Myth#1 – Your senior portraits must be purchased from the yearbook photographer studio.Truth #1 - Attention Seniors and Parents! You can select the studio of your choice for your senior portraits! If you live in Jacksonville, Orange Park, Middleburg, Callahan, Fernandina Beach, or Yulee you do not have to go to the contract photographer for your senior portraits! The school would have you to believe that they have chosen the photographer for you and you can only go to that studio. This is simply not true. The catch is that if you want to be in the yearbook (which everyone does) then you have to complete the yearbook session through the school photographer. BUT THAT'S ALL! You can then choose to have formal, casual or personality portraits made at the studio of your choice.
Myth#2 – "Fashionable Photographers" Some of the studios that the local schools have chosen from advertise that their photographers are "Fashionable"
Truth #2 - Did you know that the yearbook photography studio hires high school students to take pictures of your son or daughter? At a portrait studio such as Shutterly Perfect you don’t get a "photographer". You get a Portrait Artist, someone that is not only creative but trained in all disciplines of photography including posing, lighting, exposure, lens choice, camera angels, style, subject evaluation, formatting and processing to name a few. Not just a little training and then pointing and pushing a button.
Myth #3 - Your session won't take that long.
Truth #3 - At other studios this does have a partial truth – you won’t be in their studio very long for them to take 6-8 pictures of your son or daughter. It's the three hour wait to get in that will take a long time. By the time you get in to see the senior high senior photographer your irritated, tired, somewhat putt-off, no longer fresh. Don’t you think that will affect how you feel about your final prints? At Shutterly Perfect you will have a scheduled time just for you to have your portraits created. No wait in line, no hassle. It’s your time to be spoiled. Change your clothes, change your hairstyle, get photographed with your best friend, sibling, pet, instrument, car, truck, sports attire or favorite things! You may choose between four studio rooms including outdoor and maybe even a second location. So, it will take some time to create your portraits, but your time is spent with you in front of the camera, and not waiting in line for the person in front of you to finish their session.
MYTH #4 - It only cost $_____ this is a famous ploy of large senior school studios. The initial cost may not seem like much, but you will be charged for EVERY little thing. including glass glare removal, tan lines mole/scare on 1 image $80, add an outside location $50, add a friend $75, add a pose to a package $25, highlight special effect per pose (colorize) $45, name per pose $45, softening per pose $45, and on and on.
Truth #4 - At Shutterly Perfect Portraiture, you will know what to expect without any hidden add-on charges! You receive Color, B&W, Sepia, Pt Effects, Graphic FX, Text and more as part of your original images.
Myth #5 – The contract photographer must have a parent-friendly proofing system since the school hired them.Truth #5 – With one contract studio in particular, the proofing process is explained as you are booking your session, but not everyone reads the fine print which says:
You will receive a proofing folio in the mail after your senior session from which to choose your senior portraits.
You have 15 days to review the portfolio and choose your images
If you keep the folio past the 15 days, the credit card that you used to book your session will be charged $179 for the folio
If you do not want the folio, it will STILL cost you money, because YOU are responsible for making the trip to return the folio, or paying for a traceable delivery like FEDEX to make sure that you are not charged the $179 for the folio that you never wanted in the first place!
Your student is authorized to place orders on your credit card without your consent. What!?
If you do not agree to these terms, YOU CANNOT SCHEDULE YOUR SESSION
If you stop by to schedule your session, you will be seated at a computer with internet access, so that they capture your credit card number AND your authorization that allows them to force the folio sale on you and your student.
At Shutterly Perfect, you will naturally want to purchase the amazing images of your son or daughter. You will NEVER be disrespected with a forced purchase.
Myth #6 – The contract photographer must produce quality work since the school contracted with them, and they give my son or daughter’s senior portraits the individual attention they deserve.Truth #6 – One contract photographer in the Northeast Florida/Southeast Georgia area has a contract with 112 schools. YES that is one hundred and twelve schools. The only way one studio can handle that kind of volume is to “batch process” the images. Skin softening is applied to everyone, causing the skin to have an un-natural ‘plastic’ look. The images on their website, in their marketing materials, and hanging in their studio are impressive, but remember they are showing work used for marketing, not what they produce for you!
By the time you leave the contract photographer’s studio…
You will wonder why you spent your hard earned money to have another student photograph your son or daughter.
You will wonder why you paid $300-$700 for JUST YOUR SESSION and NO PRINTS.
You will be dismayed at your experience, and you will wonder why you had to spend just as much as you would with an independent portrait artist, and in the end you will have an inferior ‘cookie cutter’ product.
When it is all over with, you will realize that they only wanted your money and not to build a lasting relationship with you. Shutterly Perfect would like the opportunity to create a beautiful family portrait for you before your senior leaves for college, record the event of their life at their wedding, and be with them in their journey as they start a family by bringing their first baby into the world.
Last but defiantly not least. You will wonder why there was a "tip jar" on their counter. Are you kidding me?!? a tip jar?
All of this should help you make a wise decision and choose an independent studio!
What's the solution? Hire a true professional that will give you the personal attention that you deserve. Your experience at Shutterly Perfect will gain you a lifelong family photographer. Due to the relationship we establish with our clients we find that our high school seniors return to us for the biggest event of their lives, their wedding.
It’s because of the relationship they have with us. We get to know you and look forward with you to the future life you’re creating. We will be there for you. You can trust us and trust your most precious moments to the care of someone who desires to create portraits for you that you will cherish for a lifetime and pass to future generations.
