Portrait Innovations Prices??

[nashville_minnie]

Has anyone cracked the mysterious code as to how their pricing works at Portrait Innovations?

I have been there a few times & still don't really get it, as they won't give you a printed price list or itemized receipt.

We are trying to decide betw there & JCP for a big group family Christmas picture.

 

[Mom_Rides]

The more pictures you get from PI, the cheaper they become. In the past, we've had pictures done there and got a package with 6 poses plus the CD with all the pictures on it plus the $9.99 package for around $120 with tax.

The last time we went to JcPenney, we got 3 poses with a quarter of the pictures that we got from PI for $80. Same with Target (who I believe uses the same company as JcP).

I think PI has a $14.99 package right now for the holidays that has quite a few more pictures in it. We almost always get the $9.99 package with whatever other photos we get because of the value of that package and the number of pictures in the package.

 

[mward73]

We get the 3 pose package for $65 or $69 (can't remember how much it is, but you have to ask for the package - they don't advertise it) plus the 1 pose $9.95 package and end up with way more pictures than we need, but that seems to be the cheapest way to do it. Each package has several sizes to choose from - you can mix and match. That being said, I hate going there because unless you're first, it takes forever to get through with it - they way overbook.

 

[adisneymama]

We get the 3 pose package for $65 or $69 (can't remember how much it is, but you have to ask for the package - they don't advertise it) plus the 1 pose $9.95 package and end up with way more pictures than we need, but that seems to be the cheapest way to do it. Each package has several sizes to choose from - you can mix and match. That being said, I hate going there because unless you're first, it takes forever to get through with it - they way overbook.

In order to get the CD, I purchase the 9.99 package and the 3 sheet set package. I think that is how it works. Comes out to $89 plus tax and you get so many pictures it isn't funny. Plus the CD. Ends up being a much better deal than anywhere else. I do not like JCP paper. It is very grainy looking.

 

[Jaylin]

We get the 3 pose package for $65 or $69 (can't remember how much it is, but you have to ask for the package - they don't advertise it) plus the 1 pose $9.95 package and end up with way more pictures than we need, but that seems to be the cheapest way to do it. Each package has several sizes to choose from - you can mix and match. That being said, I hate going there because unless you're first, it takes forever to get through with it - they way overbook.

OMG, I second this statement, we waiting almost and hour and a half last time we went, why bother with appointments???? I swore I was never going back! But choices are so limited these days, I use to swear by Kiddie Kandids but since the switched owners they no longer print out pics while you wait.....I need that....so because of that we've got an 8am appt next SUNDAY morning! That should be fun!

I had their pricing, I want to see a price sheet, I've got 4 kids and need individual pics of each of them. I always end up getting an insane amount of pics that I don't really need. I don't need packages, just a bunch of 8x10s and 5x7s.....and then I feel guilty about throwing all the extra pics away!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have always found PI to be cheaper than JC Penny's Sears....

Don't recall the code, but what I usually do is order the $10 package ($9.95) of my portrait of choice...that gives me the large photo and all the various sizes. Plenty for Distribution.

Then I usually order about $70 worth of pics. Usually at least 3 poses so that I get the CD for free. That way I have all the images of the session and even though it costs more to print them later, I at least have that option.

I don't recall what the set prices are. But the SAME qty of pictures at Penney's or Sears would cost me $150 or more minimum and I would have no CD. Sears, their equivilant to the $10 package was not on pose of choice. It was ALWAYS the first pose, period.

For me, I like the flexibility of the poses. I found the other stores too formula based and not as easy to work with unless I had the manager taking pictures and she would always bend the rules.

I have gone often enough that I am a pro at narrowing them down. First I drop all shots that are just bad. Poor lighting (it happens!), eyes clothes, doofy expressions, "hey look--over there" (kids looking in 12 different directions) that sort of thing. That is my speed round. Then we go through the "which do you like better, this one or that one" of the similar shots. I ignore all the sales spiels that may or may not happen warning me if I drop another pose I miss out on this $300 purchase. Then I go and compare different poses to see how I like my kids better. Basically cutting it down to 4 total poses--1 for the package and the 3 extra.

I've never experienced issues with waiting. But I do think they are worth it because when it is your turn, they don't rush us through the session unless I request it.

