How poor people do annual school photos
So, like many (most? all?) public schools in America, the kids’ school here is contracted with a company called Lifetouch who comes to the school to take individual photos in the fall, and individual and class photos in the spring. And because I am a rabid, dedicated, obsessed, avid scrapbooker, who hasn’t touched her photos or her supplies in months, I always — ALWAYS — buy the pictures. And, for the most part, I’m always happy with the images. I think Lifetouch does a perfectly good job with the pictures. Technically they are fine ….. the quality is fine …. if I ever have a problem with the picture its the cheesy smile on my kids’ face, or the fact their hair was no longer “morning quality” …. ha!
But while I was always happy with the quality of the photos, I was NOT always happy with the price. Ridiculous, no? Since I want/need at least a 5 x 7 of each child for the school scrapbooks, and most years would prefer 8 x 10, I wind up buying a $30 or $40 package …. PER KID. I was spending close to, if not more, than $100 every year, just so I could have a nice-sized print to scrapbook, and a few wallets to spread around.
And I never blinked an eye because these are my precious little angle babies and of COURSE I want their pictures each year.
But this year, I just balked at paying that price. Maybe because I recently quit working …. so I’m more aware of the money I’m spending each month? I don’t know. All I know is those order forms came home and I went ….. “nope, not this time.” They take the photos for the yearbook, regardless, but I just couldn’t bring myself to write the checks for my own prints.
So I did what any self-respecting psuedo-amatuer photographer does ….. puts up a sheet in the garage and takes my kids’ school pictures myself! Overall I think they turned out ok. I certainly think they’re good enough to put in the scrapbook. Do I think anyone will be fooled into thinking the natural light in my garage is studio lighting? Or that my little text-date in the bottom corner makes it legitimate? Shoot, no. But when I get my prints for less than $10 total, saving myself well over $90 this year ……….. then heck yeah, those are some damn good pictures!!!
And because you can never have too much entertainment ……
BAM! BAM! Two tickets to the gun show!!
The skinny, malnourished, white kid gun show.
14 Responses to How poor people do annual school photos
September 26th, 2011 saat: 1:34 AM
Umm….yeah…those are WAY better than LifeTouch! Last year began my rebellion against school pictures. I make sure they’re dressed nicely, hair done, etc. so they look nice in their yearbook photos. But I refuse to purchase pictures where my children aren’t even smiling or have a strange look on their face. I’m much more of an amateur photographer than you, but started taking their pictures outside each fall. They’re a hundred times better and about a hundred bucks cheaper!
September 26th, 2011 saat: 5:40 AM
Hey my kid goes to that gun show also! I must sadly admit that I have NEVER purchased the school photos, until last year. We got, of course, Brenna’s senior pictures so I felt compelled to buy Zacks’ so we’d have something to send out. But that’s it. Since I scrapbook so much I figured who needed those professional pics. I think your’s look GREAT! Maybe another side business, called something like… Too Cheap to buy the Real School Pictures Photos!
September 26th, 2011 saat: 6:46 AM
Love it…they are great! Is that a skirt that Kendrie is wearing?! Sure looks like it could be. See ya’ at the gun show! ;)
September 26th, 2011 saat: 6:50 AM
I am totally with you. I quit buying photos about three years ago. Unlike you, I don’t even think they are good most of the time! I do a fall and spring photo shoot with my kids- just them being outside being them, in poses they want or doing what they like. Makes much more sense to me!
September 26th, 2011 saat: 6:50 AM
To be honest, Kristie, I looked at the pictures BEFORE I read that you had taken them yourself and thought that they WERE from LifeTouch. They’re great.
Funny story. Back in the fall of 2007 when my son was a junior in high school, I thought that I’d written my last check to LifeTouch. A pro would take his senior pictures and he’s our youngest. No more LifeTouch. WRONG!!! This past spring my daughter had HER picture taken, as a senior in college, by LifeTouch for the college yearbook. Now I know that in the spring of 2013 I will write my final FINAL check to LifeTouch when our son graduates. Geez. Next thing you know they’ll be taking pictures when you go into the nursing home.
Susan in MN
September 26th, 2011 saat: 11:35 AM
My husband was a professional photographer in a previous career. So I quite paying those ridiculous prices and made him dust off his equipment and take the pictures himself!
Better pictures at a fraction of the cost.
September 26th, 2011 saat: 2:33 PM
So much better than Lifetouch! I’m glad I’m done with school pictures. We always had “discussions” about background colors (um, the one they don’t charge extra for!) and the hot pink, electric blue and martian green look SO cheesy. I have to get mine taken each year for my ID badge, and I tape Hello Kitty’s face over mine because they’re so bad. At least I don’t have to pay for mine!
September 26th, 2011 saat: 3:59 PM
I said it on Facebook and I will say it here. You are awesome!
I have not seen Kendrie much this year- Love that look!
September 26th, 2011 saat: 9:31 PM
Yours are better. I dumped our school photo process last year when neither of my kids looked good. I took them down to the neighbor’s wood bridge in the filtered sunlight and did just fine. The new private school our older son is at hires a local photog who has ties to the school, but doesn’t give any break in his senior-picture-ish prices. I bought his class photo because I can’t really get that any other way, and the 8×10 alone was $21! I’ll take my $3 enlargements at Wally World, thank you very much! ;0)
September 27th, 2011 saat: 8:38 AM
I think those pictures are way better than Lifetouch! And I especially love the price. By the way, is that a skirt Kendrie is wearing? Don’t tell her I said so, but she’s turning into a lovely young lady. :)
Gayle in AL
September 27th, 2011 saat: 9:19 PM
Well, I just paid $53 each to Lifetouch for my girls’ school pictures. Now who feels like a rube? Your photos are great. I don’t think my autofocus point and shoot could get anything close to that good, but maybe I’ll try it myself next year. I could sure use the extra $100!
Karen B.
October 4th, 2011 saat: 7:31 PM
Such beautiful children. Looking so grown up and muscular! Great job on the pictures.
October 8th, 2011 saat: 10:11 AM
Fantastic pictures…Who is that “girl” in the skirt???
December 11th, 2011 saat: 8:49 AM
Hope all is well with you and your family. Miss reading your posts.
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