Senior portraits and yearbooks are of utmost importance to members of the senior class, as they are some of the best ways to wrap up one’s six years at Boston Latin School into a single, neat package. Getting pictures taken and displayed in the yearbook along with familiar friends and clubs of the graduating grade is undoubtedly one of the most memorable parts of the high school experience. There is a problem, though: these iconic snapshots come at a great cost. 

Currently, if one wants to get a portrait for the yearbook, they must have the photo taken by Chestnut Hill Studios. Seniors cannot select alternative organizations with more suitable financial or scheduling conditions.

Yearbook Advisor Ms. Myriam Stiven explains, “We have a contract with [Chestnut Hill Studios] that is nonnegotiable nor subject to change. They are a reliable company that always provides quality photos and allow us to have a streamlined method of collecting photos from over 300 seniors. Having multiple companies involved would be difficult to manage and navigate.”

Many seniors have also raised concerns regarding the photo-taking process. The primary issue is the arguably high price of the portrait: a senior can expect to pay a 45 dollar sitting fee for their portrait, and must pay additional fees if they want touch-ups or the yearbook itself, which costs 100 dollars alone.

Furthermore, clubs must pay 60 dollars to be included in the yearbook. Larger clubs with sufficient funding may not struggle with the cost; however, smaller clubs may have a harder time collecting the funds to be a part of the yearbook. Some seniors and clubs therefore decide that the hefty price is not worth being in the yearbook, or purchasing the physical memento of their time at BLS.

Some students have also commented on the lackluster quality of the photos. For this reason, many choose to not pay the extra fee to download their portrait or will find another photographer to take the photos that will be given to teachers and friends. Some even go as far as to Photoshop the watermark out of the photos, deciding that the quality of the product is not reflective of the price.

“Everyone in the first round complained how expensive it is for mediocre pictures that they could have gotten done by themselves or by another photographer,” says Senior Class Secretary Minh Nguyen (I).

But not having any picture in the yearbook can cause members of the senior class to feel left out on a crucial part of their high school career. These photos nevertheless capture long-lasting moments from one’s valuable teenage years, promote school pride and allow seniors to leave messages for those who supported them through high school. 

Because the yearbook is such a sentimental part of graduating, it is important to make them financially accessible for everyone. Nguyen offers a solution, explaining, “I definitely think we should have the option to get it done by a company a school has gotten, but I think they should also give the option for us to submit our own pictures.”

Another way to make yearbooks more financially feasible is to digitize them. Currently, editions of the Liber Actorum from 1933 to 2013 are available online. Updating this archive would allow recent alumni who didn’t purchase the yearbook to reminisce about their time at BLS for free.

But the most effective solution would ultimately be to subsidize the cost, as several seniors expected to pay less. A cheaper price would encourage more to take and purchase senior portraits.

 Deborah Desir (I) agrees, saying, “I think 30 to 35 dollars would be the ideal price for portraits.”

Senior portraits have posed an obstacle to members of the senior class for years. Making a change to this expensive system will certainly take much effort, but in the meantime, students and teachers can work together to take small steps in the right direction. 

Ms. Stiven shares that students experiencing financial difficulties are always welcome to reach out, and feedback regarding pricing will be taken into consideration when the senior portrait contract is up once more for negotiations.