This Morning I Parted Ways with Lifetouch

[MrsPete]

However, the photographer apparantly never learned how to center his subject. The whole left half of the picture is just background, and part of DS is cut off on the right.

They'll retake pictures (without charge) if the kids are off-center, if there's a glare on the kid's glasses, or if they happen to catch him with his eyes closed.

You'd be surprised what some people will ask: I got my braces off / got a new hairstyle after my pictures were made -- will you retake them for free?

 

[SillyMe]

Funny, I'm sitting here right now trying to decide what I want to do. The prices are crazy.

What ticks me off the most is they always comb down my daughter's hair before her pictures. I'll have them really nice, then they'll comb them down flat. Ooooh, that irritates me!

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I buy the basic package every year.
Then they can go back snd say "what a horrible picture and how could I ever wear that ugly outfit!"

That is so true. Over the years my mom has found some old pictures of me and my brother. I look at them and cringe. Why did I ever let my mom style my hair like that, and WHAT was I wearing?!

Personally, I can't stand Lifetouch. They did my school pictures for years and every year they were just blah. They never spend time with you. They just sit you down, turn your head in inhuman ways and take one picture. In my 12 years of school pictures I don't think there is 1 I like.

For my HS senior portraits you took a picture for the yearbook (plain grey background) and more formal pictures depending on your package. I took maybe 8 poses, only 1 came out normal looking. Well, at least I came out normal, the background was a crappy choice. I am very fair skinned with red hair. He stuck me in front of a reddish-orange background. Not the worlds best choice.

 

[CPM]

Funny, I'm sitting here right now trying to decide what I want to do. The prices are crazy.

What ticks me off the most is they always comb down my daughter's hair before her pictures. I'll have them really nice, then they'll comb them down flat. Ooooh, that irritates me!

Tell your daughter to tell the person how she likes it.
Usually the person combing the hair is a volunteer, not anyone from the photographer's studio.
I do the combing on our picture day. You have to remember a lot of times they aren't done first thing and the kids have already had PE, lunch or recess and they are a mess! Maybe you can find out what time your DD's pictire is being done and come in to fix her hair.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Toby'sFriend,

I agree!!! Every year it's the same ol, same ol...bad school pictures. I know they have alot of kids to photograph but for what they charge you would think they would make your child look good.
Thank you for starting this thread. I thought I was the only one who didn't like Lifetouch. You have given me courage to take DS's pictures this time around. Here is the one we liked the best:

I ordered 5 4 x 6's, 3 5 x 7's, 1 8x 10, and 20 wallets from Snapfish and with the on-line credits I had I paid a whole $12.57, and that includes shipping, handling & tax! Take that, Lifetouch!!!

TC

 

[Brianne]

Lifetouch did the photos for DS's middle school this year---luckily their smallest package was $6 if I didn't want all the extra BS attached to it. DS overheard the photographers complaining about wanting to go home; the picture definitely reflects the rushed job. For $6, I can deal with it since at least he is on center & such but the weird smile he ended up with I would've been mad about if I'd paid more. It looks like they took the shot with him in mid-speak.

The elementary school went with Herff Jones this year--I know nothing about them but the way they nickel & dimed every little option made me pretty angry. Ended up spending $10 per package which was the cheapest I could get unless I wanted their blah grey background. Haven't seen those yet so I can't say how they turned out.

The spring pictures always turn out so much nicer for the most part. Last year was definitely the exception though. All 3 were pretty bad---I couldn't even bring myself to display them, which is rare for me!

 

[momma leaps]

I buy the pics from school every year. This year I decided to buy the cheapest package and add what I wanted to it. It came out to $17. I have 3 kids getting pictures taken at school and one of them gets pictures taken with cheerleading. So it does get pretty costly.

 

[piratesmate]

Wow! Some of you can get cheap packages from them! For us, the cheapest packages are usually about $25 - with the grey background.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I just wrote a check out for my 10th grader .
The cheapest package was $28.00

I spent $38.00 because I wanted the 12 wallet size.

 

[bgirldeb]

Lifetouch did an awesome job at the kids' preschool. It looked like they spent a lot of time and even had several poses, etc. Now, DS's kindergarten picture was another story. Not nearly as nice of a picture.

 

[Mskanga]

I buy the cheapest package and with the gray background ( we pay more for other colors ) , and the only reason why I buy them at all is because of the class picture. I found out last year in middle school that they do not take a class picture , instead they do a 'panoramic team picture' with another 150 kids that is so small that you can barely make out your kid , and that picture alone is $15 !
I did not buy it , and I plan on not buying it again this year , I take my own pics!

 

[Bearvet]

DS17 has had Lifetouch do school pictures every year - not great, but I buy some. Well, starting last June "Prestige by LifeTouch" begins their sales pitch to the new "seniors" saying that this is the best way to have your senior portraits done. Meanwhile, I had already decided on a local photographer who does wonderful outdoor shots as well as studio portraits.

