GVJ
New Member
Posts: 9 
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Post by GVJ on Oct 8, 2014 21:11:35 GMT
This is my first time playing this game. My daughter is in Kindergarten. I am trying to navigate the somewhat ambiguous LifeTouch website. I see an option under Individual Products to order a CD... but the description includes the words "A CD with each Portrait background you ordered". What does this exactly mean? Can I get ONLY a CD? Or can I only order a CD if I order pics, and does the CD ONLY have the images I have ordered from LifeTouch? I just don't like prepaying for photos that I might totally hate. They say they'll retake them and they guarantee that I will like my pics. But, my daughter has Autism and I'm just totally unsure how this whole experience will go.  And I don't usually treasure and scrapbook bad photos. And am I a bad Mom for maybe thinking I should just do my own pics? |
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Post by bc2ca on Oct 8, 2014 21:20:34 GMT
I stopped ordering school pictures after my youngest was in 2nd or 3rd grade because I realized we never gave them to anyone (we do gift loads of candid photos to relatives), so am really answering the last question  which is no, you are not a bad mom for doing your own. I can't remember if the CD could be ordered on its own, or had to be as part of a package. I seem to remember getting a strip of proofs with 4 poses that we could pick from. Sorry not much help. |
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Post by templatequeen on Oct 8, 2014 21:23:08 GMT
I think you have to order a package the cd's is only an add on option.
We could not buy just the cd.
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Post by myshelly on Oct 8, 2014 21:23:18 GMT
They're Lifetouch pics.
They probably won't be good.
I would just order the absolute smallest/cheapest pics you can.
If you do like them you can order more later as long as you order some to begin with.
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,635
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Post by amom23 on Oct 8, 2014 21:55:03 GMT
Our school uses Lifetouch and honestly my kids photos always turn out good. Maybe I just have cute kids lol! I always buy a package and share photos with all the grandparents, etc. In my opinion there is nothing else like the school photos hanging on the wall.  |
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Post by stephgg on Oct 8, 2014 22:05:56 GMT
I can't remember which company my daughter's school used (we should be getting the pics back any day), but I ordered cd only photo and cd only class picture. $15 for each cd, so $30 total which was cheaper than any package. I hope that's ok because I haven't heard that it isn't.
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Post by moveablefeast on Oct 8, 2014 22:20:19 GMT
I've been happy with lifetouch pics every year we have gotten them.
I buy a package with the cd for $26. It has some 5x7s and some other stuff. It's good enough and I can print more if I want. There really aren't any packages I truly want but this one works fine.
they do a retake day and if the retake is still bad, you can go to their studio and have an on site retake. But I have never needed a retake. They try really hard to get a decent picture the first time.
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Post by freecharlie on Oct 8, 2014 22:31:47 GMT
My kids had great life touch pics.
Op, does it possibly mean if you order multiple backgrounds, you have to get multiple cds and would have to pay separately?
I always order pics. Even the ones that come out bad make me smile. They are my kids and they aren't always lookin perfect iykwim
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Post by cmpeter on Oct 8, 2014 23:07:19 GMT
That has been my experience too (and I have cute kids!)
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Post by johna on Oct 8, 2014 23:35:45 GMT
hey, GJ!! I wanted to say you are NOT a bad mom for taking your own! I did my boys' senior pictures and I am not a good photographer. I got some good shots, though, and we were all happy.
I say do what you want and will make you feel good about your decision. I also don't like pre-paying.
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GVJ
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by GVJ on Oct 8, 2014 23:48:44 GMT
My kids had great life touch pics. Op, does it possibly mean if you order multiple backgrounds, you have to get multiple cds and would have to pay separately? I always order pics. Even the ones that come out bad make me smile. They are my kids and they aren't always lookin perfect iykwim I don't know about the multiple backgrounds etc. It's all a little much. Like Johna, I can't get past the whole pre-pay concept. |
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Post by freecharlie on Oct 8, 2014 23:53:34 GMT
I know when my kids had their daycare pic by life touch we'd get the pics with various backgrounds. I don't remember if we prepaid or not.
All school pictures around here are prepaid, but if you don't order, the company here will send a sheet home telling you it isn't too late to order, but it does cost more.
