School Pictures...Pay BEFORE seeing the proofs?

[jen0610]

All of our pictures are like that-pay in advance and no choice of proofs. I don't know if they even take more than one picture of each child. School and sports are this way.
The only exception was senior portraits, we got a choice of proofs to pick from.

edited to add, for some reason our kids' sports pictures (basketball, soccer, and softball) often came out better than their school pictures. Maybe the kids were more relaxed?

We always get good pictures in the extra stuff pictures. Don't know if it is because they are in so much and have been for years that we know the girl who takes the pictures by name. Hi Shelly!!!

Last year she saw us in March, May, and twice in June. When she took DD soccer picture, she called DD up by name and then told her she would see her in 3 weeks when she was done. The kids all asked where did my DD know her from. DD said that we go back years, with them taking our sports and dance pictures.

 

[disneybound2010]

That is how our preschool did it last year, too. As a teacher, I hated it. We were the ones that had to track down missing packages/payment. We told the director that if they wanted to do it again, someone else needed to be in charge of making sure that photos and money were returned on time. I can see how difficult that would be for an entire elementary school. Not all parents would comply with returning the photos or paying for them, and it would be almost impossible to track them all down.

DS's is through Lifetouch as well. I can understand not sending home the entire package and picking and choosing(that's asking for trouble) but I do think it makes more sense to let people see the pictures first and then order. As a PP said, with digital photos, why not post them and let the parents order? I'm choosing to spend LESS just on the basis that I don't know what the quality is. Lemme see the pictures, I may buy the whole bundle and they get more money. Common sense.

 

[bethbuchall]

DS's is through Lifetouch as well. I can understand not sending home the entire package and picking and choosing(that's asking for trouble) but I do think it makes more sense to let people see the pictures first and then order. As a PP said, with digital photos, why not post them and let the parents order? I'm choosing to spend LESS just on the basis that I don't know what the quality is. Lemme see the pictures, I may buy the whole bundle and they get more money. Common sense.

I do agree with you. I usually buy more in the years that I get the proofs before ordering (unless the photos are really bad). My 6th grader is having his school pictures done next week. It is LifeTouch, and we can actually order ahead of time online. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to have digital proofs and allow ordering after the photos are taken (as at least one option).

 

[Cindy's Mom]

In the fall its pre-paid and in the spring, you get to see the proofs and pick a pose.

The Fall one is for the yearbook and the classroom composite. That one, I just buy the cheapest packet and the classroom. The one in Spring is different poses, different backgrounds, and I buy a little more.

All the sports pics are pay now....see later. I just looked at my checkbook the other day. I don't write many checks, the last 6 out of 8 checks I've written have been for pictures

Baseball, Softball Cheerleading, Football, and 2 for school. Jeez Louise

 

[Pembo]

This is one of the reasons I don't buy school pictures. I take the kids to Target or JCP in the summer and get LOTS of pictures that I like and it costs a fraction of what school picture companies charge.

 

[golfgal]

One year we had where they took 6 poses of the kids and sent proofs. Those were some of the best photos our kids ever had taken-we ordered a LOT more than we normally would. Every other year, including when I was in school, you sent a check in with your order form before you saw the pictures.

They do have a money back guaranty if you really don't like them or your retakes.

 

[mtemm]

we have school pictures twice a year here. I believe the fall ones are the pre-pay before you see ones, and the spring ones are pay-after-you-see ones.

honestly I take a better picture of my kids than I have seen out of any, so I have stopped buying school pics. felt weird not to do it at first, but after the 2nd or 3rd time skipping them I felt much more confident that I was doing the right thing.

 

[Ephany]

DD's last school was proofs get sent home, then you pay. This school is pre-pay so I said nope. The funny thing is that even though the paperwork specifically said that only the kids who were having their pictures taken would get pulled from class, a sample picture of DD came home last week. If I'd known that they'd take her picture anyway, I would have had her wear a cute outfit and done her hair.

The sample picture came with a website and a log on code so I can go and order pictures online if I want. There's also like 3 gazillion different backgrounds to pick from, and you can choose which one you like best when you place the order. I don't see why they don't tell the parents this ahead of time and just send home the sample picture instead of the hassle of pre-paying when you don't know what you're going to get.

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

we would never do that if the schools offered it. We buy almost every year, but a couple times the photos were not very good.

