DVDs and photographers

[Verona]

Over the past few years we have had a DVD (used to be video) company in to take a 5 minute DVD of the children sitting in a jeep - with various backdrops. Parents were asked to pay £20 per DVD ordered!!!! Pre-school commission on this was £1.00 for each one ordered !!!! Today the company phoned to fix a date for this year but I declined. Finally thought enough is enough - it disrupts the morning and for not a lot of commission. Has anyone used this sort of company before? As I said we have used them for a few years but finally said "no". Do any of you use a company like this and what do you think of the outcome/price, etc?

 

On the other hand, we have a superb photographer - Anina who has her own small company that travels over the south of England. She is "Photo Image". She takes absolutely fantastic photos - parents buy a lot (cost for a 6x8 print is just £5 and the commission is great for us.) Photos for Christmas were excellent - you have to see them to believe it!!! Her website is www.photoimageonline.co.uk - have a look and see what you think. It has been a good day today because she has been into the Pre-school, taken lots of photos and is back in tomorrow to take more. Isn't it wonderful when you find someone that you know does a good job, loves children and can produce something that is beautiful!!!????

 

I just wanted to share Anina with you - hope you don't mind.

 

Another photographer we have had in the past did black and white photos of children at play - some parents comments were "Well, they are not looking at the camera" or "They are not smiling" For me, to have a photo of a child that is concentrating on threading beads, or snuggling up listening to a story is as good or sometimes even better than posed ones.

 

There is a nursery near me that doesn't have photographers in at all because of the upheaval and because they "just can't be bothered" - what are your thoughts on the subject?

 

Sue J

[Rea]

We used to have the same or similar company with the jeep, not sure if staff still arrange to have them to be honest.

I love photos and a setting who thinks its too disruptive arent helping parents to keep mementos for the future are they? I now everyone takes photos these days but its not the same as having a professional framed photo is it?

Although, I did refuse one photo of my youngest because he was wearing the exact outfit handed down to him by his older brother a few years earlier. Waste not want not

[Mouseketeer]

Like you Sue J we did this for a few years, but it was very disruptive and just not worth what we were getting out of it, we do have a brilliant photographer that we,ve used for years now, just been in this week and this year parents get a pass code to view images on line (takes a few of each child) and change to black and white to see how they'll look before ordering, which they can also do online so no hassle trying to get orders back in...and commission is good, and we get an introduction bonus if introducing any other groups ( in the south west so pm me if interested ;p

[Panders]

Never did the video thing, just thought too expensive for what you got - but always have a photographer in and this year coming back to do leaver photo as well - not sure how that will go down as in years past I have always taken that one in the same place had it enlarged and given each family one. The commercial version is going to cost the parents

[thumperrabbit]

We used to do the video thing years back at our Toddler group, I always thought it was a bit young for Pre-school!

We have Tempest photography, before Christmas to do individual photos and then again about may/June time to do a group photo.

We always get a good response from parents and make about 100 pound commission each year.

[Madmum]

WE have a 'traditional' school photographer who does normal sitting posed photos, OK but....

A lady in the area is doing natural school/nursery/preschool photos which look excellent - children playing not with their photograph face on. i would love his but it's more suited to a small setting rather than a 300 place school sadly!

 

One year our Parents Association did Christmas photos against a winter snow scene. I have a lovely photo of my son in his Thomas the Tank Engine hat with ear flaps etc, but no coat on!! Still makes me chuckle!! ::1a

[Guest]

We used to have a lovely photographer who did the school photo type shots, but she is still the only person to have got a single photo of all my three together on which they all look happy! Parents were happy enough but the cost started creeping up and in our last year we decided it wasn't going to be worth her while. One of the staff borrowed a really good camera over a few weeks and took action shots and posed group shots of the children instead and we sold those to the parents on a printed to order basis. The parents loved the mix of posed and spontaneous photos and we were able to get groups together who played together all the time but we going to different schools, siblings, etc. Took a little organising but to be honest probably no more than chasing up proofs and orders from the professional photographer, and all the profit was for the preschool afterwards.

[narnia]

I HATED the idea of the jeep type video, and told the rep who came to try to persuade us to do it that I didn't like it. She became distinctly 'offy' with me, so I showed her the door.

As to photographs, I am supremely fortunate that my lovely daughter is a wonderful photgrapher, who takes her photos during the day, capturing the children in wonderful, free and unposed moments.She won't let parents pay anything for them either.............she simply enjoys the reactions of parents ( who have been known to burst into tears when shown a photo!).

[Guest]

I actually have the jeep video of my 2 eldest daughters from around 12years ago. We dont have a video player now so cant play it.

 

As a parent, I love to have photos of my child taken. I have some lovely photos from playgroup and nursery. Id be a bit disapointed if my daughter was at a nursery where a photographer didnt come in once a year to take professional photos. Im sure it is disruptive but its only a day. Even if you dont make a lot in commission, you are still being paid to have the children there so are not losing anything.

[Stargrower]

I've never heard of the jeep thing, but sounds like I've had a lucky escape!!

We have a great photographer - the photos are posed but quite up to date and natural and we sell lots!

[Inge]

we too decided the jeep thing really was too costly for what they got,

 

we had a local photographer come in once a year, and timed it so she was there at 8.30 so that parents could have family taken together before going on to school, she was really good and was usually there at 8am waiting for me to arrive some days!

She did the 'acton type' studio shots of jumping and posed on chair/floor etc and was very good. She also had a huge choice of what they could order, no set packs which was what we liked as parents had a lot of choice about how much they bought.. because of this all bought something and we got really good commission from it.. usually about £175. each year..

[lynned55]

We had a proff photographer for years but over the last 5 years or so I have taken them and selling photos is now one of our best fund raisers. Formal portrait & a group one at Christmas and end of year bringing in a lot for very little outlay but the photos of the 'everyday' moments are a small but steady stream t.hroughout the year. For instance, selling the photos of our nativity and children preparing for Christmas (making decorations, cooking etc) made us a profit of just over £50. We had a mufti day before half term and the children came in dressed in pj's- they paid a £1 for that and the photos of them raised another £18.