School dance photo shoot and what I learned.. Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 117 family school dance photo shoot. Comments/questions appreciated. Ok so I was asked to...

Adamborz

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 117 family school dance photo shoot. Comments/questions appreciated.

Ok so I was asked to handle the photos for a school dance that was going to be a gender neutral daddy/ daughter or mother/ son or just family school dance.

I showed a couple backdrops and the PTO picked out one that I thought was a little busy but ended up turning out ok.

Now what lens to use. I originally was going to use my 24-105 f/4 for its versatility, but ended up using my 70-200 f/2.8 because it was ultimately sharper and as I was mostly stationary I didn’t need to change focal length (much). I didn’t need the f2.8 as I was using off camera flash.

Also, I wasn’t sure where I’d end up being placed (you can see I was in a hall way) and what lights I’d need so I brought lots of equipment.

I ended up using 2 lights, a flashpoint 600 and a flashpoint speedlight. I shot in manual, 1/200 ISO 200 (to save battery on lights) and f/5.6 (off top of my head to keep the backdrop in focus).

Well here is what I learned... this was fast paced! People lined way up for their pictures; and I shot 117 of them.

If anybody here is thinking of doing something like this, here is how I handled it. I had model releases on a table (minor and adult in one), had parents fill them out with email address and cell phone etc. I took the family’s picture(s) then called out the photo # to my wife and she wrote it on their model release.

I had a couple sample posed pictures on the table from an earlier shoot and that way the people sorta knew what to do when they got in front of the camera.

117 families in 3 hours... wow!

I had plenty of battery life left so I could have dropped ISO to 100.

The first pic is me on the cell phone (i took short of my set up in a narrow hallway) as it was starting, the 2nd two are the previous photos I took for examples and the last is a shot from the night.

Phew, all I got for my trouble was a 501c tax paper and I got to hand out lots of business cards for exposure... it was a learning experience and I highly recommend doing something similar!

(Download)

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Adamborz wrote:

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 117 family school dance photo shoot. Comments/questions appreciated.

Ok so I was asked to handle the photos for a school dance that was going to be a gender neutral daddy/ daughter or mother/ son or just family school dance.

I showed a couple backdrops and the PTO picked out one that I thought was a little busy but ended up turning out ok.

Now what lens to use. I originally was going to use my 24-105 f/4 for its versatility, but ended up using my 70-200 f/2.8 because it was ultimately sharper and as I was mostly stationary I didn’t need to change focal length (much). I didn’t need the f2.8 as I was using off camera flash.

Also, I wasn’t sure where I’d end up being placed (you can see I was in a hall way) and what lights I’d need so I brought lots of equipment.

I ended up using 2 lights, a flashpoint 600 and a flashpoint speedlight. I shot in manual, 1/200 ISO 200 (to save battery on lights) and f/5.6 (off top of my head to keep the backdrop in focus).

Well here is what I learned... this was fast paced! People lined way up for their pictures; and I shot 117 of them.

If anybody here is thinking of doing something like this, here is how I handled it. I had model releases on a table (minor and adult in one), had parents fill them out with email address and cell phone etc. I took the family’s picture(s) then called out the photo # to my wife and she wrote it on their model release.

I had a couple sample posed pictures on the table from an earlier shoot and that way the people sorta knew what to do when they got in front of the camera.

117 families in 3 hours... wow!

I had plenty of battery life left so I could have dropped ISO to 100.

The first pic is me on the cell phone (i took short of my set up in a narrow hallway) as it was starting, the 2nd two are the previous photos I took for examples and the last is a shot from the night.

Phew, all I got for my trouble was a 501c tax paper and I got to hand out lots of business cards for exposure... it was a learning experience and I highly recommend doing something similar!

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 11... (show quote)

Outstanding thought process yielded amazing images you should be very proud of. I am sure you made the 117 families proud.

What was your post processing and then email images?

Adamborz

Sorry the above kinda wordy already. but I forgot to say even though I had it planned out ahead of time, I didn’t plan on the kids running up with their friends just wanting their photo taken without their parents.

I made them wait until they had already gone through with their parents (so I had release) then I had my assistant (wife) write their names down and the pic # on separate sheet of paper so I knew where the photos went. Later I matched them up with their original photos...

Adamborz

PixelStan77 wrote:

Outstanding thought process yielded amazing images you should be very proud of. I am sure you made the 117 families proud.

What was your post processing and then email images?

