School picture smackdown

[Pete]

So the school picture day was yesterday. I, in an unusual moment of clarity said "WTF, why do I have 5 years worth of pictures in my desk drawer, in their envelopes. Why am I paying $50 for something I am going to stick in a drawer?" I only need 3, one for me, one for the ex, and one for the grand parents, so I take the form and I skip all the packages which include tons of variations cleverly crafted to not include anything acceptable, and order from the "extra's" column only the 3 portraits in the size I want. Write the check out and tuck it in the envelope.

Today I get the envelope back and in magic marker is written "No Package" and the check is inside. Evidently my money is not good enough for them unless I pay an obscene amount for pictures I don't need or want.

I say "Eff you Lifetouch School photography racketeers!" :middlefinger:

 

[missperky]

Mine are sent home and you have the choice of buying the pics that you want.

 

[K_Jo]

So the school picture day was yesterday. I, in an unusual moment of clarity said "WTF, why do I have 5 years worth of pictures in my desk drawer, in their envelopes. Why am I paying $50 for something I am going to stick in a drawer?" I only need 3, one for me, one for the ex, and one for the grand parents, so I take the form and I skip all the packages which include tons of variations cleverly crafted to not include anything acceptable, and order from the "extra's" column only the 3 portraits in the size I want. Write the check out and tuck it in the envelope.

Today I get the envelope back and in magic marker is written "No Package" and the check is inside. Evidently my money is not good enough for them unless I pay an obscene amount for pictures I don't need or want.

I say "Eff you Lifetouch School photography racketeers!" :middlefinger:

How many do you have to buy to win the limousine pizza party?

 

[BadGirl]

I bought the package deal, and I wish that I had bought more photos than I originally purchased. I can always buy more, though.

Of course, this was Bubba's first set of "school" pictures, so I fell hook, line, and sinker for the spiel.

 

[Geek]

I like to steal the ones they give you at the end of school.

 

[Bann]

So the school picture day was yesterday. I, in an unusual moment of clarity said "WTF, why do I have 5 years worth of pictures in my desk drawer, in their envelopes. Why am I paying $50 for something I am going to stick in a drawer?" I only need 3, one for me, one for the ex, and one for the grand parents, so I take the form and I skip all the packages which include tons of variations cleverly crafted to not include anything acceptable, and order from the "extra's" column only the 3 portraits in the size I want. Write the check out and tuck it in the envelope.

Today I get the envelope back and in magic marker is written "No Package" and the check is inside. Evidently my money is not good enough for them unless I pay an obscene amount for pictures I don't need or want.

I say "Eff you Lifetouch School photography racketeers!" :middlefinger:

 

[meangirl]

I like to steal the ones they give you at the end of school.

Me too. I do buy the packages for my 3 at the beginning of the year though. And football pics, and dance pics.

 

[LusbyMom]

I like to steal the ones they give you at the end of school.

Yeah last year Mr Lifetouch said they lost $2 million because of people not returning pics... Wouldn't they have lost it regardless if the parents sent the pics back?

 

[LusbyMom]

So the school picture day was yesterday. I, in an unusual moment of clarity said "WTF, why do I have 5 years worth of pictures in my desk drawer, in their envelopes. Why am I paying $50 for something I am going to stick in a drawer?" I only need 3, one for me, one for the ex, and one for the grand parents, so I take the form and I skip all the packages which include tons of variations cleverly crafted to not include anything acceptable, and order from the "extra's" column only the 3 portraits in the size I want. Write the check out and tuck it in the envelope.

Today I get the envelope back and in magic marker is written "No Package" and the check is inside. Evidently my money is not good enough for them unless I pay an obscene amount for pictures I don't need or want.

I say "Eff you Lifetouch School photography racketeers!" :middlefinger:

Yep they have a section of extra's you can only get IF you bought a package. One of my kids came home today.. not sure why the other one didn't bring hers home. I wasn't to pleased with them.. but I didn't pay for them so I guess I can't complain.

