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

Kate said…
That is so true! I haven't even started the school picture thing but after spending 4 hours fighting with Fae at Sears and still not getting a decent picture, we took some on our own with the ocean as background...much cheaper and lots of smiles too!!! you can email my "junk" email(faes_mom@yahoo.com) and I'll send you my real email address...couldn't get the email to work for me (never can).
12:36 PM
John Andersen said…
LOL...Loved the post. We do the same thing. We still doll the kids up on Picture day so that their class picture looks decent. We let them buy the picture of the whole class and that is it.

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.
6:40 AM
Michelle Alley said…
So agree Heather. School pictures are somewhat of a tradition, but they never turn out the way you want them too. I definately like the ones you took of them - very handsome!
8:10 AM
Jenn said…
Oh, they are just too cute. You would have to mortgage the house to get yours done.

I'd do it for free....I'm just saying.
5:54 PM
Unknown said…
Your homemade school pictures are way better. I have also boycotted the school pictures. Lucky for me I have a photographer friend who charges me the same about as the school pics would cost, but she lets me pick my favorite one. People are getting wiser all the time, the school picture companies are on the verge of going out of business. Eat that Yanowich!
4:12 PM
J-Dog said…
I had scary David Cassidy Hair. (Sort of.)
4:08 PM
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