Kids School Pictures Rant

[captainkidd]

Oh man, I'm so ed off about this. My twin boys who started kindergarten a couple weeks back had their school pictures done this week. The school put them in separate classes, which we were OK with. It's good for them to make friends on their own. Anyways, we contacted the picture studio and requested that they have their picture taken together.

1.We wanted them to be together.
2.School pictures are a rip-off and we didn't want to pay them double the amount based on principle.

They had agreed. So, I write the check out, and fill the form out for what we want. The teacher sent home a note with the check inside saying the company refused to sell us the picture they took of them together. If we want it, we have to go to the studio to pick it up and pay for 2 prints since it's the 2 of them in the photo.

So, this studio has pictures of my kids that they are basically holding for ransom on us. I've yet to decide which choice is better:

1.Showing up with a cop demanding they show us all the pictures they have and shred them.
2.Show up by myself with a baseball bat and handle it on my own.

 

[DisneyJoe]

2.School pictures are a rip-off and we didn't want to pay them double the amount based on principle.

Sounds like you realized this was a possibility?

 

[captainkidd]

Sounds like you realized this was a possibility?

Anyone who has gotten school pictures for their kids knows it's a rip off.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Oh man, I'm so ed off about this. My twin boys who started kindergarten a couple weeks back had their school pictures done this week. The school put them in separate classes, which we were OK with. It's good for them to make friends on their own. Anyways, we contacted the picture studio and requested that they have their picture taken together.

1.We wanted them to be together.
2.School pictures are a rip-off and we didn't want to pay them double the amount based on principle.

They had agreed. So, I write the check out, and fill the form out for what we want. The teacher sent home a note with the check inside saying the company refused to sell us the picture they took of them together. If we want it, we have to go to the studio to pick it up and pay for 2 prints since it's the 2 of them in the photo.

So, this studio has pictures of my kids that they are basically holding for ransom on us. I've yet to decide which choice is better:

1.Showing up with a cop demanding they show us all the pictures they have and shred them.
2.Show up by myself with a baseball bat and handle it on my own.

if you want, I'll shoot your kids for a much better price...

www.dodphotography.com

we're neighbors

 

[wiigirl]

Anyone who has gotten school pictures for their kids knows it's a rip off.

It really is.

 

[jakeman]

1.Showing up with a cop demanding they show us all the pictures they have and shred them.
2.Show up by myself with a baseball bat and handle it on my own.

 

[NYwdwfan]

When my 2 kids and my neice were all at the same preschool (the girls in the same 4 year old class, my son in a 2 year old class) the teachers got all 3 of them together and took their picture. It was adorable. And they sent it home along with the single pictures they had taken of the kids. They even made 2 sets of the group shot and sent it home to both me and my sister. Sounds like the person you spoke with at the portrait studio did not translate your conversation to the people that actually went to the school to take the photos. I would call the studio first before dusting off the bat.

 

[Nemo14]

http://photos.ellen.warnerbros.com/galleries/bad_school_photos

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Remember the days when they'd take your kids pictures, send home proofs and then you chose what you wanted to order? What ever happened to that? We have skipped getting DS6s pictures since he started school simply because I will not pay the amount of money they charge in advance without knowing they captured a good shot. I've seen too many horror stories where people buy the biggest package and it comes home and the kid has a booger in their nose or their hair is a mess or they aren't smiling or whatever... and there's no going back. Us... unless it's a company that's offering us the ability to see the proofs first, not happening!

(and yes I know most companies stopped this so people wouldn't just scan in the proof and not have to buy - no need to explain that to me - it's a rant not a question LOL )

 

[NYwdwfan]

Remember the days when they'd take your kids pictures, send home proofs and then you chose what you wanted to order? What ever happened to that? We have skipped getting DS6s pictures since he started school simply because I will not pay the amount of money they charge in advance without knowing they captured a good shot. I've seen too many horror stories where people buy the biggest package and it comes home and the kid has a booger in their nose or their hair is a mess or they aren't smiling or whatever... and there's no going back. Us... unless it's a company that's offering us the ability to see the proofs first, not happening!

(and yes I know most companies stopped this so people wouldn't just scan in the proof and not have to buy - no need to explain that to me - it's a rant not a question LOL )

At my kids school in teeny tiny letters on the ordering sheet is says that you can get a full refund if you are unhappy with the photos. And when I say teeny tiny, I mean an ant would probably need a magnifying glass to see it (not sure HOW I spotted it in the first place!!)

 

[ExtinctJenn]

At my kids school in teeny tiny letters on the ordering sheet is says that you can get a full refund if you are unhappy with the photos. And when I say teeny tiny, I mean an ant would probably need a magnifying glass to see it (not sure HOW I spotted it in the first place!!)

