The four photography needs of an international school
1. Individual student portraits (the yearbook book)
Each student photographed individually, neutral background (white, light grey or school-branded blue), single-sitting session. Output: yearbook portrait for the printed annual book plus digital file for student records. Typical school: 200 to 600 students photographed over 2 to 4 days.
2. Class and group photos
Each class (homeroom or grade level) photographed as a group, plus team / club photos (sports teams, debate team, model UN, school orchestra). Output: 5 to 15 group images per class, used in yearbook spreads and noticeboard displays.
3. Event and sports photography
School concerts, sports days, theatre productions, graduation ceremonies, science fair, model UN. Output: 100 to 500 photos per event, delivered same-week for newsletter and parent communication. International schools typically have 4 to 8 major events per year.
4. Staff and faculty portraits
Headshots for each teacher and admin, used in website, hiring materials and parent handbook. Output: professional portrait style, consistent across all staff. Updated every 1 to 2 years as staff turnover happens.
How we organise a yearbook portrait day
Standard setup:
- Single classroom converted into a portrait studio for the day
- 2 m × 3 m backdrop in your school colour (we bring 5 colour options)
- Continuous lighting (no harsh flash on younger students)
- Stool plus posing guide for natural smile
- 2 photographers if you have over 200 students (one shooting, one wrangling the next class queue)
- Same-day preview link delivered by 6 PM so admin can verify everyone is captured
Each student takes 60 to 90 seconds. A class of 25 fits in 30 minutes including the class group photo at the end. A school of 400 students fits comfortably in 2 to 3 days.
Yearbook delivery format
What we deliver to the school:
- JPEG portrait for each student, named by student ID, ready to drop into the yearbook InDesign template
- JPEG class group photo for each class, named by class
- JPEG team/club photos named by team
- Online private gallery for parents to view and order prints individually (optional)
Delivery: digital within 14 days of the portrait day, or 7 days if you have a tight yearbook deadline.
Pricing tiers
Tier 1: Yearbook portrait day only
200 to 400 students photographed in 2 days, individual portraits + class group photos delivered for yearbook layout.
From 120 000 ₽ (about 1 400 USD or 1 270 EUR) for the school.
Tier 2: Yearbook + 3 events per year
Yearbook day plus 3 selected school events (concert, sports day, graduation), each with 200 to 400 edited photos delivered within 5 days.
From 280 000 ₽ (about 3 300 USD or 2 950 EUR) per academic year.
Tier 3: Full retainer for the academic year
Yearbook + all major school events + staff portraits update + sports team photos + ad-hoc admin photography needs. Average 8 to 12 visits per year.
From 650 000 ₽ (about 7 650 USD or 6 850 EUR) per academic year, billed in 3 instalments.
Parent print orders (individual student portraits beyond the yearbook copy): handled through the online gallery, parents pay per order, school takes 10 to 15 percent commission. We split the print revenue with the school at agreed terms.
Why most generic photographers fail at international school work
- Pace. Photographing 400 students in 2 days requires a different rhythm than a wedding or corporate event. Generic event photographers do not have the workflow.
- Language. Younger students sometimes have limited Russian or English. We work with bilingual cueing.
- Consistency. Every student photo must look the same: same crop, same colour temperature, same eye level. This is yearbook quality control that requires a template-based workflow.
- Privacy and consent. International schools have strict GDPR-style consent forms. We sign DPA and confidentiality agreements as standard.
- Delivery format. Yearbook editors expect files named, sorted and ready to drop into a layout template. Loose dump of JPEGs costs the editor a week of manual sorting.
FAQ
Do you speak English?
Yes. All cueing, briefing, file delivery and student interaction in English. Russian-language support for younger students if needed.
Will you sign a DPA / confidentiality agreement?
Yes, we have a standard DPA template that meets typical international school requirements. We also accept your school's template if you prefer.
What if a student is absent on portrait day?
We schedule a 30-minute makeup session at the end of the day or on a separate visit at your convenience.
Do you offer outdoor portraits?
Yes, where space and weather permit. Outdoor adds about 30 percent to the time per student.
Can you photograph events in the evening?
Yes. Most international school graduations and concerts are evening events. We bring evening-event lighting.
Do you do digital-only schools (no printed yearbook)?
Yes. The portrait and group photos are the same, we just skip the print layout files.
How do payments work?
Invoice from our Russian entity (IP, a sole proprietorship) in RUB, or via SWIFT to a partner account if your school pays from a non-Russian budget. We are flexible.
Related services
For corporate team headshots (similar workflow but adult subjects) see business portrait photography. For individual family portraits not connected to school see family photography. For document photos at the start of school year (school ID, residency) see document photos for foreigners.
Get in touch
For schools, the best first contact is by email to
Frequently asked questions
Do you photograph at Moscow's international schools?
Yes. We have provided photo services to several of Moscow's international schools over the years. Our team works in English and covers the full workflow: individual yearbook portraits, class and team photos, school events and staff headshots. We agree the backdrop colour, class list and schedule in advance so the portrait day fits around lessons.
How much does school photography cost at an international school?
A yearbook portrait day for 200 to 400 students over 2 days, with individual portraits and class group photos, costs from 120 000 ₽. The yearbook plus 3 school events per year costs from 280 000 ₽. A full retainer for the academic year, covering the yearbook, all major events, staff portraits and sports teams, costs from 650 000 ₽, billed in 3 instalments.
In what format and how quickly do you deliver yearbook photos?
Each student portrait is a JPEG named by student ID, ready to drop into the yearbook InDesign template, together with class group photos named by class and team or club photos named by team. A same-day preview link arrives by 6 PM so the school can check that everyone was captured. Full delivery takes 14 days, or 7 days if you have a tight yearbook deadline.
How do you organise the shoot so lessons are not disrupted?
We turn a single classroom into a portrait studio for the day. Each student takes 60 to 90 seconds, so a class of 25 fits into 30 minutes including the class group photo, and a school of 400 students fits comfortably into 2 to 3 days. With more than 200 students we bring 2 photographers, one shooting and one bringing in the next class.
Do you photograph graduations and other school events?
Yes. We cover graduation ceremonies, concerts, sports days, theatre productions, science fairs and model UN. Each event produces 100 to 500 photos, delivered the same week for newsletters and parent communication. Evening events are no problem, we bring lighting for them.
Can parents book individual portraits of one child outside the school programme?
Yes. For individual or family portraits not connected to the school, see our family photography service. For document photos such as a school ID or residency, see document photos for foreigners. Parents can also order prints of the yearbook portraits through the online gallery.
Do you sign an NDA or data processing agreement before photographing children?
Yes. We sign a DPA and confidentiality agreement as standard, using our template or your school's. Photos of minors are never featured in our portfolio without explicit parent consent.