school pictures

2Gma

Do you purchase them every year?

I did this year and they were alright.  Nothing I would hang on the wall if I took but it was her first year of school so I felt obligated.  Personally I think the photographers could have done a better job with not having such a forced smile and placing her hands folded on her lap (um, haven't things changed in the 30 years since I was in school?!)  Not sure if I am willing to spend the $$ next year, at least in advance.

Littlejen22

Unless it would stop me from paying my bills I will always pay for the minimum package mostly to get the class photo which I would really regret not having. I need the photos of justmy kids because I do my own Photoshoot but I will still take the minimum. And I know that some schools will not photograph the kids if you're not buying the photos and then the kids feel left out. But our minimum package was 8

neverblushed

I dutifully ordered these when my oldest was in K and 1st, even though her K picture was a disaster.  (Seriously -- who can't get a good pic of a little blonde 5 y/o with no teeth?)

But then I stopped ordering them.  Why?  Because the smallest package that contains an 8X10 (which is the only print I actually want) is now a whopping $65.  Yes, you get a zillion smaller pictures.  But I don't want a zillion small pics. I want an 8X10.  And you can buy an extra 8X10 if you've bought any package of pictures.  The cost of the cheapest package + the cost of the individual 8X10?  Naturally, $65.

That's too much to pay for 1 picture when you don't even get to look at proofs and choose which shot you like.  And I don't care about choosing the color of my background or changing my kid's shirt color, or any of that stuff.  I don't want a keychain, a mug, or a mouse pad with my kid's picture on it.  I don't want a CD of pictures.  I don't want a calendar. I just want an 8X10 on a blue background for $30. 

Jinsy80

I got the minimum package (just like with nursery school)...it was $18. I really just wanted the class picture, but that wasn't an option. 

shopgirl78

Lately, I have been getting the minimum package ($12) plus the CD ($15).  I didn't get the CD for my DD PreK class and she recently had a "timeline" project where she needed a first day ever of school pic and I was sad that I was only left with one more (sure I will get that one back but it was cut a little...).  The $27 doesn't break the bank and I don't expect professional photography.   The beauty in school pictures is the crappiness...

littlemermaid

Our school pictures are only a head shot(from collar bone and up).  I pick the package that has the 5x7 and a few wallets.  I interchange the 5x7 pics every year with their new pic.  They sit on the mantle.  The wallets I give to the Grandma's.  Then the yearbook is included in the package too so they get that at the end of the year.

==N==

The cheapest package at my sons school is like $40 which is ridiculous so I usually wait until they can come in and you can go online and order whatever you want. Plus its nice to see the picture first. One year they came in and he hadnt even smiled. It looked like a mug shot.

tammy79

We get it every year,  also get the cheapest package, I just see it a merry even though the quality is awful. 

littlemermaid

For those of you who received bad pics does your school not offer a retake day?  Our school hands out the pictures prior to retake day and then if you are not happy you can have them retaken.  Not that there's a guarantee that the second ones will come out any better but if you aren't satisfied the second time you can turn those back in too for a full refund.

heyitsme

We always order the $12 package that has 2 3.5x5s and a class picture. DH and I each take a 3.5x5 to work then we have the class pic to save.

KL777

DS is in Pre-Kindergarten at an elementary school.  His school pictures came out great but the cheapest package was $58! Geesh!  I would like to purchase them each year but $60 (and does not include a CD) is kind of expensive!

mrsseguin

DS had his K pictures taken, I haven't gotten anything back yet.  I was planning on purchasing them every year, I hope they aren't ridiculously expensive.  I want to get a picture frame that has a spot for each school picture.  My mom didn't buy them much for me and my brother, I only have like 3-4 school pictures and I wish she would have gotten all of them.

jlw2505

I will always buy school pictures as I love the story they tell.  No, they are not the best pics in the world but heck, neither were my school pics.  They do tell the story of my kids at that moment in time - what they were wearing, how they wore their hair, how they smiled (yes, my older DD had the goofiest grin last year but that was so her).  I don't dress my kids up or do their hair all fancy - I let them look like they do for school each day.

hokies94

I do even if they're not so great.  My girls really like having a picture of themselves from each year.  

 There was one year that I had DD#1 do a re-take.  They were that bad.  I would have kept them if there was no re-take option.  

We go with the cheapest option available ($16 per kid).  In the early years I ordered way too many prints.  You have to order before pictures are taken so there's no way of knowing what they'll look like.   

peacelove&mama

We buy them for both kids every year. The package we get is just under 40 dollars. It comes with an 8x10, 2 5x7s, and then a whole bunch of smaller ones and wallets, plus a class photo. We don't have to pay until we've seen the proofs, and if after the first set we don't like them, we can have retakes done and pay AFTER we've seen the retakes as well. If I couldn't see the pictures first I wouldn't buy and would just take the kids to get photos done, because I've had some really horrible ones come home!

ttcmbbaby

I purchased my DD school pictures for Pre-K and K only. I was not overly thrilled and they are like $40 for the cheapest and its a like 6 wallets 2 4 x6 and 1 8 x 10 or 5 x7 I don't remember... Well I am going to Portrait Innovations because they have a $10 single pose tons of pictures and I can pick the pose... That's what I'm doing from now on so I know it's a good picture. It still shows what she looks like each year and I'm happy with that...