School Picture Time...
We stopped ordering school pictures a couple of years ago. This was mostly because school pictures just plain SUCK. They rush the kids through there like cattle and as long as their eyes are open, the rest of the picture doesn't matter.
The first year we moved here the photographer that does the school pictures forgot to clean his camera lens and every kid had this thing on their face that looked like a mole or dirt...EVERY kid. We sent our kids for retakes, but due to a miscommunication #1 didn't get to do the retake and we were stuck. I think we returned the pictures, but I am not sure. Aside from dirt encrusted lenses, there are the lovely vacant expressions, weird smiles and yes, even a snarl once that was deemed worthy by the photographer to be printed into school pictures. I haven't even gotten to the cost yet.
The package we would normally purchase costs about $24.00 I can print the same number of pictures (minus the 8 useless mini pictures that are about the size of my thumbnail) for less than $10.00 at the local 1 hour photo. Now, if I was going to be frugal and order the fewest pictures that would meet our needs as far as Grandparents go it would cost me $21 at the school. To do them myself would be about $6.00. The average cost of the school pictures is about $1.29 per picture which is a good deal for the 8x10, but NOT for the thumbnail ones. If I wanted an 8x10 by itself (an option only available after ordering a full package) it would cost me $6.00 vs $1.99 to get one printed. PLUS...It takes weeks to get the school pictures back, and this way I can pick them up in ONE HOUR.
At the school they get ONE shot at the picture, unless their eyes are closed, then its two. We take the boys out ourselves and take maybe 100 pictures all together and pick two poses for each of them to print. For about $30.00 to $40.00 I can get all the pictures I need of ALL FIVE boys. I would be spending $120 if I got school pictures for five boys. If that isn't convincing, then a picture is worth a thousand words...
A few school pics from over the years. Not all of them are awful, but compare...
These are last year's pictures we took ourselves and printed to give to Grandparents and other friends and family. Which ones do you think look better?
Comments
This year I snapped my own pictures of the kids on picture day since they were already dressed up. I took like 15 shots of each kid until the bus came.
I'd do it for free....I'm just saying.