Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BSC_Photo on December 2, 2010 at 7:37pm

How do you get additional prints to people who don't have email addresses?? I would venture to guess that 60% of our attendees will not have email addresses but they would have access to a computer via the library.

We will not be giving pictures out via email - instead we will have a system set up so that its a simple - type in url - get prints.

Permalink Reply by BSC_Photo on December 2, 2010 at 7:27pm

If we had a massive place and printing, paper, and inks costs weren't a major concern I would be fine with doing a normal portrait AND santa, but I didn't want people to choose either santa OR a portrait - i think it just negates the whole concept. It would be neat to have a santa there and the kids can just pop up and talk to santa.. Maybe that's an idea.

So instead of a photo booth with santa, you have a santa walking around and talking to kids OR a rudolph the red nosed reindeer

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Permalink Reply by Nicole T Gailliot on December 2, 2010 at 8:31pm

Granted, we may have gotten off to a wrong start, but you have great questions. This is our second year, and we exploded. Our first year we had maybe 300 workable photography space, our editors were in a coat closet ( literally), and then we had runners all over the place. We were in the SAME position you were, with just 3 weeks to plan.

Next year, printing costs might not be a huge issue for you. You will find you will be able to add more things to your event based on the people you serve or photograph.

Last year we were dealing with the majority being homeless men, who were so happy to get a haircut!

You have a GREAT space to use your first year. Our space was itty bitty to say the least. (maybe 500 square feet). We were literally back to back last year.

We use a really simple ticket system ( its archaic but works really well for us, due to the amount of people we have). We have found that its been a time issue as we have a HUGE amount of people coming and we want the event to be memorable ( and we dont want to move them through like a cattle call).

We have (2) color tickets ( raffle tickets). When each person signs in: if they booked ahead of time they get a red ticket. We have a sign in sheet ( with a waiver) to sign when they check in: Each person gets a "guide" to follow them along through the whole process. The guide writes the ticket number on the sign in sheet.

We use the same ticket number to track through editing to printing. Because things change hands so often ( photographers, editors, etc..).

After their picture is taken and they are "waiting" period (eating lunch, visiting santa, face painted): we have printed cards which are placed in the photo which say something like: If you would like digital copies to make extra prints for yourself or family members please email: ( email addy) two days following this event and give this code: ticket number. Then we just email them their prints.

Most people have email ( even homeless people) ( they may not have a computer, but they have access to one). Its the simplest way for us to track everything.

The url idea is great ( i am not a developer so i would have no idea how to do it) and although we are offering alot of extra things this year, our main focus is taking and giving portraits. We dont advertise any of the extra things, only free portraits with a hair and make up stylist onsite. Everything else is just a big surprise when they get there.

The main reason we added santa is because last year our photographers kinda missed working with women and kids. So this year we sought out charities which focus on women and children. And as a mom, kids are IMPATIENT, so we needed to come up with an idea so our moms could get pampered without worrying about where her 3 yr old is ( why santa and crafts are in the same room as hair and make up).

We have food and face painting because we have families and kids. And while they are "waiting" for their prints, we need them to NOT be in the photography area. So our flow and all the extra things are purely to keep people occupied and not bored while waiting.

The only reason we were able to offer all these extra things is because we just simply grew so fast. All these extra things cost us NO MONEY, everything has been donated. We found volunteers for everything.

Maybe not something this year, but certainly something to consider when you have a year under your belt.

Permalink Reply by BSC_Photo on December 2, 2010 at 9:23pm

it seems like we managed to EXPLODE in our first year which is REALLY crazy! i have a feeling we will be running out in the middle of the event to go and buy some photo paper and ink.. I just am so worried about it.

We went from 20 photogs and a few other volunteers to about 50 volunteers (and counting) and a LOT of press telling people where to go and who to see!!!

As for our system - i think it's pretty fool proof

Everyone who arrives at the door signs in and decides to sign a waver to allow documentation or deny being in the documentary. If they choose to deny they get a green sticker dot on their coat so no one approaches them for the behind the scenes. They also get a number that is printed in 4" letters to hold on to. They gave a greeter bring them to their hair and makeup team (teams are colors, so blue makeup/photo/post and green makeup/photog/post all work together). They get their stuff all done and then they go to their photographer.

The first picture that is taken is just them holding up their number for ID purposes. Then the shoot starts. We DEFINITELY do not want a cattle call.

The photographer then takes out the card and hands it to the file manager team. They download the files and send the first picture with the number in it to the display computer near the printer. The rest get batch renamed and sent to post production.

Post production finishes the pictures and prints them to their printers. There is a guy standing at the printer who takes the pictures as they come out of the printer and compares them to the thumbnails of the people holding the numbers. This way we know who is which number. Its much easier than making people look through to get their pictures OR making a guy look through a bbunch of people milling around to find the one who's picture is in their hand.

They will tag the numbers with a stick note to the back and bring the picture to the framing station. The pictures are framed and the person's number is called.. People get their pictures.

We had 18 days to plan this!!!

Our waiting area has color books, toys, music, and food.

That is BASICALLY it.. I am hyper organized which is why I ask so many questions.. the biggest concern is the whole concept of having enough supplies!!!

Everything for us was donated as well... but the things we didnt have time to get donated were paper, tables and chairs, and insurance.

We have almost $600 in our account, but $500 is for event insurance to cover equipment and injury.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Brandon on December 1, 2010 at 9:30pm

I am new here but you could auction off portraits session or just simply set up in front of walmart. Go to the local police station and the welfare office and let them know what you are doing they could also guide you

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Permalink Reply by Jill Love on December 7, 2010 at 8:19am

Do any of you give CDs of what you photographed? We couldn't do on-site printing this time and it was going to be a week or so before they could pick up their 5x7 and 8x10 at the shelter we photographed at, so we decided to give them a CD. This was a lot of extra time and effort and comes with its own sets of challenges (can they use the CD, how do they use the CD, will printers print what looks like a pro portrait, are they going to compare how many images they got on their CD with their friend, etc.)

Next year, we're going to print on site NO MATTER WHAT! But have we created a problem for ourselves where people will 'expect' a CD next year? In hindsite, that probably wasn't a good idea.

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Permalink Reply by BSC_Photo on December 7, 2010 at 9:51am

To answer all of those worries all you had to do was have a single text file that was a rights release and add that to the CD when you burn it.

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Permalink Reply by Stanley-Carl du-Pont on December 7, 2010 at 6:26pm

We give a set of mounted prints and a cd with the images on it.

In fact, the cd is a real bonus in some instances. For example: at a shoot at a home for orphaned babies and toddlers, the home received 14 prints -one for each child - and a disk with over 250 images as there were 4 photographers at that session!

The home can now use all those images as it sees fit.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Eng on December 14, 2010 at 4:24pm

We gave them one 8x10print  framed to 11x14 plus an Cd labeled Help-Protrait 2010 with up to ten out takes from the shoot all on site we did 160 people had 5 sets going all worked out great. Ed

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Permalink Reply by Andy Frazer on January 2, 2011 at 1:41am

Yeah, collecting donations is miserable work. But how much money do you need for your project? If you've got twenty volunteers, can't you get each of them time to kick in a few bucks and cover all your costs?

I did one of my solo shoots last year for sixteen families at a local food bank. It cost me less than $50 (total) to give each family one 8x10 and one set of four wallet-sixed photos (via Costco).

The other option is to consider asking some of your volunteers (who have jobs) to ask their employers if they have any sort of charitable giving programs.

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