A few questions from a cheer photographer...would like your input!

[Deleted member 15407]

ouch that is way to much

Exactly!

 

[cheermomforever]

1. What are your favorite photo gift items...besides photo buttons? (examples - wall clings, cut out statues, bag tags, playing cards, ornaments, etc)
Blankets are really cool :)
2. Does your gym do:
pre-paid packages (one pose, where the photographer picks the best one)
OR
on-site sales (a few poses are taken and the athlete and parents pick and choose what they want from each pose?

AND....which is your preference...pre-paid packages or on-site sales? (or a different process if you use one)
Pre-paid.
3. What's more important...
Lower cost and lower quality portraits (like under $20-$40 packages) OR
Higher cost and higher quality portraits (like $40-$80+ packages)?
High quality... who wants a junky photo?
4. What is your biggest compliment OR complaint (if any) about cheer pics you've had done in the past?
Nothing.

Cost!! I refuse to pay the $$$ for what photo companies charge! For what the photo costs to make, it is a rip off! Lower the prices and you would sell 10 x the pictures.I can honestly say in 8 years of competing I have only purchased pics once and that was because another mom bought a disc of the purchased pictures which were $5.00 each ............and I could make copies if I wanted to.

 

[cscheerio]

Cost!! I refuse to pay the $$$ for what photo companies charge! For what the photo costs to make, it is a rip off! Lower the prices and you would sell 10 x the pictures.I can honestly say in 8 years of competing I have only purchased pics once and that was because another mom bought a disc of the purchased pictures which were $5.00 each ............and I could make copies if I wanted to.

I have only bought disks of pictures when there was a deal for ten or more people to purchase. Otherwise one person buys the disk of pictures and makes copies.

 

[Cheerphotog]

Cute collage! I like that!

Thanks so much for all your input!

 

[cheernerd5678]

1. What are your favorite photo gift items...besides photo buttons? (examples - wall clings, cut out statues, bag tags, playing cards, ornaments, etc)

My mom LOVES photo buttons, she's even making her own for my high school team b/c they don't offer them! I like wall clings and bag tags. blankets and pillowcases are great too for far away competitions!

2. Does your gym do:
pre-paid packages OR on-site sales

We've done both

AND....which is your preference...pre-paid packages or on-site sales? (or a different process if you use one)

I hate doing pre-paid packages, because it make me anxious. I like to have options and i want to know what i'm paying for, as opposed to paying and then not knowing what the picture will even look like. on site sales are much better IMO.

3. What's more important...
Lower cost and lower quality portraits (like under $20-$40 packages) OR
Higher cost and higher quality portraits (like $40-$80+ packages)?

Higher quality! My family doesn't really do a lot of professional pictures so when we buy them we want high quality. But I think it's important to have some low cost ones and some higher cost...
4. What is your biggest compliment OR complaint (if any) about cheer pics you've had done in the past?
I like when the photographer lets you choose your pose, so that everyone's photo isn't the same!
Not knowing what you're going to get is rather aggravating. also, having packages that offer a ton of prints of the same photo, when really I only need one.
the worst, though, is not having a digital copy. If we buy prints, we usually put one in a picture frame and send some wallets to family? But (from an athlete's point of view) we don't want to pay for a picture if we can't even use it as our profile pic or put them on fb! I think a digital file is much more useful than a print!

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Woops. I should've clarified that one more. For OUTSIDE PHOTOS vs. INSIDE PHOTOS. I just always assume theirs are outside.
For outside (high school usually), they should be cheaper. In my opinion, its easier to take an outside picture, therefore it should be cheaper.
Sorry for the confusion!

I disagree. Its harder outside because you have to deal with the elements. Wind blowing the hair, sunlight in the eyes, shadows, ect. At my high school we always did summer pictures (outside) and winter pictures (inside) and the winter ones always went much faster.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

My photography studio specializes in cheer and dance photography. Not action photography...but posed portraits, where we go to the gym and photograph individuals and teams over one to several days.

I'd love to get some input from as many parents and athletes as possible! Thank you!!

