Family Picture

We go to Sears. We get a family portrait every two years, and just the boys portraits each year. We use coupons, so we generally get a package for under $20, and avoid buying extras. There is no make up or costumes, but they do have a variety of backgrounds and props. If you go to the website they have tips as to what to wear etc, and you can find coupons. I really love the quality of their portraits. We've tried Wal-Mart in the past and found the portraits looked cheap, and didn't quite fit in standard size frames properly (you could see the white border).

we use Target their is no sitting fee and they always have coupons out for like $3 a sheet and then you can pic the sizes you like.. they have a few props but as for costumes I don't know as my kids are teens so we don't dress them up.. You don't have to buy a huge package with pics you will never use

Have you tried Sears? They have a nice studio and aren't real expensive. Most studios usually put out coupons or run specials at certain times of the year. Maybe check the websites.

@ MzKitty - nope, you're not the only family!! lol!! My son is almost 18 and we've never done a professional family portrait. Plus, I'm in my 50's and I've never been in one either! (Other than school pictures, but those don't count!)

I usually just ask someone (at least once a year) to take our picture when we're together at family functions, etc.

The only tip I can give - and I'm saying this because my sister-in-law gets professional portraits all the time - don't make the kids dress in something they're going to be uncomfortable wearing!! I'm sorry, but her kids look so uncomfortable and not happy in any of the pictures she gets.

Oh, and the "sitting fee" is just their fancy words for charging more money!!

Good luck!!

JCPenny actually isn't bad in terms of price, depending on what you get. If I remember right, their current price (per photo sheet) is $4. Yep, just looked it up, $4 per sheet. Admittedly, that is for traditional photos, no special props or anything. They also almost always have specials going on. I would go to their website and see what they've got. I always use them. (They actually used to send out a $7.99 portrait package coupon. It was awesome.)

JCPenny is great and very reasonably priced. Basic sheets for $4. We have gone to JCPenny for the kids and family pictures for years and have always been happy. They can pose you in whatever you want - they've gotten better over the years at being more creative and not just doing a basic sitting pose.

Sitting fees are where you have to pay usually $10 additional per person just to show up. JCP doesn't charge this.

I go to Target. The pictures always come out good. Sometimes you can get a package deal for one pose for $7.99. Extra poses cost $ per sheet. The thing I like about target is they let you pick the pose you want for the package deal. A lot of places don't do that. Go to the website, they should have details and coupons. The last time I went there was no sitting fee. A sitting fee is a base rate, usually per person, that is charged in addition to any prints you get. Always try to find a "no sitting fee". It will save you a ton of money.

I have had several family photos. The problem with most "professional" studios is they won't give you the negatives.

I found a friend that was real good with photography. She took several photos and gave me the negatives. I have a large wall photo (24 by 30 inches) that I ordered from the negatives.

The sitting fee is what they charge you for just coming in and having your photo taken. That way they get money, even if you don't like any of the pictures they take. A lot of it depends on how picky you are. We had 19 adults and 16 little kids (my grand kids) and it was real hard to keep everyones eyes open and looking at the camera.

The final picture that we enlarged and put on the wall had two kids distracted and one adult distracted. I don't know if that would have been a no-go for you. I wasn't seeking perfection, just real good, and I got better than real good.

Good luck to you and yours.

