Wording for a sign
Summary: Heather Lusk seeks advice on wording a sign to discourage parents from taking photos during their seniors' photo sessions at a studio. They suggest a more creative and assertive approach than their current sign, as parents often accompany seniors and inadvertently disrupt the session. Nate Black (Captura) suggests using a friendly sign that encourages parents to "Unplug for 20 Minutes" and let professionals handle the photography. They propose photographers give a verbal reminder at the beginning of sessions, which Tearah Fox (Captura) appreciates and adds the idea of a 'cell phone jail' for storing phones during the session to ensure compliance.
Get your creative juices flowing this holiday weekend! I need some help for wording on a sign in our studio. We've had an uptick in issues with parents taking pictures of their child - and of the Workflow screen during Capture - when they accompany their seniors to the senior photo session. Part of it is probably our fault, since we've really encouraged parents to attend as part of capturing the memories of the senior year. Sessions are scheduled, and roughly a quarter to a third have a parent along.
We have one that says: "Please: No cell phones during Senior Yearbook Session." Obviously that isn't working.
In my mind I'd like for the sign to say: "Respect that this is an art form, stop stealing photos, and put your #$*% cell phone away!"
So probably somewhere in between - thoughts?!
Matthew Churetta
·3 months agoWhen I see the phone come out, I usually make an innocent joke, "make sure you get my good side!" or "I expect to be tagged in every photo" or " Don't worry mom, I got this shot covered, you can relax". I find that's always a good opportunity for me to step in the way to "Fix a tassel or straighten a tie". They usually get the point that I see what they are doing and put it away.
I try to engage the parents as much as possible to keep them distracted, or give them a job, like "can you keep your eye on the necklace so it doesn't flip on me?". When they feel they have an important task to do, they tend to forget to take their own photos.
We also set up out studio in a way that the parents have very obvious chairs for them to sit on where they can see what's going on and be a part of the moment, but there is enough equipment to prevent them from getting a good shot. We always use the "Please be careful, we have a lot of expensive gear and tripping hazards, plus I move fast and don't want to crash into you!" if they start to wander through the studio too much.
Nate Black (Captura)
Admin3 months agoI think we’ve all noticed an increase in the number of parents wanting to take photos during their senior’s session. It can definitely be challenging to gently remind them that they’re there to celebrate and support their graduate, to be present in the moment rather than trying to capture it.
Helping parents understand that we’ll take care of preserving those memories while they simply enjoy this milestone with their senior can go a long way.
One idea for a sign:
📵 Unplug for 20 Minutes
Your senior only gets one senior portrait session. Put the phone away, enjoy the experience together, and let our professional photographers create images you’ll treasure for years to come.
Another suggestion would be to have the photographer set expectations at the very beginning of each session. A friendly introduction like this can make all the difference:
“We’re so glad you’re here! We love having parents join us. To help create the very best experience for your senior and keep them fully engaged during their session, we ask that cell phones stay put away. This allows everyone to be present in the moment while our photographers focus on creating beautiful, professional portraits you’ll treasure for years to come. We promise you’ll have plenty of amazing images to choose from afterward.”
In my experience, a combination of a warm sign and a consistent verbal reminder is much more effective than signage alone. Setting expectations before anyone reaches for their phone helps create a positive experience for everyone while naturally reinforcing the value of the photographer’s work.
Tearah Fox (Captura)
Admin3 months agoThese are great suggestions Nate!
I would also consider trialing if having a little timber box or similar for the phones to be safely placed inside for the shoot. A "cell phone jail" if you will, I had to do this at a magic show I attended in Vegas once and everyone was very compliant haha.