NOT to want to pay £29 for a school photo???

[PiedWagtail]

My school has got Tempest to do 'modern' class photos - long thin ones with the kids in small groupings with props - they cost £12.50 for a print, or £29 framed. They're awkward to find a place for, too big, too expensive (to get both my ds's class photos would be £58!!) - who can afford that?

Just emailed the school sec with my feedback and she said they have just had positive feedback - so AIBU??

What are your school pics like and how much are they? I just want a record of my dc in each school year, and their friends, and don't want to pay a fortune for it!!

[natation]

You're all being ripped off. I just paid £12 for a large individual photo, 8 smaller photos + also class photo! Well it's rare that something from Belgium costs less than the same thing in the UK.

[BridgetJonesPants]

DD's class had one of these when she was in P1. I bought the framed photo (if I hadn't the photo would never have been framed).

We have it up in the playroom / office and it looks lovely.

Hopefully her class will have one done when they're in P7 and I'll buy that as well.

When she's older (like me) it will be a lovely reminder of her class.

[spotsdots]

May I ask the photographers (those taking "modern" school photos) why the "modern" pose and not the "tradition" ones.

I received 3 snap shots/ sample of the 2 picture/ pose. There are 14 different price package options and you need to choose whether colour, B&W or sepia on each sample. The price range is £9.50 and £40. The samples are so small I had to use a magnifying glass to see dc's face .

[PiggyPlumPie]

I quite liked the long modern £29 one I got this year.....

At our school we alternate yearly between individual and class photos so only one lot to pay each year. I like taking the mickey admiring all the other beautiful children!

[bumpy06]

I have just got my first one of these. I stupidly didn't think about it and bought an unframed group one. it is lovely but I can't find a frame for it anywhere it is 12 x 5
help

[Flyingtree]

Year group shots are good nostalgia, but how easy is it to put your child in full school uniform, stand them against a blank wall in your home, switch all the lights on, use flash, take your own photo, then get it size adjusted on your pooter and send it off to Tesco online photo print for 11p...

[bumpy06]

I can easily get a frame for the individual ones and i bought the group one as well thinking we would file it away for nostalgia purposes but my ds loves it and wants to put it on his bedroom wall. If it goes up unframed it won't last a week but that size seems impossible to frame. Have spent ages trawling websites to no avail

[Decoy]

That sounds far too expensive. At the very least, they should offer a simple snapshot taken by a teacher for those who don't want to pay £29.

[ShiftyFades]

Our nursery has had both types.
2 years ago it was the standard head &shoulders, DS had a lovely cheeky smile in them and I bought them for everyone he's close to.
Last year they had the Tempest ones, they were ok. I did chose a "modern" pose (him lying Down with his legs bent up behind him, it looks nice as he's in his own clothes.
But the cost was shocking, I bought unframed ones and gave them to grandparents only.

I spoke to the manager of the nursery who said they'd had lots of comments about the price and they wouldn't be using Tempest again because of it.

[Miggsie]

Last couple of school photos were appalling - badly framed, badly lit - DD looked like she was going down with jaundice or some osrt of fatal skin disease. Her friend looked like someone was slowly inflating her head due to a very poor camera angle.

I now take my own and get a nice print from photobox (the online photo printng place) at a fraction of the price.

I also found a local professional photographer - he did 60 shots for £45 of DD - then sends a CD with them on and I ordered a selection of prints (Again from photobox). He also did a passport suitable shot.

I do wonder where they find these "photographers" to do school pictures, they have n idea about lighting or framing - I can do better myself - and DH does the photoshop where required (he very nicely paints out my grey hair!)

[IneedAyoniNickname]

Our school does this too, and I just cannot afford them. sometimes I buy the individual shots, but not the class ones.

Some of the others mums are aghast that i dont buy them, will my children explode or something because I haven't?

[Dahlen]

The trick to surviving your child's school years is to develop a thick skin. Just brazen it out and refuse to buy them. Most parents are guilted into these things anyway because they don't want to be that parent. The truth is no teacher can remember from one year to the next who bought what.

Personally, I'd love to say to my DCs school if I promise to pay you £25 per term, will you please stop sending me tat to buy/requests for donations.

[amazingmumof6]

never bought the class ones. only individual ones , but getting less precious about them.

also refused to buy book of poems written by the class or pay £8.00 for DS3's "artwork". he can do them at home for free - his words not mine!
I won't feel guilty that the money was raised for the school PTA fund - a few years ago the then PTA chair ran off with over 2 grand ..fool me once

[Ness1234]

yes!

[Hashtagwhatever]

My dc school does this style also,

You need a magnifying glass just to spot which one is your child. Awful layout.

[LeonardWentToTheOffice]

Group ones are crap and overpriced - I don't want a picture that's made up of lots of little ones and pasted together. I want a group photo ie a snap taken of all the kids togther in a group, as for the unnatural poses of kids leaning on teachers' shoulders etc - arghh! I don't buy them every year. I do get the individual ones though.

[LaGuardia]

YANBU. I hate them. I am always amazed that parents buy them. The schools get A LOT of commission from every sale, hence the exhorbitant price.

[LordSugar]

I never buy whole class photos.

£29 for a photo is a total rip off.

[unlucky83]

Actually (or at least for the group I'm involved with) the commission is 20% of the take less vat -so for the £29 picture the school gets £4.50ish -
I would imagine this goes towards subsidising school trips etc...rather than the staff biscuit supplies -but could be wrong...

Anyway I hate the big long ones ...I got two last year - had one in P1 and one in P7 - I got ones without frames - mainly because at some point you are going to want to store them away and framed you will need a huge box!( having said that maybe you could get one framed - and then future ones not framed - replace the photo in the frame and store the old one in the tube...I much much prefer the old style! The modern style photos have rubbish props, no idea why they grouped as they are ...and you can't see your dcs face as well ...

[AmberSocks]

we havnt been offered one with the whole class yet,dont know why they do one who would want a photo of the whole class?

[cinnamonsugar]

My child's school sent out text messages to all parents at 8.30am this morning - to advise us school photographs were being taken today. What was the point? Nursery used Tempest last year and I don't think we bought them, not sure what school is going to come up with though!

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

They are expensive aren't they ?
I got some nice ones for a few years with DD and DS together, when they were at the same school.
I quite like the one of DS this year, but am still wondering whether to get it, even though it's past the proper deadline.
He's in Y6, so as we get nearer to the end of year I'm more inclined to get it (as he'll be leaving primary soon)

[fruitcorner]

So glad to have found this thread, I thought I was the only killjoy at my DCs' school who doesn't like these photos. Ours are £13 for cheapest ( plus cost of silly shaped frame) as I have 3 kids, that's £39 - far too much and I hate the posey photos whereas I quite like the stodgy photos of rows of kids. Now feel fired up to mention it to school .....

[uncongenial]

My DM and grandmother have the old long class photos from their schooldays, I was surprised to see that style again.

[Hulababy]

I never buy a framed version of any school photos, and especially the class photo. I don't want a photo of DD and her class actually up in my living room. I buy an unframed print which DD keeps (normally comes with a cardboard frame thing anyway) in her room and then it goes in her memory box.

I think £12.50 is standard