Life touched will have the pics available to order online after picture day and you should be able to order from there
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MsKnit
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
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Post by MsKnit on Oct 9, 2014 0:02:29 GMT
I've always been happy with the school pictures. The boy's schools used LT and someone else.
This years pics are bad though. No idea what company did them. Thankfully, the boy is a senior and it's only his school ID.
Too bad his senior yearbook is going to have all the underclassmen with creeper poses.
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Oct 9, 2014 0:03:58 GMT
I am sorry yo are having a difficult time with this... I really hated lifetouch here in our area. We did the ordering of the school pictures for years and wasn't really that impressed so we stopped buying them. We would have her get her picture taken for so she would be in the year book but we started taking her picture when we bought husbands SLR camera. After that we got some really nice pictures and we had the background we liked and the pose we liked.
When daughter was in 3rd grade they took pictures twice a year. once in the fall and once in the spring. not sure why they did that. The one in the fall sucked but the one in the spring was nice.
Her grandma used to take her(from the time she was a baby until she started school) to Olan Mills Portrait and they did a great job...
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GVJ
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by GVJ on Oct 9, 2014 2:02:06 GMT
Whoa! I just figured out I could LIKE posts! Yeah baby! I think I'll just order one sheet in case I can't order online later without a preorder. Thanks for all your input. It looks like it's just one pose, but it looks like two because one is cropped and enlarged face only, and it looks like they do digital backgrounds. So I think I'll be good with the one sheet. I just hate when things are ambiguous!
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:03:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 2:20:06 GMT
Just wanted to say I'm glad you asked this because it reminded me that DD's order is due tomorrow! I confess I've ordered the smallest packages I can each year for my kids... because they aren't super-great photos, and I think they're kinda pricey. And I've never actually given any of the photos away! This year our oldest is graduating from grade 8... I am going to take her school portraits and put them in a little mini album to give to the grandmothers. |
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scrappinghappy
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“I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say “Hello.” Goodbye. I’m late...."
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Post by scrappinghappy on Oct 9, 2014 2:39:58 GMT
school photos are nice if your kids are not photographed very often. Many families don't even own a camera and in some the only cameras are the ones on their cell phones. School photos are consistent quality, taken about the same time every year and so a good record of childhood growth. I have definitely purchased some myself but not in the last 10 years or so as I realize we never really like them. We much prefer less posed, more candid shots for the photos we share with friends and family and display at home.
You are not a bad mom for not buying a package and doing your own shoot.
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styxgirl
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Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Oct 9, 2014 3:34:24 GMT
We've gotten good school pics from Lifetouch for the traditional school pics you pre-pay for.
Now, the spring "casual" ones that they send the deluxe packet home and you only pay for what you keep? They're usually a mess. EXCEPT this year, I liked BOTH of my kids' pics except one was really zoomed out and one was really zoomed in! I called them and got the run-around several times and then finally talked to someone to ask them to reprint them so their faces would be the same relative sizes in the frames that will sit side-by-side and they aid NOPE, SORRY. So I sent the packets back and bought nothing.
ETA: for the regular school pics I usually buy the smallest packet I can with an 8x10 for the house and a 5x7 for my desk at work. I have all of my 8x10s from my school years and it is really cool to have them all and see how I grew up. I want the same thing for my girls. :-) |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Oct 9, 2014 3:41:44 GMT
I have found that my kids don't exchange photos with friends like we did when I was a kid. I usually buy the smallest package possible that has a 5x7 (I like that for the scrapbook). This year one of my kids lost his order form so we ordered after the pics were taken. I believe the cost was the same, but I had to pay for shipping. I pre-ordered the packages for the other kids. They turned out ok, but I definitely take better. But, I feel like there is something about having that traditional school photo that makes me order at least a few.
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Post by Basket1lady on Oct 9, 2014 3:50:06 GMT
I just order them and hope for the best. The goofy ones are actually the ones I like now that my kids are teens. But I'm sure I wasn't happy at the time! I get the smallest package that has an 8x10 because that what I started with in preschool. I have sent pictures back and I did retakes twice. The photographers are much more careful with retakes and let the kids look at the pictures. Really, I just want their eyes open.
You can volunteer to help the teacher with picture day. It's tough to wrangle a room full of kindergarteners and make sure their hair is combed and glasses are clean. That may help your DD be more comfortable with the process.
