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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not want to buy a school photo?

43 replies

EllieG · 19/03/2008 20:53

DSD bought the proofs home today - they are OK, nice enough, but very expensive and frankly, we have far nicer photos of her. I really object to paying for something quite bog standard - dull and posed though technically fine.

My problem is - I feel hugely guilty - not having done this before - is this a thing parents have to buy or they are awful bad parents who will be tutted about in the staff room? I just can't see the point of them and think they are a bit of a waste of money. Our nearest and dearest can have photos of her anytime, we have a great digital camera and printer, and we have loads of lovely ones.

OP posts:

motherinferior · 19/03/2008 20:54

Most people do buy them. I can't remember if we bought one of DD1 - we did get a class one, I think, they're quite fun.

LucyJones · 19/03/2008 20:55

well she might want it in years to come when she is trying to remember all her friends

WanderingTrolley · 19/03/2008 20:56

If you feel very guilty, can you stretch to the cheapest one?

Even if it's not the greatest photo, it's nice to have them year to year to see how your dcs change, I think.

But not everyone buys them.

joyfulspike · 19/03/2008 20:56

I buy the large one, but only becuase the preschool get a proportion of the proceeds.

WiiMii · 19/03/2008 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WiiMii · 19/03/2008 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kbear · 19/03/2008 20:56

I didn't buy DD's once because she looked like she had been dragged through a hedge and her plaits had all come undone and no one had bothered to sort her out before the picture. £25 to stick in the drawer - no thanks. (but did feel like bad mother of the year!).

Didn't buy DS's last year cos it was identical to his reception photo and we were a bit skint!

Don't feel bad, it's not like there isn't a single photo of your child and they are bloody expensive.

ingles2 · 19/03/2008 20:57

Have never bought one and never will. They're always dreadful and very naff imo (sorry if you like them)

Aitch · 19/03/2008 20:57

the class ones are a MUST. i love my old school photos, they're hilarious. always that one girl at the front with her legs hanging open and her knickers showing. (not me)

DoubleBluff · 19/03/2008 20:59

I normally buy the end of year class ones.
But some of the portrait ones have been dreadful so don't bother with them.
Although my dad said ' You should buy them otherwise they'll think you think they are ugly!'

meemar · 19/03/2008 21:00

I don't think the staff will worry in the slightest about which parents have bought a school photo!

Don't feel pressured into buying one, maybe for the first year at school, or the year they leave it's nice to have. But unless it is a particularly good photo I think it's probably a waste of money.

ChasingSquirrels · 19/03/2008 21:01

ds only in reception, haven't had class ones yet. had individual ones in Oct and they were actually really fantastic - but I didn't buy any as we don't have pictures up - but we do have the laptop in the lounge with My Pictures as a screensaver so get random shots up all the time. I went onto the website (we got a card with 4 small pics on and a user login to get online to look at and order all the pictures) and did soe screen dumps of the pictures and cut and pasted to exclude the watermark. Not good enough quality to print, but that doesn't matter to me. Inlaws brought some, I'll have them in 30 years when I need the memories!

LucyJones · 19/03/2008 21:02

i put our old ones on facebook so all my friends could laugh at how daft we looked

KellyKateneedsaholiday · 19/03/2008 21:02

I havent bought dcs school photos for last couple of years because they havent been good photos. I bought one 3 yrs ago and photocopied it myself as I wasnt paying a fortune for the photos.
Quite a lot of parents at dcs school dont buy them because of price/ rubbish pictures.
I would buy one if it was a class photo but not the family ones.
If you dont want them dont buy them and take your own pictures of them in their uniforms.

avenanap · 19/03/2008 21:02

I buy one every 2 years. I have to get the grandparents too. The school took one of him a couple of years ago in a christmas setting, it was lovely and every time mil comes round she's always saying that she wants one aswell. TOUGH! it's a one off!. I hate paying for the photo's, it's almost as if they expect you to buy one for them and they are not cheap.

ELR · 19/03/2008 21:03

did not buy dds this year and dont plan to unless a really good pic which is rare!! last year they had the photos taken on halloween, with a company called night owls dd has a real owl on her shoulder and a realy good smile so i bought it.
Dont feel guilty

Original poster

EllieG · 19/03/2008 21:03

I might think about the class one then...I felt a bit uncaring that's all, as I think she was expecting me to be all 'Ooo I must have one of them!' but I really can't get excited about them. Her hair is all sticking up and although she looks very pretty, as she does in all photos, I have waaaaay nicer ones at home. Kinda think is a rip off for a very dull pic. I don't think she was disappointed though - we look at photos of her and have nice ones out so she knows I am interested etc and is not about me being uncaring. Maybe I should just tell that to her more definitely just to make sure.

OP posts:

Beauregard · 19/03/2008 21:03

Haven't bought one yet as both years they have been awful,crooked tie,undone cardigan,horrid camera angle,nervous smile etc etc etc.
Would rather save £30 and do it myself.

Original poster

EllieG · 19/03/2008 21:06

Oh I feel better now. I was worried was bad, bad step-mummy. Her uniform is all crooked and is just her grinning in front of blue background. T'aint worth £25.

OP posts:

fedupwasherwoman · 19/03/2008 21:27

We lost the proof copy package so couldn't return it with an order form but didn't want to buy them anyway they were rubbish.

Nursery used a much more creative photographer who managed to catch ds with a half smile so that his eyes weren't all screwed up like they are when he smiles big time. Honestly you couldn't see his eyes at all on the school ones and they use the same photographer each year so I can't see us ever buying any !

Original poster

EllieG · 19/03/2008 21:37

DSD has a lovely smile, but for some reason, when she is posing, she smiles like a chipmunk and looks all teeth, bless her.

OP posts:

hellbell · 19/03/2008 21:43

Please don't feel bad. I haven't bought any of my DD photos for 2 reasons. 1. Like you, I have nicer ones on my PC and 2. I didn't ask for them to be taken, and I don't have to buy them. I take on board comments about the class photo, though, although I never remember to write on the names of the other children.

WallOfSilence · 19/03/2008 21:46

Did her mum buy one?

I'm sure if she bought one then the little girl will be OK.

What did dp/dh think of them?

SorenLorensen · 19/03/2008 21:48

I don't buy the individual ones if they are really dreadful, but I do tend to buy the class ones as they are nice to look back on in years to come (I still have all mine...boy, was I a dorky looking child )

AbbeyA · 19/03/2008 21:51

I don't see why you feel guilty-I buy them if I like them and don't buy them if I don't like them-the school doesn't care either way.

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