RAISING THE BAR
DEMAND MORE. DO BETTER.
The late great Richard Avedon once wisely noted that 'Portraits are more a reflection of the photographer than they are of the people they photograph'. Let that sink in for a second. Then ask yourself, what adjectives come to mind when you think about your school's portraits. If words like cookie-cutter, awkward, over-priced, or dare I say, average, come to mind, then what does it say about the photographers taking them? And by some extension, what does it say about your school?
As both a parent and a lifelong photographer, I believe that when it comes to school portraits, we need to demand more, and we need to do better! I may concede my ability to produce the same quantity as a few of the factory photographers out there, but I openly challenge any of them to go head-to-head in terms of conviction, creativity, consistency, talent, technique, style, support, satisfaction, price, or not least of all - quality.
But don't just take my word for it. Scroll below and you be the judge....
MORE THAN JUST GOOD LOOKS
As confident as I am in the quality of my work, I understand that providing school portraits isn't only about capturing great photos. Success is equally about being consistent, performing under pressure, carrying the burden of accountability, and giving families the service they deserve in a way that positively reflects the schools they entrust.
Here's how:
SPEED
The ability to balance quality and quantity in the most efficient, least intrusive way possible is what makes providing school portraits so unique, and so challenging.
Taking into consideration the size of your school, which age groups are to be photographed, and the amount of available time and space, I/we are able to comfortably accommodate between 100 to 150 students per photographer, per day.
SECURITY
For better or worse, GDPR is a sign of the times that isn't going anywhere. In line with current compliance guidelines, not only will your school's images not appear in any internet search engines, customizable password protections will ensure the highest degree of privacy and can be administered to the level of your choosing - from school, campus, class, or all the way down to individual students. However your school wants to tackle it, I have the security tools to check all the boxes and deliver your peace of mind.
BACK END SETTINGS:
FRONT END ACCESS:
SIMPLICITY
From the way we watch, listen, spend, work, create, communicate, and interact, its more evident than ever that going 'digital' is no longer the future. Its hallmark of our times.
In this light, I have made the well-received transition from offering traditional print products towards a service more befitting the streamlined benefits of modern life. No more excessive print packages, shipping costs, import fees, production backlogs, distribution delays, lab mistakes, damaged products, or lost packages.
Instead, parents will benefit from my one-stop-shop browsing platform, allowing them to safely view, intuitively select, and conveniently purchase their favorite photos and have the files delivered to their inbox within seconds of placing their orders - giving families to ability to instantly share, reproduce, or print their files as they want, where they want, without restriction.
Simple. Clean. Instantaneous.
SUPPORT
Sometimes we all need a little help. Fortunately, I sleep easy knowing that should parents ever need an extra helping hand while placing and/or retrieving their orders, the self-proclaimed technical support 'heroes' over at SmugMug are ready, willing, and available to help 24-7, 364 days a year. Literally.
I don't know when these guys sleep, but I can personally testify that they are as quick to help as they are amazing.
SENSITIVITY
Egos are fragile monsters. Combined with the hormonal hot mess that is puberty, and it's easy to see through, and empathise with, the too-cool-for-school facade many teens put on given the immense social pressures they currently face to put a certain image forward.
And while I strongly oppose perpetuating unrealistic or artificial beauty standards through the use of so-called 'tuning' filters, I do believe that the most flattering portraits are able to tell the Truth while exposing only those parts that wish to be told.
As such, should a student find themselves a little "dermatologically challenged", then their pimples are in good hands. OK, that sounds a little gross. The point is, acne will come and go, but great portraits should last forever.
SATISFACTION
I could wax poetic about my boutique-like service, years of experience, or time-tested approach, but the greatest metric of success will always be best measured by the satisfaction of the families I aim to serve.
In an ongoing survey beginning in 2015, I'm proud to say that 87% of all responding families have consistently rated my school portraits 4 stars or higher, with more 5 star ratings than all the others combined.
IN SUMMARY
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Consistent, superior quality portraits
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Boutique-like service & logistic support
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Fast turn-around
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Password protections
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GDPR compliance
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Intuitive browsing platform
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Secure, integrated payment gateway
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24-7 technical support
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Favorable prices
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Immediate delivery
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Permanent backup
ADDED VALUE
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20+ years portrait experience
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Professional, time-tested approach
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High energy, time-efficient workflow
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Reputable, hassle-free cooperation
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Quality-assured name value
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Marketing synergies
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Happier parents:)
FEEDBACK
"Having Paul photograph our school portraits was excellent! His work is magical as it is brilliant and his great attitude, positivity and fun were felt by students and staff alike, who have shared nothing but positive and heart-warming feedback.
We’ll undoubtedly have him back next year. "
Raphael Vergnaud
Director of Marketing & Admissions
La Côte International School, Aubonne