To really hate group class photos?

[TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt]

I didn't buy DD's class photo this year because I can't bear all the fake casualness. The kids are all over the place - sprawled on the grass or leaning against trees. One was sitting on a tree-stump, sideways on to the camera for some reason. DD was arm-in-arm with another girl and scowling. The photographer had told her to pose like that with her "buddy". The girl in question is the one child in the class that DD really doesn't get on with. (Hence the scowl).

Maybe I'm just hopelessly old fashioned but what was wrong with the row of benches, folded arms and cheesy grins? At least you could see everyone's face. Is it just me?

I wouldn't like the casual style ones as you've described, but have to admit I've bought every single class, and individual, and sibling group photo from all three of my children (even the class one that my child wasn't on as they had Chicken Pox ) and they each have an album with their own photos in to look back on.
My mums purchase of my school photos was haphazard and they are spread out all over the place with some of them missing altogether, with my own kids I wanted a display book with all their school reports in, in order and a photo album with all their school photos in, in order. This is the only area of my life which I have been super organised in I hasten to add!

That's OK Metalmum! The photo was so badly done in terms of who was stood with who that us mums wondered if the teacher was having a laugh. I didn't care as I had no intention of spending 14 quid on a single photo anyhow.

I've still got some of my class photos from late 60's/early 70's. Can't remeber the names of everyone on them though.

DD's school didn't do class photos but DS's did. Thankfully they were still doing the standing in row type pictures - no way would DS have agreed to doing a stupid pose with or without a prop!

We did old fashioned style last year. This year I had to kneel up while two children posed with their hands on my shoulders.

I'm definitely in the 'sit in rows with cheesy grins' camp.

I never knew class pictures were like this til I saw my neice's. Awful! Dunno what DD's school (which she starts in September) have their pictures like. I'll only buy the single ones anyway, like my mum always said "why would I want a load of other kids on my mantelpiece"

Then again I'm also not a fan of the whole modern family photo of a white background and mum and dad on space hoppers and babies in a plant pot or any of that crap.