 

[mjkacmom]

I've had kids in school for over 10 years now, and you always pay first. There is one re-take, but there has to be a problem with the picture, and you have to go to the studio. It's the same for sports photos here, too.

 

[SC Minnie]

The fall ones here are prepaid and the spring pics are sent home and you can pick what you want/return the rest.

For the fall ones DD has done the make up day if she didn't like the way her picture turned out. Not a problem.

 

[C.Ann]

This has never been the case here - for me (as a child), my own kids, or my DGD.. The DIS is the only place I have ever heard of this happening..

I can't even imagine paying for school photos before you see how they came out!

 

[disneybound2010]

This has never been the case here - for me (as a child), my own kids, or my DGD.. The DIS is the only place I have ever heard of this happening..

I can't even imagine paying for school photos before you see how they came out!

DH just came home and when I explained it to him, he said,"Forget it. We'll go have them done at Olan Mills." We'll get better quality and more to choose doing it that way. I don't think we'll waste our money.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My son's old school took pictures twice a year. Once was as you describe. The other time you got a packet and sent back the ones you didn't buy. This sounds like a good idea until you imagine your child asking you "why don't you want that picture of me? Don't you think I'm beautiful?" because you stuck their pictures back in the backpack. In addition, the second pictures featured your child and a lovely plastic tree -- things that are "fake" bother me, so the idea of my kid and a fake tree turned me off.

School pictures are, in the end, a fund raiser. You're donating money to the school and getting a token. Just like other fundraisers (wrapping paper or candles come to mind) the value of what you get is not the same as you'd get if you spent that money in the store. You can decide to buy them anyway, either because it's convenient or to support the PTA, but it's not a bargain.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Our grade school and even the first 3 years of High School is pay first. Senior year you get the proofs but then you just pay and pay and pay!!!! They were really expensive!!!

 

[msjprincess]

That's how they do it here. I always buy the pictures. The package is less than $30. Plus even if it's a crappy picture my feeling is so what. They like to look at their old class pictures.


I don't know how it's done anywhere else but here they call the kids one by one to get their picture taken. My kids are still young so I know that they would be upset if they were the only not getting their picture taken.

 

[HelenePA]

We get pics taken not once not twice but THREE times a year.. Fall, Winter ( generic winter backround or with Santa) and Spring.. we pay up front each and every time! Then when we get the pics back there are ALWAYS extras we can buy. Thankfully the packages aren't TOO bad but with 3 in school 3 times a year can get expensive! I'm still waiting for us to get our fall ones back.. they were taken over 2 weeks ago and still nothing.. last year we got them back in 5 days... At least for the spring pics we get a "group discount" with 3 in school!ahahah to bad they dont offer it for fall and winter!

 

[mjkacmom]

At least for the spring pics we get a "group discount" with 3 in school!ahahah to bad they dont offer it for fall and winter!

Wow, that would be nice - had 4 in the same school last year. Dd12 is on 4 teams right now, ds7 on 3, and dd7 on one, and then just as many in the spring. I hate pictures.

 

[scrapquitler]

Ok, this is my first time having a child with school pictures, but I do remember having my own done and I have NEVER heard or just blind ordering. DS's school expects me to pick the options, choose the package and then send in the money BEFORE I even get to see if the pictures come out nicely Since when did this become the norm? We always got proofs to pick from before ordering. What if the pictures are horrible and he needs a retake? Do they even do that anymore?

I'm sure I saound all ranty and yeah, I am kind of ranting, but packages are around $60 and that's a ridiculous amount to spend when you don't know what you are getting!

It was always this way when I was in school, even in the mid-70s. You order and pay, the pictures get taken. If you don't like them, you get a retake. If you still don't like it, they refund. End of story.

I just paid for pictures this week: $34. for 1 8X10, 2 5X7 and a few wallets (8 I think). I could have gotten the 'deluxe' with retouching for $49 for the same price. The smallest package was $29 and had one less 5X7 in it than the package I purchased.

 

[Bella_Tink]

As a child, I remember bringing home proofs for my Mom to see before she ordered. As a Mom, I really don't know what they do now, but maybe they ask for money up front because, with this day and age, people could simply scan the pics (proofs) and print them out for their own use. Then the company selling the pictures, would be at a loss. I may not agree with paying for it up front, but I can understand why they do!