Estimate - how much does Pic People/Portrat Innov/etc cost?

klee411

So I'm thinking of getting CJ's 3 month pictures taken but I'm not sure where to go. Can you ladies give me a ballpark of how much it costs to go to Picture People or Portrait Innovations or even Sears/JC Penny's? I don't want to spend a ton but I'd like to get some pictures and surprise the grandmothers for Christmas...

Thanks

kel716

We've gone to Portrait Innovations and been very happy.  I've spent around $115 each time and walked away with a ton of pictures (6 poses).  For the sake of wallet control, we've gotten Brandon's pictures taken when we feel like he's at a "new" stage of life.  So we got them done at about 1 month, 4 mos, 9 mos, and 14 mos.  Who said you have to get them done at 3, 6, 9, 12, etc... We'll probably get more pics done around 18 mos. 

To get the CD, you have to purchase 3 poses and you get the $9.95 package.  At Crestview Hills I was told you have to spend ~$85 for the CD after tax.  The pics are copyrighted but you can print from the CD at home.  What I really like about PI is that as soon as your photo session is over you sit down and look at the pics and decide which ones you want.  You have to narrow it down to the poses you want, but within about 2 hours the entire process is over and you walk out of there with your pictures.  Hope that helps!

mrsgillian

We have only done Portrait Innovations, and been there four times, spending between 85-200$. The 200$ time was when I felt really rushed to narrow down the poses and I ended up with way more than I needed. If you take your time selecting them (I always feel like they try to rush you through, they overbook appointments I think), you can really get out of there cheaply with a ton of good pictures AND the CD to email/print from home. I have always been happy with them, the downside is I always feel rushed, they are always running late (even when we've been first appointment!) but you can't beat the price and I've always liked the photographers. The 9.95$ package gives you a TON of shots of one pose, then each addt'l is I think $15 for three sheets of the pose.

I have a friend who did Picture People and her pictures were awesome, but she spent a TON of money. She said it was more than PI, but that is the only anecdotal experience. I think she spent like $240. Again, her pictures turned out great .I think they only have a white background there if that makes a difference to you at all. I'm not sure, but that is what my friend said.

mrsgillian

Just to edit - I don't feel like they rush you through the picture taking - they actually seem to encourage you to do multiple outfits and take your time with that because it ends up with more great pictures you will want to buy! I just feel rushed during the picture selection process.

kel716

I make sure I take my time selecting pictures.  I don't care if they want to rush me, I'm the customer and I'm paying for the pictures.  Here's how I make sure I select my favorite and not overselect-

They organize your pictures 3 at a time and you pick the best one.  If I don't see a picture I like amongst those 3, I don't pick one.  When it's the same sort of shot (same backgrounds, props, etc.. after I pick my favorite of the 3, I have them go back and pick my favorite of the similar ones.  This way I don't get the same pose from different angles.  Also, remember that for the "special" 10x13's, you can use any picture.  So even if you don't select it as a favorite to print a large number of, you can put it in one of the special effect pics.  The other thing I do is ask myself if I want to give that picture away as a wallet.  If the answer is "no," then I don't need to print it.  If I don't like the price when I'm done narrowing it down, I go back through and narrow it down again.  When we took Brandon's 9 month pictures we had 131 pictures to choose from and I could have printed $500 worth if I wasn't careful.  I weeded those pictures down 4 or 5 times because we had so many great shots.  It wasn't the easiest task, but I reminded myself I had the CD.  I wound up spending $130 and they were some of the best pictures I've gotten.

If it helps, here's links to my albums from Portrait Innovations

4 months

9 months

14 months.  (edited album since I sent it to family & friends and I didn't feel they needed to see several of the same pictures)

kyfirewife

We took DD to Portrait Innovations for her 6 mo pics. We were very happy with them, and ended up spending right around $100. But honestly, we got more pics than we needed, plus the CD. In the future we'll probably try to just get whatever the minimum is to get the CD.

hav2run

I have been generally happy with Portrait Innovations as well.  I have only done a couple of pro sessions for DD, and I do my own shoots with her at home for fun.  I manage to get frameworthy prints without a pro.  When I have gone to PI, I spent $90 once, and $9.95 the next time.  It all depends on how many poses you want.  If you choose 4 or 5 poses, you get a package of all different sizes in each pose.  We ended up with portrait overkill and more photos than we could ever begin to use in the $90 package.  The $9.95 package limits you to one package of sizes from one pose.  I did that with DS and still had plenty of pics.  It is very difficult to get out of there spending only $10 though.  They will show you many great shots, and it is hard to draw the line and tell them no thanks.  I have also been to JC Penney.  It is more rushed there and you get about the same amount of pics for the money. 