Ahhhh maybe I should watch for that next time. His 1st grade shots were 2 weeks ago and we passed.

 

[Gabe1]

Oh man, I'm so ed off about this. My twin boys who started kindergarten a couple weeks back had their school pictures done this week. The school put them in separate classes, which we were OK with. It's good for them to make friends on their own. Anyways, we contacted the picture studio and requested that they have their picture taken together.

1.We wanted them to be together.
2.School pictures are a rip-off and we didn't want to pay them double the amount based on principle.

They had agreed. So, I write the check out, and fill the form out for what we want. The teacher sent home a note with the check inside saying the company refused to sell us the picture they took of them together. If we want it, we have to go to the studio to pick it up and pay for 2 prints since it's the 2 of them in the photo.

So, this studio has pictures of my kids that they are basically holding for ransom on us. I've yet to decide which choice is better:

1.Showing up with a cop demanding they show us all the pictures they have and shred them.
2.Show up by myself with a baseball bat and handle it on my own.

I feel your pain. And you will live this throughout sports, religious celebrations, bands. We all hate it.
Being an elected Board of Ed member I came to know a few things.

I had always wondered why the school fell prey to such outragous prices. The reality, the Parks, Schools, Churches all recieve a commission on each and every photo. When the school signs these contracts they usually get to pick how much profit they wish to make. Contracts also specify addition charges for amount of people in the photo. These are professionals and they have seen every parents attempt to thwart the charges, in little league and schools, etc.

Every school uses special funds aquired differently. When ours was audited, my request, I found each school had their own checking account totally separate from the boards budget accounts. They used these funds for parties, their own extras, teacher inservice lunches. You name it. Beware of school sponsored sales and know where the money is going. Generally PTA/PTO are more for student related extras. And in return the photographer donates a small single photo's for childs office folders and student ID's free of charge to the school.

Sadly, when you turned in the little envelope you consented to the school picture program. Education is fun huh? Oy.

 

[luv]

I'd take them somewhere else.

Sorry it happened, though. If someone told me they'd do it and then turned around and refused, I'd be ed, too.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Oh man, I'm so ed off about this. My twin boys who started kindergarten a couple weeks back had their school pictures done this week. The school put them in separate classes, which we were OK with. It's good for them to make friends on their own. Anyways, we contacted the picture studio and requested that they have their picture taken together.

1.We wanted them to be together.
2.School pictures are a rip-off and we didn't want to pay them double the amount based on principle.

They had agreed. So, I write the check out, and fill the form out for what we want. The teacher sent home a note with the check inside saying the company refused to sell us the picture they took of them together. If we want it, we have to go to the studio to pick it up and pay for 2 prints since it's the 2 of them in the photo.

So, this studio has pictures of my kids that they are basically holding for ransom on us. I've yet to decide which choice is better:

1.Showing up with a cop demanding they show us all the pictures they have and shred them.
2.Show up by myself with a baseball bat and handle it on my own.

Haven't read all the responses but I wanted to send a quick reply based on my immediate thinking.

You're right. School pictures are a total rip-off. TOTAL. Kindergarten is tough because it's their first real year of a whoooole bunch yet to come and it's special so you don't want to NOT have the pics. I understand. I do. But the school pictures are rarely if ever worth anything more than a gasp, sigh, and/or laugh in that order. If the studio is going to make you pay double you have 2 choices: pay it for at least 1 photo (get just a single 8x10 vs. the full package then do a high res scan) or have pics done elsewhere. Personally, I've been far happier and have a much deeper attachment to the non-school portraits we've done elsewhere. If you do go with buying just the 1 picture maybe tell the studio "Well, I was going to buy the whole package for $XX but your insistance on double charging me when you didn't take 2 pictures or have to print twice is a blatant rip-off so I'm going to buy just this 1 for posterity." Maybe you can also approach the PTA at the school and explain what the photographer did. Maybe they'd be willing to do the right thing and find a photographer who wouldn't be into ripping off the families of their students. I'd even mention to the photographer that you'll be persuing such with the PTA.

Calling law enforcement won't do a whole lot of good for you. It's a civil matter, not criminal. The police will encourage you to seek the advice of legal counsel and persue it thru civil processes. Well, until you break out the baseball bat at the photographer's place of business. Then things start straying into the criminal realm.... Heehee!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I feel your pain. And you will live this throughout sports, religious celebrations, bands. We all hate it.
Being an elected Board of Ed member I came to know a few things.

