Walmart Portrait Studio?

[kellia]

Any reviews of the Walmart portrait studio? Also, I know the first child is $4.99 for the package, anyone know how much it is if you bring a second? Are there sitting fees?

Sorry, couldn't find anything on their website and the store just has a recording of their hours, so thanks for any help!

 

[labdogs42]

I haven't used Wal Mart, but I have to put a plug in for JC Penney. You can always find coupons for a free sitting fee, free 8x10 and unlimited sheets at $3.99 each (check their website for a printable version or look in almost any parenting magazine for a Q). I have been taking my DS there for years and I love that they don't push a "package" on me and I can get exactly the poses and sizes I want for $3.99 a sheet!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have used Walmart in the past but cannot be bothered anymore. It all depends on who is taking the picture (like everyplace). I find them to be the least trained out of all the studios. The last set of photos I had done there were a mess. I ended up at Sears where they did an amazing job. It simply is not worth the cheap price to me.

 

[mtblujeans]

It looks like they use a different company every few years and it has been years since I had my kids' photos taken with them. Try signing up at Picture Me for possible additional discounts if you should decide to try the Walmart Photo Studio.

 

[lovebugsmom]

Wal Mart or Picture Me is owned by CPI(Sears Portrait Studio) so they have the same guidelines as Sears. There should not be a fee for a second child. If you have problems feel free to contact customer service. Good Luck

 

[tzolkin]

The package price for Walmart is the same regardless of the number of children (I'm pretty sure there's no sitting fee). My problem with them is that the package automatically comes as the first picture they take. (If the first click is really horrible they will delete that one and try for a decent one. But it's the first picture you say is okay.) It seems every time I've been there I really liked a picture they took later in the session and did not like the first one, so you wind up paying quite a bit buying the other pictures that you like since the package has been wasted on a picture you don't. I think the last time I was there the pictures were about $15-20 per sheet. I thought it was fairly expensive and they are not as nice as Sears.

If you get a good first shot and just buy the $4.99 package it's a good deal, but it's never worked out well for me.

 

[Bren's Mom]

This is the Walmart Portrait Studio website:

http://www.goportraits.com/cpi/en-US/

There are no sitting or session fees at all.

 

[thomascaldwell1]

I have to say, regarding my local Wal-Mart... We used to get photos taken once a month or so, using the $5 deal. We took a break (things got hectic) over the summer, and we started back up in September. This was the first time we went since Picture Me took over. They took some nice photos, and did some neat things to them, and the packages were really not bad (I believe this was the first month or so that they were in Wal-Mart, so they were running specials, etc.)- and I got a package higher than the $5 one. This month, we went back, and found a few photos they took that we liked, but they were no longer running any kind of specials. Cheapest package they had (next to the $5 one) was like $40- and I got just a sheet or two more than the $5 package. I settled for the $5 package, and am now looking for somewhere else to go. I'm just not impressed enough to pay their now higher priced package fees... Just my opinion...

 

[englishteacha]

DH and I had our engagement photos done at a Walmart studio. They came out really nice. The first pose we liked was our package picture, then we chose a few sheets of the other poses. I've taken my nephew for photos at Walmart and those were pretty good, too. Better than school pics and much less expensive! It's been a few years since I've gotten pics done there, though. A friend really likes Sears, but there isn't one near us. My SIL takes her kids to Walmart for pics, too, but the kids are so darn cute even a bad photo is good!

 

[iluvdisnee]

I am a Custom Child Portrait Photographer by trade and honestly I WINCE at the thought of Wal Mart or Sears Portraits---compared to what I offer my clients Wal mart is pitiful. It's very a very "say Cheese" experience and you get what you get and does nothing to capture the true emotion and personality of the children. The quality of the prints is just not there, IMHO, and the color is often off by a mile. There is no retouching or personal service.

This link might be of some help to you:

http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com/information/

 

[kellia]

Thanks for the advice! I though that you could pick the package from any of the poses like you can for Sears, forget that, then! My twins are not the easiest to get to smile "normally" on cue. I guess I will keep waiting until I can find a good coupon.

 

[mtblujeans]

If you have a Sears portrait studio nearby, have you seen their site?

 

[Cherbear013]

Have you heard of Picture People? I used to work at the one here in CO and it was great. We were required to take different shots (full-length, close-up, prop, etc) and interact with the kids. If there is one near you, check it out!

 

[tonilea]

I would choose Penney's any day over Wal-Mart. It is very easy to see the difference in quality of photos done at Wal-Mart vs Penney's or a private photographer. My son is very photogenic and loves the camera. We now use a private photographer who loves taking pics of Thomas. He says it is great advertising for him!

 

[labdogs42]

HERE are the Penneys coupons I mentioned

 

[malibuconlee]

I really wish I had more options. They closed the Wal-Mart studio here. Sears is the only place other than the private studios we have here.

My girlfriend had her son's first pictures taken at a Target photo studio. They did a good job. Better than the first set we had done at Sears. It just depends on who you get.

 

[tonilea]

We have to drive seventy miles to get to a Penney's, but I would drive a hundred rather than have them done at Wal-mart.

 

[Miss Kelly]

I am a Custom Child Portrait Photographer by trade and honestly I WINCE at the thought of Wal Mart or Sears Portraits---compared to what I offer my clients Wal mart is pitiful. It's very a very "say Cheese" experience and you get what you get and does nothing to capture the true emotion and personality of the children. The quality of the prints is just not there, IMHO, and the color is often off by a mile. There is no retouching or personal service.

This link might be of some help to you:

http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com/information/

I completely agree.

 

[sherry7]

I haven't used Wal Mart, but I have to put a plug in for JC Penney. You can always find coupons for a free sitting fee, free 8x10 and unlimited sheets at $3.99 each (check their website for a printable version or look in almost any parenting magazine for a Q). I have been taking my DS there for years and I love that they don't push a "package" on me and I can get exactly the poses and sizes I want for $3.99 a sheet!

Do JC Penney pictures have that white border, or are they "clean cut"?