Seriously Odd Question About School Photos

[Anonymous]

Ok, here's the scenario:

Our DD went to a private preschool. When it was time for school photos, the photographer came in, took photos, and a month or so later, you got to see proofs, and you'd order which ones you liked. At her current DCPS elementary school, you write a check for a given package, you send it in with your kid on the day of the shoot, and they send you your photos a month or so later.

Now, the school photos taken at the private preschool were charming and delightful. The ones at the DCPS elementary school (both fall and spring last year) look like they were taken of a dumpy, personality-less child we don't know. The kicker? The exact same company took the photos at both schools. I know, I know: it's hard to believe that without any economic incentive, the photographer would be phoning it in, and the end product would suck, right.

Anyway, I'm not planning on getting individual photos taken this year. Should I say something to to the organizer at my kid's school? Surely they're not clueless enough to not realize we're getting shafted, right? I don't want to be "that parent" who comes in and demands a break with tradition, but I just don't get it. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Same experience at my kids' charter school. Private day care photos were wonderful. A package was sent home after photos were taken and you paid for it if you liked it. If you did not like it, then you sent it back and paid nothing.

At Charter school we had to buy package up front. Packages were terrible, full of "wallet size" "trading photos" that no one wants. And the pictures were terrible, kids all looked stunned.

Not buying it this year.

[Anonymous]

But what is the volume of photos they are taking at DCPS vs. private preschool? Our preschool had fewer than 100 kids ao they could take the time to pose them.

Our school uses Lifetouch and you order a package (I never order all those wallets!) and if you don't like the end photo you can have it redone or return it. They are the basic school yearbook photos - plain background, cheesy grin.

[Anonymous]

Private elementary school in VA - crappy, standard class pictures each year.

I still buy the cheapest package bc in school my mom never did and I always wanted her too.

[Anonymous]

Probably depends on how much the teachers/admins of the school get involved with the photos. I know a private school where photo day was a huge deal, everyone dressed up, class photo was used in yearbook, and they had someone there to help the kids comb their hair. On the other hand, if there's no yearbook and some of kids aren't getting photos ... maybe it just isn't a big deal.

[Anonymous]

But aren't these terrible photos a rite of passage?

I still have a couple of truly awful photos from my 1970s-era public school period. Atrocious!

Some people fear Senate hearings. I am terrified of someone locating these pictures!!

[Anonymous]

We've had the same experience, and I attribute it to two things:
1) My kids were more relaxed with picture taking in preschool. Now they have more of a tendency to pose--with unfortunate results.
2) I imagine the preschool photographer was able to move at a more leisurely pace. Taking pictures in an elementary school must be an industrial process.

I wouldn't say anything. We keep a few for the kids to laugh at later and take our own pictures or have them taken occasionally by a professional.

[Anonymous]

We had a family reunion party this weekend. My cousin (who is a librarian) put together a powerpoint photo montage for everyone to watch. He located every atrocious school photo of all of my cousins from the late 1960s through the early 1980s -- they were truly HORRENDOUS. I remember once begging my mother not to buy them they were so bad. And at the reunion we all laughed until we cried. The funny part was that no one cared about the perfect looking family photos that my mother insisted on havign a professional take. Don't rob your child (or yourself) of these fun memories. Buy at least the cheap package. I don't think these photos mean anything until 30 years later.

[Anonymous]

We aren't in elementary school yet... but our daycare has been through a series of photographers. The latest was Teddy Bear, and i really liked theirs.

I can say from volunteering at the events, parental involvement is probably key to getting photos done right. So when it comes time for elementary school photos, I'll take time off work so i can help out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a family reunion party this weekend. My cousin (who is a librarian) put together a powerpoint photo montage for everyone to watch. He located every atrocious school photo of all of my cousins from the late 1960s through the early 1980s -- they were truly HORRENDOUS. I remember once begging my mother not to buy them they were so bad. And at the reunion we all laughed until we cried. The funny part was that no one cared about the perfect looking family photos that my mother insisted on havign a professional take. Don't rob your child (or yourself) of these fun memories. Buy at least the cheap package. I don't think these photos mean anything until 30 years later.

Yes, I LOVE the boring, often horrendous school pics and wouldn't trade them for anything. When I want "nice" pictures, I have them professionally done, but I feel the school pics are a right of passage.

My husband's step grandmother made a Christmas ornament with each year's school pics. We have them now. They go from the adorable preschool and kinder pics, to the toothless grins, to the awkward and then the just plain ugly, all in late 70s/early 80s fashion splendor. Every year we look forward to pulling those out and they fill us with smiles and laughter.

I know my old school pics are equaly as hilarious (poodle hair and 3 layers of polos anyone?) They are so much more fun to look at than the "nice" posed photos taken of our family while growing up.

[Anonymous]

OP, i could have written your post. same, EXACT experience. WTF?? i understand that perfection is tough to get, but really? the DCPS (using the SAME company!!) pictures never look like my adorable child! and you have to buy them sight-UNseen!...it's crazy. it may be a problem of volume....roughly getting 300 kids in and out in an acceptable time-frame...our daycare was much smaller.

this year, i'll buy the cheapest package and go to a real studio for portraits.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I LOVE the boring, often horrendous school pics and wouldn't trade them for anything. When I want "nice" pictures, I have them professionally done, but I feel the school pics are a right of passage.

Me too!

OP, I strongly encourage you to keep buying the cheapest package, if only for posterity.

[Anonymous]

Lifetouch is ridiculous. There's absolutely no competition. They have the monopoly in the city. They have from pre-k through 12th grade. The school system is vulnerable or needy because it is a QUICK fundraiser for the individual schools.

Again, this is something that needs to be revisited with DCPS as they have approved Lifetouch as a vendor.

[Anonymous]

NCRC the elite little pre-school in CP 20-25k+ per year. The most crappy yearly photos ever. And no yearbook at all when we were there. At DCPS you have to have them done over again on retake day in November. The first one can be kind of bizzarre depending on the time of day your kid goes through.

[Anonymous]

Do you still get a comb?