves.  It worked out well for our needs. 

[Evergreen State Sue]

Ask if you can get the pictures on a CD and print them yourself (like Texasmama said).  We did that last fall in an outside setting and only paid $50 because the photographer was just starting out and wanted to use the pictures for her portfolio.  Two years ago we did it for our other graduate and paid $300.  The cost included two outdoor settings with pictures taken in early winter and then again in spring. 

[clementine]

Is there any way you could take a day (or a few days) out with your daughter and a good camera?  By good camera, I don't mean extra lenses and super fancy features.  I have a Fuji, auto focus camera.  We went out to several locations and had several outfit changes.  We looked up poses on pinterest & headed out.  I probably took 300 pictures and we got 7 really good ones - they look like a pro took them.  

 

Then I uploaded them to mpix.com and had them cut into wallets with rounded corners.  They didn't look like they were done by mom.  I paid about $60 for 8x10s and wallets - so reasonable!  

[QueenCat]

$300-500, depending on the experience and quality of the professional photographer. That amount would get you the cd with rights to print as you choose. It wouldn't include actual prints. It would include the photography session, the cd, and the professional's time in perfecting the photos.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Our photographer said September through October is the best time for weather plus the leaves are still on the trees. The next best time is about now. She also said right before sunset offered the best lighting.

[Artichoke]

We have a bargain basement deal with a former photographer for senior pics. He does casual group, one casual pose, and one formal pose for $60. This comes on a cd with permission to print. There's usually 10-12 in our senior class. We do pics in August or September in order to have them back for scholarship applications.

[Guest]

Find out what the school's yearbook committee requires.  I've done a few senior photo shoots and there are various fines and so on if the senior doesn't have the picture in on time.  

Most of the photographers I know start shooting in July and August, and most of the time,, their shooting hours are 8-10am and 4-6 pm, to get good light.

 

Looking back on my own son's experience, he didn't look that different from May to December, so I'd say, get it done when it works for you. And understand that some schools charge a fine for submitting a photo past a certain date, usually October 31.  As a former yearbook sponsor, I totally understand that.  

 

Costs can vary.  I about fainted when i saw what my son's photographer charged....and I was put in a position to feel compelled to pay.  I still kinda resent that.  We're talking a $5000 package--that's the first thing we saw.  

 

I do senior photos on an odd basis.  I let the parent give an amount of money to a charity I support, and I do it through a third party who never tells me who paid or if they paid, how much.  But that is not normal.  Quelle surprise.

 

[PeacefulChaos]

Just thinking about how much it costs around here, for the best photographers, I'd expect to pay a couple hundred.  Some of the newer ones are more open to just do a CD with all the printing rights, which is preferable to having to purchase a 'package' or get them printed out there.  

[PeacefulChaos]

Oh, and month wise, I've always liked fall pictures.  I had mine taken in the fall - it was still nice and warm, so probably September?  I think that's a good time.

[G5052]

I would have preferred fall, but we got busy.  We do live near one of the favorite spots in my county for spring senior pictures, so we'll have to go with that.  I have a friend who is semi-professional and does an outdoor session with multiple outfits.  She doesn't order prints and give you the disk.  Last I heard, it was $200.

 

I figure April or May...