I had my SD card set to record low res jpeg and cf card at high raw. My plan was to email the low res jpeg to the families... then if they wanted the school logo and their names I would charge slight fee.

I ended up not using the JPEGs because a lot of the white dresses/ shirts kinda blew out so I used the raw images (better dynamic range) and I just cropped slightly in PS and sent free via email.

I highly recommend volunteering to shoot an event like this if you want to have lots of free images to work with and want to see what it’s like to shoot a huge event.

I actually have a realtor headshot shoot coming up and just wanted some extra practice (see how long under pressure to set up/ tear down etc).

Ended up being fun...

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

If nothing else, at least you got some exposure handing out the business cards. Nice setup you had in the hallway. Those shooting situations are always a good learning experience, glad everything went well.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Adamborz wrote:

I had my SD card set to record low res jpeg and cf card at high raw. My plan was to email the low res jpeg to the families... then if they wanted the school logo and their names I would charge slight fee.

I ended up not using the JPEGs because a lot of the white dresses/ shirts kinda blew out so I used the raw images (better dynamic range) and I just cropped slightly in PS and sent free via email.

Thanks for your process of post processing. That also explains the couples name on some of your samples. Your wife deserves some credit for you to photograph at great speed.

Adamborz

PixelStan77 wrote:

Thanks for your process of post processing. That also explains the couples name on some of your samples. Your wife deserves some credit for you to photograph at great speed.

Yes the logo and the names were extra... added in photoshop.

Adamborz

Ched49 wrote:

If nothing else, at least you got some exposure handing out the business cards. Nice setup you had in the hallway. Those shooting situations are always a good learning experience, glad everything went well.

Got to hand out lots of business cards and the kids loved posing. I’m going to call the whole thing advertising or donation on my taxes too

Adamborz

Yes definitely if i didn’t add, the wife really helped out too.

Also the pics of the mother daughter were done in studio so the backdrop set up properly. The family photo at the bottom was done in the hallway, kids kept bumping the stands and the backdrop ended up wrinkling some... but i tried not to sweat the small stuff... 😎

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Adamborz wrote:

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 117 family school dance photo shoot. Comments/questions appreciated.

Ok so I was asked to handle the photos for a school dance that was going to be a gender neutral daddy/ daughter or mother/ son or just family school dance.

I showed a couple backdrops and the PTO picked out one that I thought was a little busy but ended up turning out ok.

Now what lens to use. I originally was going to use my 24-105 f/4 for its versatility, but ended up using my 70-200 f/2.8 because it was ultimately sharper and as I was mostly stationary I didn’t need to change focal length (much). I didn’t need the f2.8 as I was using off camera flash.

Also, I wasn’t sure where I’d end up being placed (you can see I was in a hall way) and what lights I’d need so I brought lots of equipment.

I ended up using 2 lights, a flashpoint 600 and a flashpoint speedlight. I shot in manual, 1/200 ISO 200 (to save battery on lights) and f/5.6 (off top of my head to keep the backdrop in focus).

Well here is what I learned... this was fast paced! People lined way up for their pictures; and I shot 117 of them.

If anybody here is thinking of doing something like this, here is how I handled it. I had model releases on a table (minor and adult in one), had parents fill them out with email address and cell phone etc. I took the family’s picture(s) then called out the photo # to my wife and she wrote it on their model release.

I had a couple sample posed pictures on the table from an earlier shoot and that way the people sorta knew what to do when they got in front of the camera.

117 families in 3 hours... wow!

I had plenty of battery life left so I could have dropped ISO to 100.

The first pic is me on the cell phone (i took short of my set up in a narrow hallway) as it was starting, the 2nd two are the previous photos I took for examples and the last is a shot from the night.

Phew, all I got for my trouble was a 501c tax paper and I got to hand out lots of business cards for exposure... it was a learning experience and I highly recommend doing something similar!

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 11... (show quote)

I've seen this sort of story before, *without* a happy ending. Congrats on getting it done well! It's hard to create a methodology from scratch.

I worked in the school portrait industry most of my career, and trained photographers as one of my nine jobs in it. Imagine photographing 430 school students and teachers in the morning, then photographing classroom groups or sports teams in the afternoon, 4-5 days a week! We had to be organized. We had the collective knowledge of about 90 years of industry knowledge from thousands of photographers to work with.

We had both individual and group portraiture down to a science. It was all very database driven. The camera was tethered to a laptop for individuals. Every image was linked to order and subject data with a proprietary application. We printed a report at end of day, telling the principal exactly what we pre-sold, how much cash we collected, and total credit card receipts. It also estimated the school commission.

