I have been taking school pictures at Boston area preschools for the last several years and in that time I have created portraits of hundreds of beautiful little people. Despite the fact I have consistently received rave reviews from parents about the children’s images, I find that school administrators still have uncertainty about switching to a new photographer or walking away from traditional big box school portrait providers.
I thought it might be helpful if I summarize the most important benefits of hiring me for your school’s next picture day!
1. Parents have a choice!
I think one of the biggest differences between me and a big box school photo company is that I spend approximately 1-3 minutes with each student and am almost always able to capture a variety of faces and poses in this time, showcasing the child’s personality. Unlike large picture day companies who take just one picture of each child, parents can expect to see 4-8 different poses in their child’s gallery, which are then edited in color and black & white.
I want to find out more about having a new and improved school portrait program at my school!
2. No pre-purchasing required
Parents get to see the images of their children before they purchase them!! A lot of school picture providers require prepayment so they can be sure they will see a return on their investment of time spent at the school. But here’s the thing — I know my product is great and I’m confident that parents will want these photos. I don’t need to require any prepayments.
“The week you photographed my son, my older two children were sick, my husband was traveling, and even though I had it on my calendar I completely forgot that it was picture day. Horrible shirt, horrible hair and I totally expected the worst. But your portraits are amazing, you captured his little vibe so well. I am completely thrilled!” ~ Margarita P., West Roxbury
3. It’s affordable.
Not only is my portrait program free for schools, I offer a variety of print collections to parents at various price points. Prints are available in sizes from wallet up to 11×14. I also offer canvas and high resolution digital files. Collections begin at $28. (6.25% MA sales tax is added to every order).
4. There is no obligation.
While I am on site, I offer to photograph every child, but families are not required to participate or purchase anything.
5. Class photo can be included!
In addition to individual photos of each child, I will take a group photo of each class, if requested. These photos may be taken indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather. A complimentary 5×7 print of the class photo is included with every portrait order.
6. Siblings, too!
I always offer to take sibling photos for children who attend the same school. Parents of siblings also receive a discount off their purchase when buying for multiple kids!
7. Prints OR Digitals available
I offer a variety of products to parents including prints (ranging from wallet up to 11×14), fine art canvas and high resolution digital files.
I’m ready to have a more customized portrait experience at my school!
8. No fuss
I take care of everything, including: announcement fliers to families, picture day execution, online galleries, online transactions, and final delivery of prints and products. Schools do not have to worry about a thing. The only thing I need in advance is a class list so I can keep track of who I am photographing.
“Cara is professional, organized, creative, and fun. The onsite process is easy and it provides an added convenience for the busy parents at our school who are interested in professional photos but don’t have the luxury of time for a professional photo session outside of school hours. Cara’s relaxed and approachable personality allows her to make instant connections with the children she photographs. Cara’s photographs are artistic and clearly capture each child’s personality. We couldn’t be happier with Cara Soulia Photography and are happy to recommend her highly.” ~ Cristin Clarke, Director, Willow Path Childcare
9. This does not have to replace your traditional school picture day in the fall!
You might the surprised to hear this but I most often hold my picture days in the spring as an alternative and/or complement to the traditional school photos offered in the fall. These images may act as a sort of ‘graduation photo’ for kids who are leaving their school or moving on to the next grade. At very young ages, there is so much growth between the beginning of the school year and the spring that many parents welcome having two picture days!
10. Your child’s lovey is cordially invited…
One of the things that makes my school portraits extra special and unique is that I invite families to send along their child’s favorite lovey, stuffed animal or toy for the day. This is often such a huge deal to the kids because these items don’t normally travel to school with them. All of my own children have lovies and their sweet bond is so fleeting and precious. The lovey photos are always my favorite!
11. The pictures are just plain beautiful.
Need I say more? The most important thing I can tell you about the school portraits I create is that they are highly personalized. I will never just take one shot of each child and call it a day. I spend a minute talking to the child and I encourage him or her to tell me about their favorite book or television show. Sometimes I break out the corny jokes and silly songs, too. Whatever it takes to get a great portrait.
If you are interested setting up a time to talk about my school portrait program please check out my FAQ page or get in touch! I’d love to chat to see if my program is a good fit for your school!
Cara Soulia is a children’s photographer living just outside Boston, Massachusetts. She specializes in capturing beautiful moments and real connections, with an artistic eye and a sense of humor, too. See more of Cara’s recent work on the blog!