1. What are your favorite photo gift items...besides photo buttons? (examples - wall clings, cut out statues, bag tags, playing cards, ornaments, etc)
I usually don't order gift items, but the most popular ones I have seen are bag tags.
2. Does your gym do:
pre-paid packages (one pose, where the photographer picks the best one)
OR
on-site sales (a few poses are taken and the athlete and parents pick and choose what they want from each pose?
At my high school (sorry not gym, hope thats okay!) we always got 2 or 3 poses and then the photographer uploaded them onto their site and you go to choose which ones you wanted. I believe you could do either, just a page or just individual shots. Not completely sure about the package thing, but I know you could just get the individuals. The photographer choose the best (or best two sometimes) shot of each pose and uploaded them to the site.
AND....which is your preference...pre-paid packages or on-site sales? (or a different process if you use one)
Personally, I'd rather be able to pick my best picture. Me and the photographer might have different opinion on when we think I look the best (haha)
3. What's more important...
Lower cost and lower quality portraits (like under $20-$40 packages) OR
Higher cost and higher quality portraits (like $40-$80+ packages)?
Low cost is nice but I'd rather have a good quality.
4. What is your biggest compliment OR complaint (if any) about cheer pics you've had done in the past?
Got some done at UCA nationals my freshman year, they took forever to ship them to us!

 

[Cheerphotog]

awesome feedback!! Thanks so very much!!

 

[munchkinmom]

First off, have to say, I love your work - and now I despise our sports photos more. The 4 pose of "Lauren" under the cheer/dance section would be an awesome large print for her bedroom.

From a rec momma (not sure if you do rec or not or if you will later):
1. What are your favorite photo gift items...besides photo buttons? (examples - wall clings, cut out statues, bag tags, playing cards, ornaments, etc)

Trading cards. Except they want an arm and a leg for them. The nice expensive plastic ones are great for family and I like them more than wallets, but I'd love to buy about 30 cheap ones too that she could actually...um...trade with all her friends/teammates?

I'd also be willing to spend high school year book money each year ($$$) for a nice fall organization (we do football/cheer/field hockey, about 450-500 kids) yearbook with decent sized color individual photographs & team photographs that we receive about the same time football games started up. Yeah, that's a short deadline. I know. Candid shots can be non-existant/minimal.

2. Does your gym do:
pre-paid packages (one pose, where the photographer picks the best one)
OR
on-site sales (a few poses are taken and the athlete and parents pick and choose what they want from each pose?

AND....which is your preference...pre-paid packages or on-site sales? (or a different process if you use one)

They have their prepaid packet they send home, but they also do online ordering. The website is always confusing. I rather have the option to order online after picture day, but be able to go to the website beforehand and see that I will have the exact same options as on the packet (if not more).

3. What's more important...
Lower cost and lower quality portraits (like under $20-$40 packages) OR
Higher cost and higher quality portraits (like $40-$80+ packages)?

This is tricky. You have some that can't afford much and could use an affordable lower quality option so they can have something a bit nicer than a snapshot. Most of the rest, sports photos would be a luxury item. They may be willing to spend money, but only if they see the value in the product. They can't afford to spend $60 on just another set of school-style pictures with a different outfit & different "classmates"

4. What is your biggest compliment OR complaint (if any) about cheer pics you've had done in the past?

They're standard sports pics. A sea of faces smooshed together squinting into the sun. Which is all fine and dandy, but is not something I value high enough to purchase premium items of. For winter, I would love to see a combination of action photos and creative studio pics that could create neat collages, packages & gifts but the logistics of that would probably be insane.

 

[purpleblue&white]

creative posing is our specialty...I also dislike rows of smallest to tallest on a gray spongepainted background. This is what we do... :)

Hey that's my CP! xoxo. BTW, you guys do a great job & thank you for asking for some new ideas for the future!

 

[purpleblue&white]

creative posing is our specialty...I also dislike rows of smallest to tallest on a gray spongepainted background. This is what we do... :)

Hey that's my CP! xoxo. BTW, you guys do a great job & thank you for asking for some new ideas for the future!

 

[Cheerphotog]

Hey that's my CP! xoxo. BTW, you guys do a great job & thank you for asking for some new ideas for the future!