The same app was used semi-manually to link group images to data and orders.

The entire process was automated, from agreement/contract entry, to photography, to lab submission, to production, to shipping and billing.

The iPhone/Android, digital cameras in parents' hands, the Internet, and social media sharing sites have nearly killed off that industry. Most of the industry players sold their businesses to Lifetouch, and then Lifetouch sold to Shutterfly. Very few mothers want prints these days, and very few value digital files well enough to pay $20 for them. Photography has been democratized.

Adamborz

burkphoto wrote:

I've seen this sort of story before, *without* a h... (show quote)

I wish you and I spoke prior haha. Yes, I realize people view this kind of portraiture a dead subject, but hopefully they’ll see in the email that the pics are better than the cell phone jobs.

I have a 9-5 regular job, do real estate photography on the side, and have landed some head shot jobs from that. So I’m finding the professionals still value the professional photos... well that and school senior pics, homecoming pics because nobody does them anymore.

Also professional images like the attached

(Download)

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Adamborz wrote:

I wish you and I spoke prior haha. Yes, I realize... (show quote)

Yeah, police, firefighters, rescue squads, and other groups like that are good customers. We had a territory in PA that contracted with the State Highway Patrol to do portraits of everyone on staff.

It's really the underclass (Pre-K to grade 11) school work that dried up. Elite senior portraiture is still a going concern. But as the yearbook industry dies off, that, too, will fade.

Adamborz

Just wanted to add it took me 2 days at several hours each to go through the photos and get them emailed out. Still worth it to me for the experience, and hopefully the enjoyment the photos will Bring to the families.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Adamborz wrote:

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 117 family school dance photo shoot. Comments/questions appreciated.

Ok so I was asked to handle the photos for a school dance that was going to be a gender neutral daddy/ daughter or mother/ son or just family school dance.

I showed a couple backdrops and the PTO picked out one that I thought was a little busy but ended up turning out ok.

Now what lens to use. I originally was going to use my 24-105 f/4 for its versatility, but ended up using my 70-200 f/2.8 because it was ultimately sharper and as I was mostly stationary I didn’t need to change focal length (much). I didn’t need the f2.8 as I was using off camera flash.

Also, I wasn’t sure where I’d end up being placed (you can see I was in a hall way) and what lights I’d need so I brought lots of equipment.

I ended up using 2 lights, a flashpoint 600 and a flashpoint speedlight. I shot in manual, 1/200 ISO 200 (to save battery on lights) and f/5.6 (off top of my head to keep the backdrop in focus).

Well here is what I learned... this was fast paced! People lined way up for their pictures; and I shot 117 of them.

If anybody here is thinking of doing something like this, here is how I handled it. I had model releases on a table (minor and adult in one), had parents fill them out with email address and cell phone etc. I took the family’s picture(s) then called out the photo # to my wife and she wrote it on their model release.

I had a couple sample posed pictures on the table from an earlier shoot and that way the people sorta knew what to do when they got in front of the camera.

117 families in 3 hours... wow!

I had plenty of battery life left so I could have dropped ISO to 100.

The first pic is me on the cell phone (i took short of my set up in a narrow hallway) as it was starting, the 2nd two are the previous photos I took for examples and the last is a shot from the night.

Phew, all I got for my trouble was a 501c tax paper and I got to hand out lots of business cards for exposure... it was a learning experience and I highly recommend doing something similar!

Just some thoughts about what I learned doing a 11... (show quote)

With all the glowing comments I almost hesitate to comment, but here goes
Fantastic images,
But I would suggest a slightly softer light.

Adamborz

Manglesphoto wrote:

With all the glowing comments I almost hesitate to comment, but here goes
Fantastic images,
But I would suggest a slightly softer light.

Softer? The key light is a 36” soft box with 2 diffusers... the the fill (speed light) is just going through an umbrella so I could get a better diffuser for that (actually should have just placed on floor without stand because it showed in some kids glasses). Didn’t have time to adjust lights for each person. This was a very rapidly paced photo shoot.

Are you saying different lights or different diffusers? I used both at TTL and just adjusted with comp to dial them separately. I tried to use the approach, expose to right, but like I said didn’t like the JPEGs at all. I luckily shoot in RAW so could recover the details...

Thanks for the comment. I’m trying to learn which is why I posted.