Prom photography

Harvey_nikon

Harvey_nikon

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Hi all,

I've been approached by my wife's boss to shoot a prom for the local secondary school. Budget wise I know they won't have a lot because the students have been raising the money themselves to pay for it.

They've got someone's uncle bob who is willing to photograph it but by all accounts, its a bridge camera and he doesn't know what he's doing with it.

Now, I haven't got the equipment to turn up, shoot, let people view, order and print on site so I've been considering ways I could do it.

Thinking background & studio lights for groups as they arrive, then reportage style throughout the night. Then offering photobooks of the night & prints if they want them. Viewing would be online so it risks the chance of people taking them. Money wise I am not too bothered, and would consider putting a % of the profits towards next years prom for repeat business + its a large year so getting my name out to parents etc. Just thinking mainly of the experience + portfolio.

I've shot weddings but never a prom.

Anyone any advice or suggestions? Anyone any experience with proms?
 
I've shot at a couple of proms (not main shooter) and a 'must' is that they always want a shot in front of whatever they turn up in. The venue usually has an area for you to set up for the backdrop and lights and then just 'move' them through.
Then casual shots during the night if you have the time. Sounds like you will be busy though if it's a large year.
Maybe have a second shooter and take plenty of memory and batteries.


Kev.
 
It will be much easier with a second photographer, and if your putting the pics online unless they are tiny watermarked and really low res you won't sell many.
 
The school my Mum and Dad work at the budget for the prom photography is quite large aparently. Usually the company that shoots it produces a dvd slideshow and every attendee gets a copy of it, no onsite printing but they do sell prints after but I don't think they sell many.

I have been hearing what they want doing this year and they are wanting a paparatzzi run with red carpet as they arrive and get out of what ever transport they have, the formal posed shots with background upon entering the venue and the usual party shots.

I can't see all that being cheap as your looking at a minimum of 2 photographers possibly 3, 2 paps and 1 inside doing the formal shots. Ok no need to run a print and viewing area with the slideshow but I think I would prefer to do prints on the night maybe on some fixed price and print for 3-4 hours.
 
At the proms I attended at school the photography was always along the lines of "pay a tenner and I'll post you the print". I think at graduation 1 or 2 of the dozen photographers where doing on site prints, but again money now.

If you put them online I highly suspect all you'll do is cover face book with your watermark! Of course if you already have the money then putting them online is not going to lose you anything.
 
I'd be tempted to see what equipment the school have? A computer hooked up to a projector would be a good way to show pictures you've taken on the night, or at least show the arrival shots before the end?

Otherwise, maybe a Facebook group with the pictures on afterwards, but as others have said, get the images protected or you wont sell any at all!
 
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