Prom Pictures...

[MWerner]

Anyone here done prom pictures before? I'm going to try them this year...

[Jim Bryant]

I worked with another photographer. he found out what the prom theme and colors were and went out and purchased cloth of the theme colors and used them as a backdrop. Worked pretty good. Sell packages of (1) 5 x 7's and 8 wallets for $20.00. If the kids wanted other sizes they could order online.

[SusanH1970]

I did them last spring. It was outdoors, before the prom, all the kids gathered at the home of one of them to hang out and get pics done before they went.

[kleidascope]

Prom pictures are SOOOO much fun!!
We used the yard of one of the nicer houses of the group. (those kids travel in groups!)
Make a list of what you want to do ahead of time, I forgot one or two poses I wanted to do.
If it's a bigger group, stairs are your friend because you can stagger everyone on the stairs and get them all in the picture!
Do the girl group, the guy group, let them do some goofy ones.
Make sure to get each couple as an individual couple. I missed a couple last year - because they were 'broke up that week' and weren't happy about going to prom together, but back together the following week so that bummed me out.

I just started thinking about how I can pull off mini-pre-prom photo sessions this year, maybe with a velvet couch on the front lawn or in the middle of the dirt road, the contrast between being dressed up.
Maybe pulling out the old car and doing some posing with that. Or come up with some sort of set to put in the garage with lights - something DIFFERENT that they won't get at the standard 'posed' prom photographer onsite at the school. I really kind of want to do something a little over the top this year and expand it beyond just 'my kids' and their 'group'.

I let the kids order packages from me, they mostly wanted wallets and 5x7. I ended up doing a couple collage prints for the kids for their graduation presents, something little, but they LOVED them.

[MWerner]

Backdrops = blegh. I'm doing on-location type stuff. So far I have about 15 couples signed up, and I'm going to advertise to the rest of the school. The school has a photographer under contract for all the school dances, but its the old fashioned stand in line for an hour to get rushed through one pose, two if you paid for it kind of photographer. I'm planning on doing mini-photo-shoots with each couple at a cool location somewhere, probably a spot that contrasts with their formal outfits. I actually have thought about using an antique couch for these in an alleyway or dirt road, but I just need to get the right couch.

I'll give them a sheet of wallets with each package, but for any other prints they can order them through the online proofing gallery. I mean, I'm sure all the moms will want something different. And I'll also give them all a low-res disc of a handful of edited photos, because everyone will want to put their pictures on Facebook and Myspace.

I did a little pre-shoot with my brother and a couple of friends so that I can have something to use in my marketing. I've posted some of them here at my Facebook fan page:

Morgan Werner Photography's Photos - Prom 2010 | Facebook

I've talked to some of the girls in student government at this high-school (my brother's school) and they said that the photographer only has a year left in his contract, and they're all tired of him and his unoriginal work, so I'm going to try to swoop in on that. If Jr. Prom and Senior Ball go well this spring, i'll do it again for Homecoming in the fall.

The only thing I'm a little worried about with this is off-camera lighting. Right now, I don't even like to use the pop-up flash on my camera, and have no idea how to use a lighting set-up. Anyone have some advice on a simple lighting set-up?

[kelleyrie]

I did a few for my sisters homecoming last year, just of her...this year I am gathering upa group of her friends for some on location stuff.
I am with you on the backgrounds thing, that's what the prom photog is for We are probably gonna go to the beach park and play on the rocks. Most likely won't use a flash just a reflector so I can get nice light in their eyes. Hate flash outdoors if I can avoid it.

[Jen and Brian]

I LOVE the pictures you posted for the Prom promotions. I am going to try to do the same thing this year, and I don't think there are any photographers in my area that do it, so I'm going to try to corner the market!

What are you thinking about for packages, prices, etc? I was thinking I would pick somewhere close to the school (something similar to what has been suggested) ie urban, country looking, etc. I'm just not sure what to charge for packages and what to offer. I do online viewing, so I will probably keep the packaging to a minimum....it's a lot to think about. But good ideas!

[MWerner]

Originally Posted by Jen and Brian

I LOVE the pictures you posted for the Prom promotions. I am going to try to do the same thing this year, and I don't think there are any photographers in my area that do it, so I'm going to try to corner the market!

What are you thinking about for packages, prices, etc? I was thinking I would pick somewhere close to the school (something similar to what has been suggested) ie urban, country looking, etc. I'm just not sure what to charge for packages and what to offer. I do online viewing, so I will probably keep the packaging to a minimum....it's a lot to think about. But good ideas!

Well, I'm going to do pictures somewhere near the school, since most of the kids are having dinner in that area, and then the dance is all the way downtown. I'm thinking $50/couple sounds good. It's just a little cheaper than what the school's photographer is charging and I'm offering so much more.

[TheMoons678]

Great idea! I would try to get a demo pic of a group of couples in a fun pose. The couch idea is brilliant. The demo pics pictures almost looked like engagement pics which will be attractive to some bf/gf couples, but maybe not as appealing to those who are going with a close friend or a group of friends. Just a thought.
I know I personally am all about feeling like I'm getting a deal. You could do some promo deal like sign up 4 other couples, get your pics (or some package add-on) for free. I imagine word of mouth will spread like wild fire.
Not sure how big of a turn out you are wanting, but I know you can advertise in school newspapers, sporting events, etc... You could offer another add-on/discount to people who join your facebook group.

[MWerner]

Originally Posted by TheMoons678

Great idea! I would try to get a demo pic of a group of couples in a fun pose. The couch idea is brilliant. The demo pics pictures almost looked like engagement pics which will be attractive to some bf/gf couples, but maybe not as appealing to those who are going with a close friend or a group of friends. Just a thought.
I know I personally am all about feeling like I'm getting a deal. You could do some promo deal like sign up 4 other couples, get your pics (or some package add-on) for free. I imagine word of mouth will spread like wild fire.
Not sure how big of a turn out you are wanting, but I know you can advertise in school newspapers, sporting events, etc... You could offer another add-on/discount to people who join your facebook group.

Yeah, I'm thinking about doing some sort of promotional offer to get some volume. But, honestly, I don't want to have the whole school come to my shoot because I'm not quite ready for that yet... I think if I can get maybe ten or twenty more couples to come, that would be more than enough for me to see what this whole thing is like. I want to nail this project on the first try so that I can have a better chance of getting more business out of the dances to come.

I was just on Craigslist last night looking for antique couches, and there are definitely some out there, but they range from $200-$2000, so I might have to wait until the next dance to get a couch. Let me see what I can earn from this one.

I know I need some fun group pictures. I was hoping to have more couples show up for my little pre-shoot, but it ended up just being the girl and two guys. I'll get some during Jr. Prom and add them to my marketing for Sr. Ball. Wouldn't it be so cute to cram on as many dressed-up teenagers on a couch and shoot them as they squirm around and try to fit?

Another thought... someday, when I get the setup for it, I have been wanting to do photobooths at weddings. But, I bet they would be a hit at proms too! I could see teenagers having more fun in the photobooths than the wedding parties!