School Photography in Cincinnati

Picture Day, But Way Better

Say Yes to Jess offers full-service school photography for public and private schools across the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. Individual student portraits, class photos, sports teams, school events, I handle all of it. And because I'm a local, one-woman business, your school isn't just another account number. You get to work directly with me every step of the way.

There's no cost to the school. I keep my prices fair for families by not inflating packages to cover commissions, so parents aren't getting hit with overpriced photo bundles. And as a bonus, I photograph faculty headshots for free on picture day. Your school gets all the digital files with full rights to use them for yearbook, website, social media, whatever you need.

I know how important it is for schools and families to feel confident about who is photographing their students. Your students' images are never shared, sold, or licensed to any third party. They go straight to families through a private gallery and that's it. No corporate servers, no outside companies, no exceptions. Privacy and safety come first, always.

I offer both indoor and outdoor portrait options, which parents love. No more fluorescent lighting and generic blue backdrops. We can set up indoors at your school for a classic look or take things outside for natural light portraits that actually look like your students and not like every other school photo you've ever seen. I'm flexible and happy to work with whatever setup makes the most sense for your school.

On top of individual portraits, I also offer sibling and family group photos on picture day. Parents love being able to get all their kids photographed together while they're already dressed and looking their best. It's one of those little extras that makes a big difference for families and it's something most big photography companies don't even offer.

Picture day should be fun, not chaotic. I work with your staff to keep things running smoothly, I'm great with kids of all ages (even the ones who really don't want their photo taken), and I deliver images that families actually want to hang on their walls. I've even photographed the class pet (yes, the guinea pig got a portrait too). If your school is looking for a photographer who treats your students like people and not like a conveyor belt, let's talk.

say yes to jess featured in voyage ohio, cincinnati family cincy chic oprah magazine NPR and Expertise
Student smiling for outdoor school portrait with greenery background by Cincinnati school photographer Say Yes to Jess
Young student smiling for outdoor school portrait by Say Yes to Jess
Female teacher professional headshot taken outdoors on school picture day
Group of elementary students posing together outdoors for class photo on picture day
Student portrait with natural expression and outdoor greenery background during school picture day
Student school picture day portrait with natural outdoor lighting in Cincinnati
Student smiling for school picture day portrait with dark blue backdrop

Common questions \

  • It depends on the school and the schedule! I'll work with your staff ahead of time to build a picture day plan that makes sense for your student count, class schedule, and setup. Whether it's a smaller private school or a larger public school, I'll make sure we have enough time to get every student photographed without rushing anyone through.

  • Every family gets access to a private online gallery where they can view, order prints, and have them shipped directly to their home. I can also do a one-day drop-off of all printed photos to the school if that's easier for your families. Either way, the process is simple and families don't have to deal with complicated order forms or prepayment envelopes.

  • Turnaround time is typically 2-3 weeks after picture day. Families will receive a link to their private gallery and can start ordering right away.

  • Yes! If a student was absent on picture day or just wasn't happy with how their photos turned out, I'm happy to schedule a retake day. Every student deserves a photo they feel good about.

  • Yes! I provide yearbook-ready formatted files directly to the school so your yearbook team has everything they need. No extra steps, no chasing down files from a corporate portal.

  • Never. Your students' images are never shared, sold, or licensed to any third party. Photos go to families through a private gallery and yearbook files go directly to the school. That's it. I'm a local, independent photographer and your students' privacy is something I take very seriously.

  • Absolutely. I do individual student portraits, class group photos, sports team photos, and school event photography. If you need all of it covered or just one piece, we can customize a package that works for your school.

  • The sooner the better so we can lock in your preferred dates, especially for fall picture days. I'd recommend reaching out at least a month ahead of time so we have plenty of room to plan. But even if you're in a pinch and need someone quickly, send me a message and I'll do my best to make it work.

  • Nothing! There is no cost to the school. I make my living through print and product sales directly to families, which means I can keep prices fair and affordable for parents without inflating costs to cover commissions or kickbacks. Every family deserves to be able to purchase photos of their kid without feeling like they're getting price gouged.

    As a bonus, I photograph faculty headshots for free on picture day. The school gets all the digital files with full rights to use them however you want — yearbook, website, newsletters, social media, promotional materials, you name it. That's professional headshots for your entire staff at zero cost.

Student school portrait example from Say Yes to Jess school photography in Cincinnati Ohio

“I love the school photos jess takes. They are so natural and really capture the true vibes the kids have. So much better than any school photo I ever had or we had in public schools.”