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We've tried JCPenney and Kiddie Kandids, and Olan Mills in the past.
I'm planning on booking the Holiday pictures with Kiddie Kandids again, but am looking for some other suggestions for future reference. (Or maybe you might just convince me to switch now...)
With my personal experiences in the past, JCPenney portraits were nothing to brag about. Granted, they did give you more time than Kiddie Kandids. They switched to digital the DAY AFTER we had our sons newborn shots - but we were so upset that they didn't tell us they were switching that I grew a grudge. I would have WAITED one day to do those instead of the antique film. Not to mention the preview screens on the computers for us to pick from were so blurry we had to cross our fingers that it was even the right picture. But, that's a local issue - or at least I'd hope so.
The Kiddie Kandids are good, but I felt really rushed. They give you 15 minutes for all changes. I swore the photographer said there would be roughly 65 shots total, but I left with 12'ish options to pick from total. Kiddie Kandids isn't pricey unless you start adding in all of the graphics/text/pigments. The photo "booth's" are so squished together that it's hard to keep a child's concentration while there are screaming kids 6' away on both sides.
Olan Mills is expensive in my opinion. Nice shots usually, but their hours are restrictive.
Does anybody else have any suggestions that are not just local companies? It'd be nice if more than just my zip code benefited from this question.
We've tried JCPenney and Kiddie Kandids, and Olan Mills in the past.
I'm planning on booking the Holiday pictures with Kiddie Kandids again, but am looking for some other suggestions for future reference. (Or maybe you might just convince me to switch now...)
With my personal experiences in the past, JCPenney portraits were nothing to brag about. Granted, they did give you more time than Kiddie Kandids. They switched to digital the DAY AFTER we had our sons newborn shots - but we were so upset that they didn't tell us they were switching that I grew a grudge. I would have WAITED one day to do those instead of the antique film. Not to mention the preview screens on the computers for us to pick from were so blurry we had to cross our fingers that it was even the right picture. But, that's a local issue - or at least I'd hope so.
The Kiddie Kandids are good, but I felt really rushed. They give you 15 minutes for all changes. I swore the photographer said there would be roughly 65 shots total, but I left with 12'ish options to pick from total. Kiddie Kandids isn't pricey unless you start adding in all of the graphics/text/pigments. The photo "booth's" are so squished together that it's hard to keep a child's concentration while there are screaming kids 6' away on both sides.
Olan Mills is expensive in my opinion. Nice shots usually, but their hours are restrictive.
Does anybody else have any suggestions that are not just local companies? It'd be nice if more than just my zip code benefited from this question.
I'd prefer not to have to pay an arm and a leg.
Well, if you don't mind flying over here, i'll take the shots!
Don't know what to tell you, i've never used neither places, as i do my own photography. May be you can find decent one in your area, private photogs are charging probably a little more, but they will be much more flexible.
We've tried JCPenney and Kiddie Kandids, and Olan Mills in the past.
I'm planning on booking the Holiday pictures with Kiddie Kandids again, but am looking for some other suggestions for future reference. (Or maybe you might just convince me to switch now...)
With my personal experiences in the past, JCPenney portraits were nothing to brag about. Granted, they did give you more time than Kiddie Kandids. They switched to digital the DAY AFTER we had our sons newborn shots - but we were so upset that they didn't tell us they were switching that I grew a grudge. I would have WAITED one day to do those instead of the antique film. Not to mention the preview screens on the computers for us to pick from were so blurry we had to cross our fingers that it was even the right picture. But, that's a local issue - or at least I'd hope so.
The Kiddie Kandids are good, but I felt really rushed. They give you 15 minutes for all changes. I swore the photographer said there would be roughly 65 shots total, but I left with 12'ish options to pick from total. Kiddie Kandids isn't pricey unless you start adding in all of the graphics/text/pigments. The photo "booth's" are so squished together that it's hard to keep a child's concentration while there are screaming kids 6' away on both sides.
Olan Mills is expensive in my opinion. Nice shots usually, but their hours are restrictive.
Does anybody else have any suggestions that are not just local companies? It'd be nice if more than just my zip code benefited from this question.
I'd prefer not to have to pay an arm and a leg.
Have done JC Penneys, Portrait Innovations & Picture People.
