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09/19/2005 05:24:28 PM · #1 |
I see this happening more with school type photos but it just annoys me (maybe this should be a rant). They want you to pick the "package" and pay BEFORE you see the photos. Obviously all this drival about if you are not happy....refund... blah blag blah -> Not worth the hassle to do this and they know it.
While I know this is a nice business policy if you can get away with it; How common is this generally? |
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09/19/2005 06:30:35 PM · #2 |
Quite a few of the clients that have come to me during the last year have contacted me because of their dissatisfaction with the "packages" that they had to order from their kid's schools. When they got the photos, they hated them, and then hired me to do photos, since they have seen (and liked!) my work.
Seems to be somewhat common around here - (Virginia/Maryland area).
*edited for clarification!
Message edited by author 2005-09-20 15:55:18. |
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09/19/2005 06:39:35 PM · #3 |
And the refund policy is often nothing more than an equally bad second shoot.
Larry C. |
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09/19/2005 06:55:13 PM · #4 |
In the UK our school pics are sent out to the parents in a pack of two or three different sized pictures. A payment envelope is included and then the filled envelope or pictures or some of both are sent back to the school who send them to the photographers.
It's a nightmare for the school but works well for parents.
I just used to get upset when `i saw beautiful pictures of children returned as not wanted!
P
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09/19/2005 06:59:18 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by lhall:
Quite a few of the clients that have come to me during the last year have contacted me because of their dissatisfaction with the "packages" that they had to order. When they got the photos, they hated them, and hired me to do photos.
Seems to be somewhat common around here - (Virginia/Maryland area). |
Was this for school photos? Did they see your work before they hired you?
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09/19/2005 07:54:13 PM · #6 |
here in SE kentucky they take the photos and then send a small wallet sized print for you to see and chose your package size. they just did school pictures here(this past tuesday) and now that i know what Im looking for in a photo portrait they better be good or Im not paying for them! simple as that!
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09/20/2005 11:55:22 AM · #7 |
I am more used to a set of photos sent out and you return the $ + the extras + order for additional stuff as required. I understand why the photg is trying to push this method and why the school agrees cause it's easier for them but it's just bad for the consumer IMO.
Makes me much more likely to just skip the whole thing (often my photos are better anyway which is not saying much :-) but I like getting a class photo for the kid.
And another thing (conspiracy): What is the point of "wallet" sized pictures and why must 400 of them be in all the packages? :-)) |
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09/20/2005 11:58:50 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by robs:
And another thing (conspiracy): What is the point of "wallet" sized pictures and why must 400 of them be in all the packages? :-)) |
Here it's those little charm-sized ones...thousands of them. What in God's name does ANYONE do with 52 charm sized pictures (about the size of a US postage stamp) of their child? And when you are a sentimental packrat like me, you wind up with millions of them because you can't bear to throw them away, but have nothing else to do with them either. :/
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09/20/2005 12:05:49 PM · #9 |
I just stopped buying them last year. I buy them a yearbook that has the "fall" photo in it, so they do have their school photo somewhere and I don't have a bunch of photos around that I don't want or need.
Our school takes their photos in Fall AND Spring. Typically, the fall one you have to order them unseen and the spring one they used to send home the actual photos and you would pay for what you want. I think twice a year is overkill.
I take so many photos of my kids it started to seem silly and like a big waste of money to buy school photos just because I was in the habit of doing so. |
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09/20/2005 12:06:25 PM · #10 |
i've always much preferred shots of kids in their natural surroundings instead of their mug shots. i would just get their shot taken for the yearbook, and then do your own thing with your kids. you've got a more-than-capable camera, and you can take as many as you like. tell your kids its their reward for not having a crappy 8x10 displayed on gramma's dresser for all eternity.
school pics are such a rip. the only thing i really remember about school picture day is that you got a free comb.
my buddy emmett's class photos (2nd grade) got scheduled last year on st. patrick's day. the entire class was wearing green and it just looked stupid! don't people think?
if you HAVE to have a headshot/mugshot done, take the kid to sears or something. at least then you're there and you can bitch if the photo sucks! :) |
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09/20/2005 01:16:54 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by jpeters:
Originally posted by lhall:
Quite a few of the clients that have come to me during the last year have contacted me because of their dissatisfaction with the "packages" that they had to order. When they got the photos, they hated them, and hired me to do photos.
Seems to be somewhat common around here - (Virginia/Maryland area). |
Was this for school photos? Did they see your work before they hired you? |
Senior's portraits mostly, but that has led to a lot of childrens photos, with parents who have told me that they used to get their kids photos at Walmart or JCPenney, but have not been happy with those, and they truly hate the school photos.
And yes, they've all seen my work before they hired me.
Linda |
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09/20/2005 01:25:15 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by laurielblack:
Originally posted by robs:
And another thing (conspiracy): What is the point of "wallet" sized pictures and why must 400 of them be in all the packages? :-)) |
Here it's those little charm-sized ones...thousands of them. What in God's name does ANYONE do with 52 charm sized pictures (about the size of a US postage stamp) of their child? And when you are a sentimental packrat like me, you wind up with millions of them because you can't bear to throw them away, but have nothing else to do with them either. :/ |
Well, you could always personalize your Christmas cards... |
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09/20/2005 01:26:12 PM · #13 |
What I do is order one 8 x 10 plus a class photo and just scan the 8 x 10 to send a smaller version to my family only as they live overseas and it lessens the risk of losing it snail mail, it is cheaper that way. I just filled out the orders today for them. I'd prefer to see one basic shot before ordering.
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09/20/2005 01:32:20 PM · #14 |
I'd just like to add my own personal beef regarding the school shots we've been sent over the last couple of years of our daughter. In all of them, her eyes are closed. She blinks when a pre-flash goes off, so that when the shutter is fired, she is captured with closed eyes. I can get around this by using FEL. Surely these photographers could do better?
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09/20/2005 01:40:38 PM · #15 |
Could it be that the photographers prefer the "pay-before-you-see-em" way of doing things because then folks can't scan their own images, smudge out the "proof" markings, and print the photos for themselves.
I'm sure this happens quite a bit these days. |
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09/20/2005 01:53:50 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by lhall:
Originally posted by jpeters:
Originally posted by lhall:
Quite a few of the clients that have come to me during the last year have contacted me because of their dissatisfaction with the "packages" that they had to order. When they got the photos, they hated them, and hired me to do photos.
Seems to be somewhat common around here - (Virginia/Maryland area). |
Was this for school photos? Did they see your work before they hired you? |
Senior's portraits mostly, but that has led to a lot of childrens photos, with parents who have told me that they used to get their kids photos at Walmart or JCPenney, but have not been happy with those, and they truly hate the school photos.
And yes, they've all seen my work before they hired me.
Linda |
Oh, I think I read your first post wrong. I thought the saw your work, hired you, then were dissatisfied with your work (which didn't seem right), but they came to you because they were dissatisfied with the previous packages... gotcha!
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09/20/2005 02:37:58 PM · #17 |
I just went through getting my senior portrait, and I was really disapointed with the results. They underexposed all of the shots, so I had to drive back and re-take them. When I saw the shots I was disapointed. There was a lack of attention to detail that made the shots mediocre at best. The lighting seemed alkward, and my forearms were overexposed in three of the four shots I saw. They then proceded to charge a rediculous sum. $50 per 8x10 print sheet. I guess that that may be standard, but it seems rediculous for the five minute photoshoot which I had to do twice, and whatever developing was nessissary (they were shooting large format)
Message edited by author 2005-09-20 14:56:35. |
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