 

linzpinz14

I went to portrait innovations for 6 months and 1 year - both times I spent about $130 and that was for 10 poses, I think?  Maybe just 9.  But they do take a ton of pics and they are good.  Both times I have gone on a Saturday and felt rushed.  But I wanted DH to go with me...

My advice if you choose them, go through the week and take someone else with you to take care of your DS while you pick out the photos.  GL!

lisamm1

At Picture People if you don't have any coupons it's $18 per sheet (1 10x13, 1 8x10, 2 5x7, 8 wallets, or some amount of 4x6s can't remember exactly).  They have a membership you can join for around $30 where you get $10 off each portrait session and 1 free sheet that you can use 3 times (so the membership essentially pays for itself with one session).  They also have expensive packages where you get framed portraits in addition to sheets (150-500ish I think), but I never buy a package.  I love Picture People, they have really simple backgrounds (white, black, maybe a few colors) and don't use a lot of props.  I usually don't spend more than $50-75 (I always have some coupon) and get at least 5 sheets.  Right now there is a link to a Picture People coupon on babycheapskate.com where you get a free sheet and 25% off the rest of your order.  You don't get a CD at Picture People unless you spend a ginormous amount (ie 400ish).

Traycee1242

lisamm1:

At Picture People if you don't have any coupons it's $18 per sheet (1 10x13, 1 8x10, 2 5x7, 8 wallets, or some amount of 4x6s can't remember exactly).  They have a membership you can join for around $30 where you get $10 off each portrait session and 1 free sheet that you can use 3 times (so the membership essentially pays for itself with one session).  They also have expensive packages where you get framed portraits in addition to sheets (150-500ish I think), but I never buy a package.  I love Picture People, they have really simple backgrounds (white, black, maybe a few colors) and don't use a lot of props.  I usually don't spend more than $50-75 (I always have some coupon) and get at least 5 sheets.  Right now there is a link to a Picture People coupon on babycheapskate.com where you get a free sheet and 25% off the rest of your order.  You don't get a CD at Picture People unless you spend a ginormous amount (ie 400ish).

This. We just went on Friday to get Noah's 3 month pics. They turned out awesome and I got 6 sheets and joined the membership for a total of $70. Really loved them!

doodlebug914

We just went to Portrait Innovations for the first time this Halloween.  We had a poor experience at Colerain with a just okay pic.  I called West Chester and they let me come there for a reshoot and to exchange my prints.  They were super busy (but this was on Halloween Saturday afternoon) and the photographer was awesome with my overactive toddler and was able to get exactly what we wanted - a cute full body pic of him in his Pablo costume smiling (Siggy pic).  We were good and just got one pose for 9.95, which gave a bunch of prints and they printed right there.

We have gone to JCP in the past, LOVED our first shoot there at 2 months, and went back there for Halloween and Christmas/One Year pics.  I am not really happy with their print quality and how the backgrounds look printed and we would always end up scanning and photoshopping at home, and then printing more which was a huge headache.  Plus you have to wait I believe 1-2 weeks for your pics to come back which seems like forever when you are waiting.  Our first session there we spent over $100 but got a ton of poses and had the district manager as our photographer so she did an awesome job, but the other two times were not so great.

I would really, really recommend having an independent photographer doing a shoot, and using someone who gives a disc with the rights to print yourself is awesome.  I have used Patrick Banfield www.patban.com ($125 for session, editing, and your session on disc with printing rights), and Sonja B. Photography https://www.sonjabphotography.com/ ($100 for session, editing,a nd your session on disc with printing rights).  I was very, very happy with both of their work!!  You can get prints so reasonable at photo labs now, we have a Costco membership and are very happy with their prints.