Bit of an...out there question

F

FluerVanderloo

New Member
I got my cap and gown pictures taken by Lifetouch, the people who rush pictures and make them look like shit. Not to mention, overcharge.

Anyway, these pictures are no exception to their crappyness, and the person I went to for drapes pics doesn't do cap and gown. Can anybody recommend places to go for pictures? Does Sears do these type of pictures? Any horror stories or good experiences with them?

For reference, putting up some of Lifetouch's drape crap. Cap and gown....maybe later.

In that first one, they decided not to use the hand with the class ring, and managed to cover my necklace. That was a big deal to me, and I told them I didn't want it covered (my grandmother's)

And in the second one, it just looks overall sloppy. They could have at least let me pull the bottom of my shirt down so my sides weren't showing like that.

I mean I'm picky in a few of them, but it's a lot of little picky things. These were the better of the proofs. In all but 2 cap and gown pictures my ear was sticking out of my hair, even though I told them to fix that for me. Grr.
 
Portait photography is such a hit-or-miss product - the quality of work is dependent on the skills of the photographer, not the business who employs the photographer, although some places won't employ photographers with questionable skills. If that makes any sense.

You could try looking in your local Yellow Pages for an independent photographer, and visit their studio to view samples of their work. If cost is a factor, Glamour Shots is reasonably priced and has studios all over the place, and they seem to employ photographers with higher skill levels. The trick is to not let them get too carried away with the props and makeup.

Best of luck,

- Sharky,

who has several friends who are very talented and successful independent photographers.
 
You mean there's a company that does high school stuff that's not named Jostens? Wow!

Actually, I remember some LifeTouch pictures sometime in my school career. I don't remember what other comapny/companies might have done my pics. I also don't remember which company it was that wins my honor for dumbest slogan ever: "Exclusively you! No one else but! In your school portraits!" It leads me to ask the old folk if any of them ever had to share their school pictures with another student.
 
When you graduate...do you get your cap and gown in advance? Or do you get it and give it back on the day of?
 
If you hire the photographer, as their employer, how do they get the right to say no to a cap & gown shot?
 
Nixy said:
When you graduate...do you get your cap and gown in advance? Or do you get it and give it back on the day of?
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We actually get to keep them, but I'm not sure when we get them. I was hoping for a good cap and gown pic so that I could send out wallets with my announcements (which I also...haven't gotten yet :blank: )

Gonz said:
If you hire the photographer, as their employer, how do they get the right to say no to a cap & gown shot?
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She used to work for Lifetouch (go figure) but quit and bought her own equipment. Works out of her basement. She simply doesn't have the cap and gown for the pictures.


And I never thought about Olan Mills. I got my pictures taken there when I was a baby. That's something I'll have to look into. Thanks :)
 
Ah, I missed th epart about her needing one. I thought you already had it. My bad.
 
Most of the kids portraits have been at Sears. Never had a problem. They're digital now, so you get to check out the shots before they're printed out. Someone keeps giving the missus coupons so we haven't had to pay a sitting fee yet, and the package prices are great.
 
FluerVanderloo said:
We actually get to keep them, but I'm not sure when we get them. I was hoping for a good cap and gown pic so that I could send out wallets with my announcements (which I also...haven't gotten yet :blank: )


Announcements that you are GOING to graduate or announcements that you HAVE graduated??

If it's the later then you could always get the shots done with your own cap and gown...even if it's a day or two after the ceremony...a lot of places have your pics for you within a week now.
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As far as staged pictures go, I don't see what's wrong with these ones - they look pretty good. :) I guess I can understand your quibble about the necklace though.
 
The first shot isn't bad, but I find you don't look natural in the second photo. it's as if it's forced. Good luck!
 
Nixy said:
FluerVanderloo said:
We actually get to keep them, but I'm not sure when we get them. I was hoping for a good cap and gown pic so that I could send out wallets with my announcements (which I also...haven't gotten yet :blank: )


Announcements that you are GOING to graduate or announcements that you HAVE graduated??

If it's the later then you could always get the shots done with your own cap and gown...even if it's a day or two after the ceremony...a lot of places have your pics for you within a week now.
Click to expand...

I was going to go with the ones that said I was going to graduate. I wonder if I can find a gown that a neighbor wore or something. Thing is, the girls have to wear white at my school. I'd rather black, but meh.
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They liked it when they took it, apparently. They did six pictures in five minutes, literally. There's two that I like, though. I can say that I like them. Just not sure if they're worthy to be ordered.

Second one for announcements?
 
You could try Sears, but you can't be picky about what you want with them.

I would find a friend with a decent camera, offer to pay all expenses for the film and devolping and take them to lunch. Then you can take whatever pics you want, how ever many you want and then pay for the roll to be devolped as your proofs. Then you just order whatever sizes (or the do it yourself boxes they have now) you need and viola! You have pictures that you like.

My senior pics turned out decent, but I had awful hair.
 
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