Official Photographer
Get permission to act as the official school photographer for an event (think: Prom, Homecoming) and then sell digital copies of the pictures at low cost to either raise money for charity or as a fee-paying job. You can also use the proceeds to defray event costs for kids that can’t afford to pay full price.
Lots of people take pictures at big school events, but it’s rare that there’s a designated person to snap photos of everyone and for everyone. Phones and digital cameras make it really easy to take photos at a low cost, and online storage apps make it easy to share them with your peers.
How do I get started?
Ask school administrators if you can serve as the official event photographer
Source an online, password-protected photo sharing app that will enable you to display the best photos online
Strategize how and where you’ll be so as to maximize the numbers of great photos that you can take of all of the attendees at various locations throughout the event
Decide how much you will charge for each photo, and the cause to which you’ll donate the money. Remember: this is a fundraiser, so you cannot keep any of the money for yourself.
Pick only the best photos for display and sale;
For ease of transaction you might consider setting up a display where you can showcase the photos publicly
Download our PDF for more suggestions on how to plan and execute this project
How long will this project take? From planning to completion this project is estimated to take between 20-25 hours.
How do I expand this narrative arc? Consider trying to become the Director of Photography at your school. Expand your role beyond a single event and cover games, academic competitions and other school events as well. You could also consider the same role for your community.
HOT TIP: This is a nice enhancement for a student who is otherwise already involved in yearbook or the school newspaper. It’s also a great way to link an interest in art and photography with charity.