Also---depending on the size of your group, IME, the studio at PI can better accommodate a large group. The last time I went to JC Penney's, you would be lucky to fit more than 4 in a photo. (Each studio is different though and some may be larger.) But every PI I went to could accomodate 15-20 people easily in a shot.

 

[Disneychix]

I think PI does Christmas cards-does anyone know the price? Or do you just make them with the pics off the CD?

I also can't decide between Penneys and PI. I can tell you I hate hate that our JCP takes 1 week to get your pics back so I'm leaning on PI.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think PI does Christmas cards-does anyone know the price? Or do you just make them with the pics off the CD?

I also can't decide between Penneys and PI. I can tell you I hate hate that our JCP takes 1 week to get your pics back so I'm leaning on PI.

Their pics are copyrighted, so you don't have the right to make your own on CD.

The 9.95 includes a few. Not much--but some. But I wish I knew the rest of the prices. I think they have quantity discounts the more you order. I never order them so cannot remember the prices.

 

[sherry7]

Just a FYI...the CD at Portrait Innovations is NOT high resolution. It is very low resolution, suitable for sharing to Facebook, etc only. Anything you try to print that is larger than a small wallet size will come out fuzzy. I mention this because the lady at Portrait Innovations flat-out lied to me about this. I specifically asked her if the CD was high resolution so I could print my own images, and she replied that it was. I was pretty steamed when I got home and looked at it on my computer and realized that she lied to me.

I take my DD to Target usually. They always have coupons for $3.99 sheets (anything from a sheet of wallets, up to 10 x 13 size). These are 'traditional' sheets...no b&w, collages, etc for that price. They have price sheets displayed right at the viewing counter, so you know what you're paying.

They also sell a high resolution CD. I just took DD for her 18 month old pics a couple of weeks ago. The CD was $149, with no additional purchase. The CD contains all of the enhancements that they did...collages, cards, b&w, sepia, borders, etc. I told the lady that I was going to buy the CD, and asked her to make extra collages, etc for me.

I did my own prints at AdoramaPix.com, which is a pro quality lab. The quality is way better than printing at Snapfish, or a local store and the prices are roughly the same. They even do odd/large sized prints, such as 16x20, 10x20, etc.

edited to add: The Target CD comes with a print release, so it's totally legal to print them.

 

[herdtoDisney]

I've never been to PI, but just a note of caution-I have found that JCPenneys and Walmart, at least where I live, do not always have the capacity for large family pictures.

My local Walmart, which takes really good pictures, cannot have my family of 7 in the studio as the camera cannot back up enough to get us all in! Our last studio family photo, which was about 3 years ago, was at JCPenney and they shoved us all so close together to 'get you all in' that we look like sardines (and we are not large people at all).

So just make sure to ask the studio ahead of time-I know a Walmart further away does have a large studio and can accomodate us. The PI place in the mall looks big so it's probably not a problem there.

 

[heleno]

I did my own prints at AdoramaPix.com, which is a pro quality lab. The quality is way better than printing at Snapfish, or a local store and the prices are roughly the same. They even do odd/large sized prints, such as 16x20, 10x20, etc.

Good to hear! Thanks

 

[mm1503]

Cards start out at 20 for $20 and the more you buy the cheaper they are per card ie: $38 for 40 $98 for 160
They are 5x7 with free envelopes and print in studio

 

[pam95]

Yup, the CD at Portrait Innovations is low resolution.

We usually go to Sears. They offer different packages. You can usually find coupons on their website. We also get coupons in the mail from them. The CD with all the images is included in most, if not all, the packages. The images are high resolution, and Sears provides the copyright release as well, so that you can print them elsewhere if you want. What I typically do is purchase the cheapest package that includes the CD, then print everything else off the CD. I typically upload pictures from the CD to Shutterfly when they are offering a deal to print our Christmas cards too.

 

[Jnelz419]

I received a cd from Portrait Innovations and when I put it into my pc, it read that it was a INFO File and I couldn't see my pictures. Is this their error or am I not using a correct program to view my photos? I open the file and only get info used from where I made my purchase.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I did the $25 Groupon for JCP...we did a couple of outfit changes (it was DD's 6 Month Pics) and I was very pleased with the pictures. Of course, being the sap I am, I had to "upgrade" to get the full CD for like $70. It was a high res CD suitable for prints. The package included in the groupon was 3 digital images and 2 sheets.