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dantemia
Full Member
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Jun 27, 2014 19:28:17 GMT
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Post by dantemia on Oct 9, 2014 4:48:42 GMT
If you pre pay online, google Life Touch coupon codes, I got 10% off.
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Post by betty on Oct 9, 2014 5:26:47 GMT
I was just on the Lifetouch website tonight for the first time because my 4th grader fogot to turn in his $.
We can order after the photos are taken and it let me change the background. Some of the backgrounds gave me more of my son w/his hands in his pockets than the traditional school shoulders & up photo we get with prepay. There was also a 10% coupon on the reminder envelope he brought home from school.
I like these changes from the usual prepay, get horrible photo with blue background like in the old days.
Oh, and his photos are viewable until sometime in 2015. Plenty of time.
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tikibay
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Post by tikibay on Oct 9, 2014 12:05:02 GMT
With us you have to either buy the package that offers it or buy another package and purchase that as an add on. I LOVE LifeTouch. They do a great job. They have an awesome feature that only the K-5 kids get here. Which is you can go on-line to order/pay for your package and choose all different backgrounds for each sheet you get. I always thought that was neat since I couldn't just pick one background. But for my oldest in 7th we don't get that option. I've never had a sheet I didn't like and we buy them Fall & Spring.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,539
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Post by iowgirl on Oct 9, 2014 13:02:03 GMT
Order the smallest cheapest package. Like other said - the kids really don't exchange pictures anymore.
There is something about these pictures though. Keep them all and put them all together for your child's Senior year of high school. That sounds eons away - but trust me. The year they are a senior - it seems like it went by in a wink of an eye. The really bad pictures are THE BEST! LOL We have done a couple retakes over the years, but generally the lifetouch pictures represent who they really were at that period of life. Goofy hairstyle. Questionable eyeglasses. WHY did you wear that t-shirt on picture day? Did you ever comb your hair that year?
Don't look at them at a high quality portrait. Think of them as a snapshot of what it was really like on that day, in that year of your childs life in school.
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grinningcat
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Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Oct 9, 2014 13:12:28 GMT
Just buy the smallest package available. Don't waste your time and money with anything beyond that.
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Post by monklady123 on Oct 9, 2014 13:26:47 GMT
I always ordered the smallest package that I could that included the class photo. We did send them to the grandparents but that's it. I wanted at least the one photo from each year in school. I always let them pick out what they wanted to wear because I wanted a record of what they thought was their "photo best clothes". lol. And I wanted the class picture. Doesn't really answer your question, but that's what I would do. |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:03:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 13:28:45 GMT
I refuse to pay the price for Lifetouch school photos because the quality is just horrible. Absolutely horrible. I take my own.
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Post by beachbum on Oct 9, 2014 13:39:45 GMT
When I was teaching my school usually used Lifetouch, a few times they tried some other company but went back to Lifetouch the next year. It really depends on who is behind the camera - I've seen 2 photographers (I use that term loosely) side by side and one take their time and do one class while the other one would do 2 classes in the same amount of time. I would stand behind them and check the photo on the computer as it was taken, if I didn't like it I would ask for another to be taken! I wanted all of 'my kids' to have good pictures. When I first started teaching almost every family would buy the pictures, my last year I think only 2 were bought. More moms are taking their own or having them taken by local photographers.
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anniebeth24
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Post by anniebeth24 on Oct 9, 2014 15:07:02 GMT
You can volunteer to help the teacher with picture day. It's tough to wrangle a room full of kindergarteners and make sure their hair is combed and glasses are clean. That may help your DD be more comfortable with the process. Also, Lifetouch gives volunteers a discount coupon toward their child's picture package. I believe mine was valued at $15 this year. |
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Post by lynnek on Oct 9, 2014 15:16:00 GMT
I have always thought Lifetouch does a good job. I helped with picture day (did you know that if you help at picture day, you usually get a discount or sometimes a free package of pictures?) and I was so impressed with how they handles the kids that were harder to photograph. There was one boy who is severely disabled and the photographer and his aid spent about 20 minutes trying to get a great picture, but he was was having none of it. So, they let him go do other things and brought him back a few hours later and got a great picture! I just thought it was really neat that they tried that hard to get a good picture.
I usually order the smallest package that allows me to get a CD so that I can print more if I want.
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And I don't usually treasure and scrapbook bad photos.
which is no, you are not a bad mom for doing your own.