I had always wondered why the school fell prey to such outragous prices. The reality, the Parks, Schools, Churches all recieve a commission on each and every photo. When the school signs these contracts they usually get to pick how much profit they wish to make. Contracts also specify addition charges for amount of people in the photo. These are professionals and they have seen every parents attempt to thwart the charges, in little league and schools, etc.

Every school uses special funds aquired differently. When ours was audited, my request, I found each school had their own checking account totally separate from the boards budget accounts. They used these funds for parties, their own extras, teacher inservice lunches. You name it. Beware of school sponsored sales and know where the money is going. Generally PTA/PTO are more for student related extras. And in return the photographer donates a small single photo's for childs office folders and student ID's free of charge to the school.

Sadly, when you turned in the little envelope you consented to the school picture program. Education is fun huh? Oy.

Yep. Schools are business and the bottom line no matter how you slice or dice it is money. Wanna get off the train? Homeschool. Best thing I ever did.

 

[Nemo14]

Remember the days when they'd take your kids pictures, send home proofs and then you chose what you wanted to order? What ever happened to that? We have skipped getting DS6s pictures since he started school simply because I will not pay the amount of money they charge in advance without knowing they captured a good shot. I've seen too many horror stories where people buy the biggest package and it comes home and the kid has a booger in their nose or their hair is a mess or they aren't smiling or whatever... and there's no going back. Us... unless it's a company that's offering us the ability to see the proofs first, not happening!

(and yes I know most companies stopped this so people wouldn't just scan in the proof and not have to buy - no need to explain that to me - it's a rant not a question LOL )

In all my years of school and teaching school, I never had proofs to choose from for school photographs.

Haven't read all the responses but I wanted to send a quick reply based on my immediate thinking.

You're right. School pictures are a total rip-off. TOTAL. Kindergarten is tough because it's their first real year of a whoooole bunch yet to come and it's special so you don't want to NOT have the pics. I understand. I do. But the school pictures are rarely if ever worth anything more than a gasp, sigh, and/or laugh in that order. If the studio is going to make you pay double you have 2 choices: pay it for at least 1 photo (get just a single 8x10 vs. the full package then do a high res scan) or have pics done elsewhere. Personally, I've been far happier and have a much deeper attachment to the non-school portraits we've done elsewhere. If you do go with buying just the 1 picture maybe tell the studio "Well, I was going to buy the whole package for $XX but your insistance on double charging me when you didn't take 2 pictures or have to print twice is a blatant rip-off so I'm going to buy just this 1 for posterity." Maybe you can also approach the PTA at the school and explain what the photographer did. Maybe they'd be willing to do the right thing and find a photographer who wouldn't be into ripping off the families of their students. I'd even mention to the photographer that you'll be persuing such with the PTA.

Calling law enforcement won't do a whole lot of good for you. It's a civil matter, not criminal. The police will encourage you to seek the advice of legal counsel and persue it thru civil processes. Well, until you break out the baseball bat at the photographer's place of business. Then things start straying into the criminal realm.... Heehee!

I know in our state the PTA has nothing to do with, nor do they profit from, school photos. It is contracted entirely by the school department of each town. So complaining to the PTA would do absolutely nothing.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I know in our state the PTA has nothing to do with, nor do they profit from, school photos. It is contracted entirely by the school department of each town. So complaining to the PTA would do absolutely nothing.

Okee-dokee...go visit some school board meetings, speak with the superintendant, and make your voice heard. Yes?

 

[Nemo14]

Okee-dokee...go visit some school board meetings, speak with the superintendant, and make your voice heard. Yes?

That would be more productive, but I know around here, it wouldn't get you too far. Too many politics involved.

 

[Gabe1]

Yep. Schools are business and the bottom line no matter how you slice or dice it is money. Wanna get off the train? Homeschool. Best thing I ever did.

No way in God's Green Earth would I home school. 24/7 with my kids, love them, but no.

So many other things are "special funds", Gatorade machines, vend-ie-land, non PTO fundraisers, the list goes on. Want to see what your school is earning in the special funds area, ask to look at the break down of "Activity Funds" by law there is a debit and credit for every group, Athletics, Student Council, Band etc. It will show you how much is earned and what it was actually spent on. My time on the BOE has been a learning experience that makes me wanta puke.

 

[Gabe1]

In all my years of school and teaching school, I never had proofs to choose from for school photographs.



I know in our state the PTA has nothing to do with, nor do they profit from, school photos. It is contracted entirely by the school department of each town. So complaining to the PTA would do absolutely nothing.

Does your board visit the PTA annually. Our does, parents get to ask us in an open forum manner anything they want. If your board does not visit PTA meeting as guests of the PTA, suggest it to your PTA.