melissad2 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 FYI....apparently the company that owns the studio closed all of them abruptly without any notice at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I think that type of studio is a dieing breed. The Walmart studios in our town have drastically reduced their hours. I keep expecting them to close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 yup. Seems like most people prefer more casual photos that can't be done in a studio. With the advent of digital photography, getting great pictures is easier than ever for the average person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 I think they are going out of fashion too. I did have some pretty awesome newborn pics done there a few years ago though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I'm kind of sad about it, as silly as that sounds. I've been getting my kids' pictures done there since they were babies. Plus, my sister and I would get a group picture of her kids and mine every year. Now I have to find someplace new to go to. I do have a great camera, but my kids just won't sit for me like they do a photographer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I'm pretty sad, too-DD loved having her picture done each year with a big number :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I admit that Sears was high on my list of "studios to avoid" because of the abrasive, high-pressure sales tactics. I'm a bit sorry, though, that in-store studios probably have passed their day, as noted. They serve a good purpose, especially for families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Well, I suppose that is the end of cheap school photos for us. I can't afford hundreds of dollars for a professional. For the price of a sitting fee I could get photos from Sears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 We have used Penney's occasionally. That store, however, may fold before long, given its ongoing struggles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 End of an era I guess. People can do so much more with their own digital cameras now, including editing. Maybe that's taking the place of the Sears' type photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I think that type of studio is a dieing breed. The Walmart studios in our town have drastically reduced their hours. I keep expecting them to close. Our Walmart studio has been gone for a while now. I do think it's sad, because sometimes you want a studio picture, and a professional photographer is just too expensive for most people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 That is where we have been getting christmas pics done since dd's first Christmas. We could get several prints and the CD for much less than a professional photographer. This past year we actually did family pictures there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 This makes me sad. True story. Ten years ago, DH and I were BROKE and I had a sweet baby girl turing 1. I felt so bad that she didn't have any "real" pictures. I put her in her cutest outfit, took $20 out of the grocery money (we ate extra Ramen that week) and had her picture taken at Wal-Mart. It made me so happy and I love the pictures still. They are of my sweet girl and they are a reminder of how far we've come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 This makes me sad. True story. Ten years ago, DH and I were BROKE and I had a sweet baby girl turing 1. I felt so bad that she didn't have any "real" pictures. I put her in her cutest outfit, took $20 out of the grocery money (we ate extra Ramen that week) and had her picture taken at Wal-Mart. It made me so happy and I love the pictures still. They are of my sweet girl and they are a reminder of how far we've come. I have pretty much an identical story. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Shoot...I was planning on getting the kids' photos done again this year. Maybe I'll upgrade my camera instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 FWIW Portrait Innovations is very affordable and they do great pictures! If you have one near you, they are worth checking out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 FWIW Portrait Innovations is very affordable and they do great pictures! If you have one near you, they are worth checking out! And the pictures and quality is so much better, at least in my general area. They run very nice packages for around 16.99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aslana Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 For those worried about the cost of hiring a photographer--try finding a college student majoring in it. Try finding a photographer just starting out. Buy local, I always say. :D You might be surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I hate the packages. I want more then one pose. I just got a coupon from Penny's for an $89 CD. I can take my 5 kids in and get all the pictures on a CD and print where and when I want. No sitting fee for "club" members, which I think was free. Now I just need to find time to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 FWIW Portrait Innovations is very affordable and they do great pictures! If you have one near you, they are worth checking out! Yes! Their pictures are amazing. They are great at getting lots of shots and kids smiling. You have choices, but not pressure to buy IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 For those worried about the cost of hiring a photographer--try finding a college student majoring in it. Try finding a photographer just starting out. Buy local, I always say. :D You might be surprised. :iagree: i have a friend who is just turning pro in her mid-50s. her photos are amazing, and she is much more flexible and willing to spend time with families than her slightly more jaded colleagues. ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 FYI....apparently the company that owns the studio closed all of them abruptly without any notice at all. The Walmart studios locally did the same thing. Yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 We have a lot of local photographers here, so going that route is easy. As an alternative to Sears, though, there's always the Target Portrait Studio. Very inexpensive, and a quick route to "school pictures." We've used them in a pinch for holiday cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 We have never had Walmart or Target stores with portrait studios. I used to take my kids to JCPenney or Sears, but they aren't close and I don't even know if they still have the studios. I've been going to Portrait Innovations for the last few years and I've been very happy with them. In fact, I waited too long to get my son's senior pictures and took him there and they got some really nice shots. The place is always really busy too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 The Walmart studios locally did the same thing. Yesterday. Yes, I believe the photo studios at Walmart and Sears were run by the same company. I could see locally that the Sears studio was struggling. Their hours were cut way down, and their packages became more generous in the past year or so. I always hated their sales tactics as well, as someone above noted. I always turned down the "extra" photo sheets they printed out and tried to get you to buy when you picked up the photos. If the photos themselves were worth as much as they try to sell them for, then maybe they shouldn't print out a bunch that are going in the trash. But that's on them, not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Oh no. We used to get the kids' pictures taken there. And then we got two more girls and the thought of taking all five of them over there and getting them to smile for a group portrait gave me hives. So, I found some good pictures I'd taken myself, enlarged them, framed them, and they're in my hallway now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Ha, this brings back some memories! I have so many pictures from when we were growing up. I agree it's the end of an era - in our particular area, everyone and their brother is a "photographer". Cameras nowadays are so sophisticated - I can put mine on something sturdy, set the timer, and get WAY better pics than I ever got at Sears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khselee Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Years ago, I got DS' pictures done there - he was even one of the babies on the studio wall. I wasn't a fan of the high pressure sales tactics (I've never been pressured like that at Penney's, which we've also used), but the photographers did a wonderful job with ds. We had a terrible experience there, though, and never went back after that (I overheard the photographer and the assistant manager referring to my child as a little [ethnic slur].). We've gone to Penney's, or the Picture People, and haven't gone back. I love getting those posed pictures every year, though! I have a whole photo album of them - I'm hoping all of them don't go under! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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