Penneys...awful...looked like my son was wearing lipstick. Portrait Innovations...they kept waving this feather thing in his face & he's 3...that went over great along with the fake ocean background they put up & told him he was at the beach...he asked "Where's the water?"
Our last trip was to Portrait Innovations. We were rushed b/c as the girl said "It's close to our lunch time & we like to get out of here."
We were at the mall yesterday & the line for Kiddie Kandids was out the door. I wanted to hug those poor families who looked like they were on the brink of sanity.
I've sworn off these sort of places. We have a very good professional studio in our area but right now our budget can't support it.
Have come to the conclusion the pics we take in the backyard & in our home turn out really nice.
Kodak Gallery online has a great edit feature which really allows for very specific touchups, cropping & creativity.
This year we had a beautiful fall. Several days ago we had the perfect sunny & 65 degree day..took my boys out back in their CMas pic outfits, put them in their playset tower & took the pic...looks awesome. Stress free & no rushing.
I also like Olan Mills, but they are pricey.
Maybe Picture People. Even call around to local professional photographers. With today's economy, I am sure you can get a great deal & may even be able to get the pics in your own home which takes away the rush & stress IMO.
We like Picture People. Last year was a wonderful experience overall! They allowed us to change several times and we had the room for at least 2 hours. This year when I went to book not only did we get the room we wanted with the time slot, but they have arranged for Santa to come on certain days and we got our time with Santa booked as well. They take pics with Santa and the kids but they said that the pics are interactive meaning the kids don't just sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they want. He actually comes in and plays with the kids and talks with them for like half and hour. We are very happy with Picture People and just an FYI, we have been to Olan Mills, which I was not impressed with, Sears, again, not impressed with and because there are not many places around here, we even tried Wal-Mart. Now, believe it or not the first year that we went to Wal-Mart was a great experience and the pics turned out well all things considered. The second year we went to Wal-Mart, the photographer was horrible and we had her fired for a number of reason but she was ridiculous! We never went back. Picture People is my top vote!
We used to use an independent photographer, but we felt she was overpriced for what we got and not particularly innovative. We used a different independent guy after that and he was okay, but a far drive. There are some other independent photographers in the area that look like they take awesome pics, but they are way out of our price range, so we haven't tried them. The ones we used I would say were just mediocre, though I do have one shot from the 2nd guy that I think is really great and I will always treasure.
Then last time we just went to Portrait Innovations. We felt their pictures were generally just as good as the independent guys we'd seen and much more reasonably priced. We didn't feel rushed or pressured or anything, and they took like 60 pictures, which we got on a CD. We'll probably go back.
We were at the mall yesterday & the line for Kiddie Kandids was out the door. I wanted to hug those poor families who looked like they were on the brink of sanity.
Everytime I see a line like that I think... "Do those people NOT know what an APPOINTMENT is?" They get me upset... I take the time to make an appointment and they bring their kids, no appointment to stand in a line for 4 hours with no snacks or naptime, disrupting MY picture time with my kids, while they complain on the phone to their friends and their kids run wild... no pity. Just disgust on my part.
If you have a Portrait Innovations near you, give it a try. There is no sitting fee and you can choose a package for $9.95. Based on quality and price, it's one of my favorite places for pictures.
We were at the mall yesterday & the line for Kiddie Kandids was out the door. I wanted to hug those poor families who looked like they were on the brink of sanity.
Everytime I see a line like that I think... "Do those people NOT know what an APPOINTMENT is?" They get me upset... I take the time to make an appointment and they bring their kids, no appointment to stand in a line for 4 hours with no snacks or naptime, disrupting MY picture time with my kids, while they complain on the phone to their friends and their kids run wild... no pity. Just disgust on my part.
Even better, the Kiddie Kandids at our mall is next to the children's play area...."Mooooommmmmmyyyy, I want to PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Really, our backyard has worked better than our times to the mall photographer.
Most depends on who is shooting the pics. These aren't professional photographers & most of the time young kids working on min wage...sorta of a crap shot but there are good ones out there....trial & error
We used Target this year and last. I was pleased with them. The kids were difficult (my 2 + my sister's 3), but the photographer was very patient and we were able to get a picture we liked. The price was good-we used a coupon-and the "no sitting fee" was for all of the kids in the picture, not just 1.
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