child photos...?

Question

what was your experince and would you recomend them, walmart, sears, or jcpenneys?

Answer 1

JC Penny or Sears, I work at Wal-Mart and I know people who have gotten pictures done there. They weren't very good, but I'm sure they are much cheaper.

Answer 2

I've done all three of those, and my best experience has been with Sears. WalMart did my son's baby pictures when he was a month old, and they were pretty good, but some of them are done at ackward angles and you can't see his face well, and the backgrounds and throws that they used didn't seem very nice. Also, it was hard to get the proper number of pictures with the package set-ups that they had. With my large family, we needed many smaller-size pictures, and the only packages with many of those also included things we didn't want at all, like a big huge puzzle made out of one of the pictures.

They have that really cheap package, less than $10 depending on which wal-mart you go to, but the problem with that is you only get one shot. If you have a kinda decent shot, and you say, lets try for a nother one, and then you take ten crappy shots, you can't go back to that decent one and use it for the package, you have to use the tenth crappy shot.

I will never go back to JCPenny's photo studio. The photographers were pushy and weren't good with small kids/babies. She took forever to set up the shots and by the time she got the second baby where she wanted him, the first one had crawled away. Also, they have a rule where you have to take off your shoes in the studio and you can't use a bottle to coax an infant into not crying. We have about a dozen shots of glassy-eyed, red-nosed babies who were all slouched half out of position.

I'm sure we would have had a better experience with a better photographer, but my sister-in-law and I found them to be overpriced, too.

We've done several sets at Sears, and actually have an appointment for next week to have 1-year-old portraits done. We haven't always had the same photographer, but each different one has always been well-trained to artistically set up shots and arrange poses and backgrounds, and they always managed to capture those fleeting expressions that babies and small kids have, like the laugh at a squeeky toy, or an eyebrow momentarily raised at something dumb. They also have the best package set-up out of the three, and can do great add-ons and little touches to the photos, like adding a border or making it black and white.

I bought a membership card with Sears, so I don't pay the sitting fee and we get coupons in email. Also, they have a really nicely designed website where we can order additional portraits for like 6 months afterwards.

I would definately recomend Sears, at least the one in my area (Cincinnati), and to get one of their memberships, too. It saves you at least $15 each visit.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I joined the Sears Smilesavers club about 5 months ago and LOVE it! I can make reservations online, there's never a wait, they are very patient with my now 10-month-old baby, and the pictures are always adorable! I can also view and order my photos online, and have the option of getting my pictures printed in the studio that day. (Usually, though, I just wait the 2 weeks for them to come in.)

That being said, uou should do one sitting at each place, if possible. (You can usually get a coupon for no sitting fees your first visit. Check online or American Baby magazine.) The type of service you get ultimately depends on the individual stores, as they contract out their photographers, so every store is a little different. For instance, I had the worst ever experience at the Target studio near me and would never ever go back. Yet, my friend in another state had a pretty decent experience.

Answer 4

I've seen some portraits come out of walmart studios that were framed completely wrong. We unfortunately don't have a jcpenney studio here (we're always recieving the best value coupons from there). We use Sears, I have the membership card that gives us free sittings, plus we can see them online almost immediately. Figure out BEFORE you visit the studio how many/what size portraits that you'll need or you'll probably find yourself overbuying. My sis uses Picture People and she likes it. If you have an Olan Mills in your area they also take AMAZING pics (though you do pay more).

Answer 5

Sears has some really awesome options. They have good backgrounds, borders, etc. There is also a way for them to have your photo etched into glass and it's just gorgeous, so if you want something extra special, check that out.

The sears photo employees have been very professional, take good shots, and have always been very kind to us. I have used Sears on the East coast and West coast and have had good luck at every store.

You can also try to do some yourself, and edit/print them at shutterfly.com. I have used that site for 4 years and LOVE how easy it is. Plus you can have them send your photos out to friends and relatives so you don't have to! I was buying Hallmark cards, putting in photos of babies and mailing them out...not any more! Shutterfly.com does it for you, so check that out, too.

Have fun and be sure you get in the photos sometimes too!

Answer 6

We use Wal-Mart from time to time and I really like their pictures. The photographers have been creative and the pictures inexpensive. I haven't been to JC Penney's but did once take my child to Sears. The difference between the two in this area is that Sears had a sitting fee and a range of backgrounds that were more traditional.

Answer 7

I had my daughter's photos done at her daycare (if there is a preschool there then they usually offer it) and then I went to a fotopia in the mall... it cost about 150 dollars less and the pictures are adorable. I like to get my daughter's pictures done fairly often so I go somewhere with good quality and not so expensive. I couldn't rationalize going to sears because they cost so much and there isn't a jcpenny photo center in the town I live.

Answer 8

I have been to all three and have seen good and bad at them all. the quality is deffinately better at Sears and pennys

I took my daughter to sears for her christmas pictures and they had a cool package thing to pick from so if you dont want the $9.99 for 40 pictures of the same pose package, you could mix and match. It was more expensive than the $9.99 but price wise it was comparable with anywhere else.

Answer 9

Sears are really good. They are used with kids. They were very patient when we went. I have a 6 months old and a 2 1/2 years old.

Answer 10

i like those cheap deals at Wal Mart. And the background choices arent that bad. People look more at the baby than at the background anyways though. Maybe the photos arent' great, but they'll be about the same as any other places with the same prices. Unless you want to go to a fancy place and pay hundreds.