Preschool pictures

ArcticFox · September 2011

Anyone have experience with preschool photos? this is the first year DD will have them. The info we got says to pay the photographer ahead of time. I'm just worried that we won't see any photos that we like. DD has this thing where she smiles with her bottom teeth out (like an underbite, even though she doesn't have one), or like a super fake smile.

Also I don't know if it is just a head shot, or how much will be in the photo (like top half, etc) - do I need to worry about shoes etc?

Any tips would be appreciated!

Mrs Manners · September 2011

I haven't bought ds's either year and certainly would not pay anyone ahead of time for a photo I haven't seen. Ds's school does head shots only (sometimes you can see the top of their pants in a sitting pose but you can't see shoes). By the time they take them his hair is always a wreck and his shirt is untucked. He had a good smile last year but the whole setup and background look so posed that it just isn't my style. We typically do pro photos with a local photographer once a year or more though and I can take a decent natural light photo with our DSLR so I'd much rather just have those than the preschool photos. If they did a class photo, I would buy that one though but they don't. I figure if I want a posed photo with a background, I can go to Picture People and use a coupon and at least pick what I want from multiple poses for about the same price.

ETA: Ds's preschool take the pics and about a week later they put a order sheet with two proofs attached in your box at school.

lalavvv · September 2011

Check the literature the school sent home. Usually from what I understand, getting the picture taken is free. It's the package of photos you select that you will pay for.
If you have not decided on a package yet, you can probably still get his picture taken and not pay any $$. Most photographers have a website where you can order your package after picture day.

ArcticFox · September 2011

Nope - it says choose the package you want and enclose the payment, send it with your child BY picture day. It says that only the children that come in with the payment/envelopes will get their picture taken. (But there will also be a class pic).

KristinKD · September 2011

Last year we didn't pay or even choose what kind of package we wanted until it was time to pick up the pictures. They had a few different poses, some with shoes showing, and a few different package options. They got some really cute ones of DD, even though she wasn't in the greatest mood when I dropped her off that morning.

ArcticFox:
DD has this thing where she smiles with her bottom teeth out (like an underbite, even though she doesn't have one)

That's exactly what my youngest sister did for her preschool pictures, and my mom was sooo upset and almost didn't order them -- until a friend convinced her that one day she'd look back at them and laugh. It's so true; we all still get a kick out of that photo!

I am sure the photographer will get something worth keeping.

lalavvv · September 2011

ArcticFox:
Nope - it says choose the package you want and enclose the payment, send it with your child BY picture day. It says that only the children that come in with the payment/envelopes will get their picture taken. (But there will also be a class pic).

well I guess thats a little bit different then. I spose you could always choose the cheapest package? will it be like $9 for one photo or something.... and then maybe add more pics later if you decide to. Or just not do it at all. Its up to you...

cecee36 · September 2011

I'm gonna be honest, DD has taken pics and we haven't liked any of them! LOL But our take on it is: she's in preschool, the pics are for our own personal memories and over time we'll be able to compare and see how much she's grown or what's changed and our hope is that when she's older, she'll appreciate them. We typically buy the cheapest package because we only give them to her grandparents and great-grandparents so we're not wasting tons of money; they may run us about $10 at the most. All of her pics have been of her top half so we didn't see her entire outfit. I think as long as she's dressed how she would typically dress for school she'll be OK. Teachers or sometimes the photographer or their assistant can make adjustments to the kids' clothes or hair before the pic is taken.

JoyousJulia · September 2011

I was hesitant to buy DS's school pics at daycare last year and they ended up being sooo cute. The photog managed to capture a look that's very "Matthew." Not smiley, but happy. It might be worth considering.

kmhunt11 · September 2011

I agree with pp- it may not be the perfect picture, but it is a memory- maybe of a time when DC wasn't very cooperative with pictures! DD's school did the same thing- pay ahead of time and we got what we got. It wasn't a great picture, but we got a good laugh.

RoxBride · September 2011

We get them taken twice a year. Once with a style that is way too cutsey for my tastes - Lil' Angels. Didn't look like her at all, so we passed.

The second are traditional pictures, and she was so stinking cute we had to buy them. In both cases, we had to sign a release to have her picture taken, but not pay anything or commit in advance.

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