My daughter's turning one soon, and I'd like
to take her in to get photos done. Not sure what to expect, since we had a friend of the family do her earlier photos. How are the Sears/Picture People/Target/JCPenney type of places? Are the photographers patient? Do they pressure you to buy a lot after the session? What's the best way to get a good deal?
Does it make a difference where I go, or is there somewhere you'd recommend to me? I live in west Elgin, and need somewhere relatively close and reasonably priced.
Thanks so much!
I ended up going to JCPenney at Spring Hill Mall and was so pleased that I just went back for 15 month/Easter portraits. Our photographer, Mandy, was great! She was patient and upbeat and had good ideas.
I printed out coupons from http://www.jcpportraits.com/ and got 2 8x10, 2 5x7, 4 3.5x5 and 16 wallets from one pose for $7.99, and then purchased a CD with the rights to all my photos for $100. There were about 15-20 photos, plus b&w and sepia versions of the photos.
Hi!
We go to the Target studio at Yorktown. The photos are amazing and very cheap! Look for coupons, or sign up for the mailer. Last visit I received 15 portrait sheets, including 10x13, of any poses I wanted and no sitting fee. The grand total was 45 bucks and they are beautiful!!!!!! I won't go anywhere else anymore. When you pick up your pics they try to sell you a few more for fifteen a portrait sheet, but no pressure.
Have fun!
I highly recommend the new JCPenney on Randall Road! We went there for the first time for our family Christmas picture. My son was 8 months at the time, and Pam did an amazing job of capturing beautiful photos. She was great with Logan and without rushing us whatsoever she had us in and out of there in no time. She gave us great ideas too. Be sure to Print off coupons off the internet to save a lot of $ too! Good luck!
We've used JCPenny for 4 years and I'm happy with them - never had a bad picture. Their prices are reasonable and you can find great coupons on top of that ($3.99 sheets plus free 8x10). We also joined their portrait club ($20 for 2 years) and that gives you free sitting, which saved us tons of $$$$ b/c I got their pictures taken every 3 months in the first year.
I use Olan Mills at the Meijer's here in Elgin. Trish is a wonderful photographer! If you buy their plan for approx. $40.00 (a plan that provides cheaper photos for a year) the rest of the photos throughout the year are $5.00 a sheet with a free 8 x 10 at each sitting. There is no sitting fee and I usually take my boys there every couple of weeks just because it is cheap, I have them do a few poses (that way I don't end up buying one of each), and it is a nice way of getting photos. They had other photographers there but they weren't good and the kids never responded to them as well as they do with Trish - she has a way with the kids. Good luck!!
I have used Sears and Picture People in St. Charles. Picture People is a little better quality and i like that you can get the prints that day, but Sears is a lot cheaper. The Picture People do give a sales pitch and one time I spent over $300 (cuz I was a sucker) on my daughter's 1 year pics. I have used Sears but the last time they cut off my son's head in the photo and couldn't fix it so I was screwed and had to redo the shoot all over again and couldn't get him to cooperate so never got a good picture.
I have seen JCPenney pics turn out pretty decent too. Although, nothing will compare to a prof. photographer but that's very expensive.
Good Luck!
i've gone to pennies and babies r us (kiddie kandids) and they are both good. really depends on the photographer on the patience - i've had really good ones and one that wasn't. pennies doesn't give a cd of prints. i like that kiddie kandids does. there's really no pressure to buy, as long as you are buying a package. it's a little uncomfortable to get a la carte photos.
The Picture People in Charlestown Mall in St. Charles is good. I never feel pressured to buy anything and they are usually pretty fast- especially if you ask for the early appointments.
I have used Sears for all three of my kids!! Use Eric at Woodfield. He has been doing photography for 13 years. Got my 4 year old, 2 year old and 3 month old all to cooperate. They have coupons and great days via email and you can get your photo disc same day. Release form is located on the disc and you can print it and then reproduce photos at any time. Use Sears photos and I make Christmas cards with them from Costco...I've never had trouble if I turn in the form and the pictures turn out great.
