School Photos

[kmarie9]

So my son came home today with his first ever school picture and I'm absolutely gutted because it's awful not in the sense of his expression or anything but his head and shoulders are just about in the picture and he has a navy school jumper and they've taken it on a black background.. so pretty much looks like a floating head. Would I be unreasonable to complain about this to the school? I could understand if he was pulling a face and it wasn't great but the background and the fact they haven't even bothered to centre him properly I'm so disappointed.. this was his first one and of course I wanted to buy it but I refuse to waste money on such a poor image when they are so expensive!

That sounds awful. If you don’t like it, why not get your DS in his school uniform and take a better photo of him and get a nice frame. Or get a professional photo taken.
I’m not sure it’s worth complaining to the school, unless the photographer is due to come in again soon and you could get it retaken? That was the case for a boy in my. DS’ class, the photographer was coming into the nursery and he got his photo retaken that day. Maybe contact the photographer directly and let them know you are dissatisfied with the photo, not sure it will do much good but at least they could take your feedback on board, even if they don’t offer to do anything about it.

Complain because we had a bloody awful one in our school for years and it was only when parents stopped buying them in droves that someone suggested shopping around for another company.

Yes, actually, MuchBetterNow makes a good point. Is there a class WhatsApp group or anything whereby you could quite quickly find out whether other parents feel similar and if they are also refusing to buy it?

Thanks both - I did think about just taking one myself so will definitely keep that in mind. Not sure on a Watsapp group there is a Facebook page but anything 'negative' is not aloud glad to know others would feel the same. I might ring the reception in the morning after I have spoken to a couple of parents and explain - hopefully they might be doing the older ones tomorrow! DS is at breakfast club so makes it difficult to communicate with the teachers unfortunately.

I think 'mention' would be better than 'complain'.

School photos are rarely good, I haven’t bought any but I have printed the photo I have taken of him at the beginning of each year, so he’s in school uniform, usually with a nice tree or something in the background instead of a random back drop and an awkward smile

Dress him up in uniform take him to your local Max Spielman and get them to take a few shots job done

They’re usually not very good, so I got into the habit of making sure I take my own photos at the start of the new school year, plus another one at the end - ideally standing in the same place for height comparisons. When they’re grown up, those will hold more memories for us than the expensive school portrait ones. More natural posing for me than a school photographer too. I usually get mine to pose a few ways, so a nice smiling one, a funny face one, a posing one. Sometimes get better outcomes that way too.
Don’t complain, but do mention to a teacher or receptionist if you get a chance. If they get lots of similar feedback, they might take it on board and change them next time.

I had my DD's reception ones retaken in max spielman! Just took her in in her uniform and got some lovely photos

God they are all awful. After about 2 years of awfulness I saved my money and every 2 -3 years or so I go to the local nature reserve in autumn with the DCs and a fabulous photographer for a lifestyle shoot. Costs about £120 - but I get 20 odd brilliant photos I actually want and am happy to have in frames/give to GPs. Doesn't cost a great deal more and totally worth it.

Mention it, but nowadays, who cares about individual school photos anyway? Most phones have a decent cameras if you don't own a proper one, it's so easy and cheap to take a picture yourself.

I am amazed these companies are still in business frankly.

Our school tried a new photographer one year....hardly anyone bought them!!! Totally fake forced smiles, stiff looking and just didn't look nice.
The teacher did stand at the door reminding parents that photo orders needed to be in by such and such date...I simply said "oh we won't be ordering they weren't very good pictures" she replied that quite a few parents had said the same.

Year later they went back to their old one...who has props and jokes to make the children laugh so it's a more natural looking smile.

We did the same as Ilikesweetpeas and Didkdt - not everywhere has Max Speilmann but possibly another similar shop? Our school photos are usually good and I don't have an issue with buying them, but DS hadn't taken his glasses off that year and I prefer without for school photos.

Your feedback with respect to the unsuitable background should be taken on board, I can't see why the photographers can't bring a white and a coloured background with them, or at least check the school's uniform from their website if they don't know what it's like. The background you mention sounds weird as ours have always been posed against a white or light blue background, and I thought that would be standard as it suits most uniform colours?

I have taken photos of DS in uniform when it's been a significant change, like a new school, but I don't get the lighting arranged as well as the professionals so I do like to buy theirs sans glasses

Thanks all! We don't have a max spielmann nearby but will probably just end up taking a few myself on the weekend. I was probably just spoilt with his nursery ones maybe I had high expectations. Will definitely mention it though when I get the chance as I think if everyone just pretends they are okay nothing is likely to change..

My son's is awful this year. They took 3 and they are all bad!!

We just laughed out loud at the 'proofs ' we got sent for my daughter. In one she has her eyes shut..what photographer thinks that will make a good school photo? All three are awful and my daughter was quite upset about it.

We are going with the 'dress in your uniform, we will take a few photos and you can pick' option.

I guess it's what happens when heads or secretaries give the contracts to their mates.