Ha Ha!! You're so welcome!! We have a bunch of new things for the upcoming season!! Can't wait for you to see them!

Thanks for the compliment...it means a lot to us!

 

[Cheerphotog]

First off, have to say, I love your work - and now I despise our sports photos more. The 4 pose of "Lauren" under the cheer/dance section would be an awesome large print for her bedroom.

From a rec momma (not sure if you do rec or not or if you will later):
1. What are your favorite photo gift items...besides photo buttons? (examples - wall clings, cut out statues, bag tags, playing cards, ornaments, etc)

Trading cards. Except they want an arm and a leg for them. The nice expensive plastic ones are great for family and I like them more than wallets, but I'd love to buy about 30 cheap ones too that she could actually...um...trade with all her friends/teammates?

I'd also be willing to spend high school year book money each year ($$$) for a nice fall organization (we do football/cheer/field hockey, about 450-500 kids) yearbook with decent sized color individual photographs & team photographs that we receive about the same time football games started up. Yeah, that's a short deadline. I know. Candid shots can be non-existant/minimal.

2. Does your gym do:
pre-paid packages (one pose, where the photographer picks the best one)
OR
on-site sales (a few poses are taken and the athlete and parents pick and choose what they want from each pose?

AND....which is your preference...pre-paid packages or on-site sales? (or a different process if you use one)

They have their prepaid packet they send home, but they also do online ordering. The website is always confusing. I rather have the option to order online after picture day, but be able to go to the website beforehand and see that I will have the exact same options as on the packet (if not more).

3. What's more important...
Lower cost and lower quality portraits (like under $20-$40 packages) OR
Higher cost and higher quality portraits (like $40-$80+ packages)?

This is tricky. You have some that can't afford much and could use an affordable lower quality option so they can have something a bit nicer than a snapshot. Most of the rest, sports photos would be a luxury item. They may be willing to spend money, but only if they see the value in the product. They can't afford to spend $60 on just another set of school-style pictures with a different outfit & different "classmates"

4. What is your biggest compliment OR complaint (if any) about cheer pics you've had done in the past?

They're standard sports pics. A sea of faces smooshed together squinting into the sun. Which is all fine and dandy, but is not something I value high enough to purchase premium items of. For winter, I would love to see a combination of action photos and creative studio pics that could create neat collages, packages & gifts but the logistics of that would probably be insane.

WOW!! Thank you so very much for your thoughtful responses...I can't tell you how much they mean to me! Really really helpful!

 

[MadstarRocksAmerica]

1. Keyrings and phone ( or iPod Touch) covers.

2. On-site sales

I prefer on-site, because I like to know and pick exactly what I get for my money.

3. It depends on what you get in the package. I like anything that's not a ripoff. If you can offer me a beautiful high quality photo where everyone of my athletes has their eyes open and looks presentable, I'd pay through the roof.

4. "Nice thighs." OR "I like how they're not, like, just in a line." (We tried to create a cool image with different sections and poses and heights, much like what you do.)

 

[Cheerphotog]

1. Keyrings and phone ( or iPod Touch) covers.

2. On-site sales

I prefer on-site, because I like to know and pick exactly what I get for my money.

3. It depends on what you get in the package. I like anything that's not a ripoff. If you can offer me a beautiful high quality photo where everyone of my athletes has their eyes open and looks presentable, I'd pay through the roof.

4. "Nice thighs." OR "I like how they're not, like, just in a line." (We tried to create a cool image with different sections and poses and heights, much like what you do.)

I hear ya!!

Our new biggest seller (besides buttons) is quickly becoming iphone covers (and pillowcases!).... We put not only the athletes image on it, but also include the gym logo (with permission of course). It makes for GREAT advertising for the gym too! We do this with almost all of our products now.

High quality and fair price is what we aim for....what I DO find though when we do ONSITE sales is that parents end up liking several shots so they want to order more which ends up obviously costing more....

Going to the extra effort of actually POSING the athletes rather than lining them up by height DOES make such a difference.... and if it's an image that I'm going to hope to sell multiple times to a single team, then I feel obligated to put a little extra effort into it....makes sense.