LifeTouch sent us a post card with DS's date and time for his pictures to be done in July. I called and cancelled and explained that we were planning to have his pictures done elsewhere. Their brochure was terrible and their featured background looked like an old-fashioned tin ceiling - UGLY!! They called a few days before the appt. to confirm and I explained again and that I had already called to cancel.

Well, mid-August we get another post card with a new appt. on it!! I didn't bother to call this time - we just didn't show up. Senior portrait packages run $200 and up - there was NO WAY I'd pay that for pictures that look just like regular school pictures. They warned me that the school yearbook might only allow us to use LifeTouch and we should be cautious (I checked - the yearbook will accapt any vertical pose). What a hard sell!!!

So, just to let you know that it may get worse!!

 

[dizneenut]

I haven't bought them in years. With 4 boys, it is just too expensive. I can take them to Wal-mart and get pics cheaper.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I buy the cheapest package..last year 9yodd had a great pic. We couldn't believe it!

This year my 15yodd pic's....look awful! Why do they tell you to tilt your head....why, why, why....She looks someone just punched her in the head and it froze that way.

I really think these people take bad pic's ON PURPOSE...there is a running joke with them who got the worst pic of the year.

 

[disney4us2002]

This year for the first time I see that Lifetouch is offering a family discount if you have 3 kids or more photographed. Of course, our oldest is a senior and not getting a regular picture so I can't use the discount (figures!) but thought I'd throw that out there so others might check closer. I think it was buy two at regular cost and get the third package at half.

Also, in the past I have volunteered to help out on picture day so I got the basic package for free. That was a plus as really I only wanted to be sure my son's hair wasn't sticking up or his shirt collar was lying straight as once we received pics with the shirt really messed up (pic was done following recess).

We're going to do the Lifetouch senior pics and see the proofs before we decide if we'll buy them. At least those don't have to be purchased sight unseen.

ETA: Our school doesn't make any money off of the fall pictures but they do if you purchase the spring pictures which we get to see first before purchasing. Not sure why Lifetouch does it differently.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I'm not a huge fan of Lifetouch but the quality of ds's school photos have been pretty good so far *knock on wood* I'm pretty sure they will turn out terrible this year now that i've said something lol. My complaints other than prices are that we can't get a proof before paying and that they don't offer a photo of the whole class at my ds's school.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

My daughter's are photogenic but I think there is something in Lifetouch's cameras that make everyone look horrid!!

Because it is a part of life's passage for each and every adult to look back on their school days and cringe.

 

[CPM]

Because it is a part of life's passage for each and every adult to look back on their school days and cringe.

Isn't that the truth!!
Off to help with picture day! I promise to fix every child up so nice they will want to buy extra pictures!!

 

[corie161]

Our pictures are taken by Herff Jones also. I really don't take much stock in how they look, they are school pictures. I plan on getting them done elsewhere later anyhow. I generally order enough for me the grandparents and the kids to hand out. I know they aren't perfect, but neither are my kids! They are fun to look back on and giggle. I didn't get the smallest package and they cost $21 a child for the package I got. I can't recall all it included but I think it was an 8x10, 2-3x5, and 12-exchange wallets. It may have had more. I also ordered the class composite.

Our school has switched to taking the photos on the 1st day of school, the day they call Day One. The parents have to go to day one along with the kids, for a meeting with the teacher and also a general session with the principal. Parents are responsible for bringing their child to the media room to get photographed. It was a pretty smart move IMO, that way a parent can't complain that the childs hair wasn't combed right, they weren't wearing their clothes correctly, etc.

Of course my DS's photo was taken and then I noticed the ever so slight spots of macaroni and cheese on his shirt. I picked him up from daycare and rushed to the school and didn't even bother to look. He had a pretty goofy smile too. Thank goodness they still have a retake day.

I

 

[laura001]

Lifetouch studios that is.

It is time for the annual school photos. I started to make out the checks and all of the sudden it occured to me.

These packages aren't cheap. These pictures are never good.

Why do I keep doing this when every year I end up taking my camera and hauling the kids off to the park or somewhere scenic to take photos to give to the family at Christmas while the Lifetouch photos of kids with badly combed hair, not looking at the camera, sitting in front of a boring background just sit in the envelope?

I feel guilty. Do the teachers think you're a bad parent if you don't buy the school photos?

I quit doing them also, after years of paying for the pictures and doing retake after retake, what a waste of money.

In high school the kids pics are taken and put into the year book, you don't have to pay, only if you want extras. My DS pulled a prank on the photographer and slipped on his Science protective glasses while they were taking them His Grade 12 photo in the year book is a hoot!