 

[Geek]

Yeah last year Mr Lifetouch said they lost $2 million because of people not returning pics... Wouldn't they have lost it regardless if the parents sent the pics back?

Seriously, that is some bad policy right there. That is like handing me a brownie when I am on the rag. If you get your hand back you need to consider yourself lucky.



Did I just compare my kids' pictures to period chocolate? I need to get offline.

 

[Pete]

Yeah last year Mr Lifetouch said they lost $2 million because of people not returning pics... Wouldn't they have lost it regardless if the parents sent the pics back?

Like they can "undevelop" your kids smiling mug off the paper and reuse it.

 

[CMC122]

Don't even get me started on the prices of school pictures.

 

[Geek]

Like they can "undevelop" your kids smiling mug off the paper and reuse it.

I think those end of the year pictures should be considered samples of the work they will sucker you into next year.

 

[Pete]

Yep they have a section of extra's you can only get IF you bought a package. One of my kids came home today.. not sure why the other one didn't bring hers home. I wasn't to pleased with them.. but I didn't pay for them so I guess I can't complain.

I see it now in small print mixed in with a bunch of gibberish in Spanish I skipped over.

 

[LusbyMom]

Did I just compare my kids' pictures to period chocolate? I need to get offline.

Yes you did.

He told me a story of one set of parents that scanned and printed the pics and sent those back instead of the originals..

 

[Bann]

Mine are sent home and you have the choice of buying the pics that you want.

We have to choose our packages and pay before the pictures are taken! Sight unseen - so what is the incentive for the pictures to look all that great? One of my sons just doesn't pose well. Poor guy, he's just very distractible and inevitably his pictures will come back with him looking off to the side or bug-eyed or something. So I now include a very nicely worded note to the photographer (whom, I'm sure is probably overworked - but it IS their job to photograph children-all-day-long) to please take a minute longer to make sure he's looking AT the camera before they snap. WTF?! Don't they have the ability to tell what a picture looks like when they take it? (digital display or something)

So -for 2 years in a row I've just gotten them re-done on make up day & I include a (more strongly worded) note. sheesh

 

[Pete]

How many do you have to buy to win the limousine pizza party?

The spiffy automated school calling machine called to inform me that all the junk he he did not sell is ready for pickup tomorrow.

 

[K_Jo]

The spiffy automated school calling machine called to inform me that all the junk he he did not sell is ready for pickup tomorrow.

Fancy system.

 

[LusbyMom]

We have to choose our packages and pay before the pictures are taken! Sight unseen - so what is the incentive for the pictures to look all that great? One of my sons just doesn't pose well. Poor guy, he's just very distractible and inevitably his pictures will come back with him looking off to the side or bug-eyed or something. So I now include a very nicely worded note to the photographer (whom, I'm sure is probably overworked - but it IS their job to photograph children-all-day-long) to please take a minute longer to make sure he's looking AT the camera before they snap. WTF?! Don't they have the ability to tell what a picture looks like when they take it? (digital display or something)

So -for 2 years in a row I've just gotten them re-done on make up day & I include a (more strongly worded) note. sheesh

Some of those people who take pictures are so nice and really seem to care.. and the others just plain suck. They are rude, nasty and impatient with the kids. Some are just not meant to work with kids and it drives me crazy. They want to stay on schedule and get it done so they can drive the hours back to where they came from

 

[Pete]

Some of those people who take pictures are so nice and really seem to care.. and the others just plain suck. They are rude, nasty and impatient with the kids. Some are just not meant to work with kids and it drives me crazy. They want to stay on schedule and get it done so they can drive the hours back to where they came from

I don't care. They don't have to be nice. Sit the rat down, press the button on the fart machine and make him giggle, snap.......next!

I don't even care that they make 1500% profit on the 75 cents worth of photo paper, and labor. What pizzes me off is they dictate to me that I have to buy $50 worth of crap I don't want just to get the $10 worth of crap I do want.

Another damn thing. It is My kid. For all intents and purposes I OWN him. How the hell can they copyright the image of My child that I, for all intents and purposes OWN?