JC Penney is one of the least inexpensive photographers I have visited. We get coupons in the mail from them where you can get a whole package for $8.00 (one pose only) or $4.00 per sheet. The photos are....OK. Better than Walmart's. I have found that the photographers are usually very harried and just want to get you in and out. This seems especially true in the afternoons as they get behind on appointments. I think the worst thing with JC P is just the wait time for your appt is always very long. Try to get in on their first appointment of the day. You can now schedule online, I believe. Go in knowing exactly how much you are willing to spend. After they take your photos, they will sit you down in front of a compute and show you all the shots and try to sell you on buying lots of different shots. So know what your price limit is and stick to it. The other annoying thing is you have to make an appointment for pickup 3 weeks later. Waiting for photos is annoying! BUT when you go to pick up, they will usually have included 2-3 additional shots that you can buy now for around $10. If you don't buy them, they just get recycled. In terms of price, JCP is great, service is so-so, quality is OK. I have never been disappointed in their shots, but I have found that the photographers don't necessarily coax the best out of the kids or come up with particularly innovative poses.
Kiddie Kandids- they are walk-in only. Their prices are a bit steep, I think maybe $15 per sheet if I remember correctly. They usually do 4 poses to choose from. I have always felt like they get really good shots, though. Plus, they print the photos out for you right then, no waiting.
You might want to check online, maybe on Facebook, as well. There are lots of people who have started their own photography business and will have a Facebook page to advertise. I have several friends who have done this and their work is pretty good. They seem to spend more time with the photo shoot and get more artistic with the poses and whatnot. I have seen some decent deals although it can get pricey- one of my friends does $50 mini sessions (20 min session) where you get to keep the photo cd and print out your own photos, her regular sessions are a few hours long and are around $200.

My oldest is 12 and I think we are the only family on the planet that has NEVER done a professional family picture. Its never really been a big deal to me. We just all pose together at family functions. I'm remarried and have a step daughter (16) too and have been thinking that we have been together for 5 years so maybe we should do a family pic before they are all out of the house! lol Sorry, don't really have any advice, just wanted to share that we've never even done one. Good luck!

We used to go to Kiddie Kandids but they are not local to us anymore. You can try Olan Mills (associated with Kmart now) and Lifetouch (associated with Target). Sears can be pricey, depending. My sister's son's 1 yr old pictures were $70, talked down from $300. I would call and ask about exactly what you want and if they provide it. Also see their site for details on pricing.

if you look in the Sunday paper in all of the coupon sections, there is usually a coupon for one of the national photo chains like JC Penney or Sears or Target. That will save you some Money. They provide the backgrounds, but it you want props, you need to bring them (and ask if they are allowed in advance) they don't supply makeup at these type of photo studios.

We use Target. They always have coupons in the Sunday paper or the internet or those Entertainment books you can buy. I've had friends use JC Penny and they have been happy, I don't think they are too expensive and they have coupons too.

As 8KidsDad said, professional places won't give you all the proofs without a hefty payment (it's on a CD now, no one uses negatives anymore!;) Plus, most of the store type places (as opposed to a professional in a studio or their house) won't charge sitting fees. Photographers usually charge anywhere from $20-75 in sitting fees, so it's good to find a place without it. Sometimes you have to buy a certain amount and they will wave the fees, but I don't think Target ever has them, I know I've never paid them.

They will have some props but they don't provide costumes, clothing or make-up, you'll have to do that at home. I don't put make up on my kids and they still look great, not sure if you were thinking about you are them with that question! ;)

Before you go, figure out how many pictures you'll really need, like how many for yourself, are you going to buy some for family members, etc. Also figure out about how much you want to spend. Once you get there it is SOOOO easy to get sucked into ALL the adorable pictures of your children and it's hard to narrow down the choices. So if you go in knowing how much you want, it will be better! They will probably take between 10-20 pictures to show you depending upon how many people you have. Plus, they will want to combine the ones they took into cool looking collages and stuff. It will be really easy to leave there with hundreds of dollars worth of pictures!

Do you have any friends that are photographers? Sometimes that is a really cheap, easy, fun and great alternative. We used to use Studios but then started having a friend take them for us - we go outside for a whole day or places we love and she gets posed and free-form shots. We bring clothes to change into etc. If you don't have a friend maybe post here or ask around your neighborhood if they know anyone.

As for studios - Target was the most cost effective. Their people were nice and pictures inexpensive. We went ahead and did a digital order b/c then you can print whatever you want from them. If you have a Costco membership I totally recommend getting them printed there - all you have to do is upload them (from your digital copy) and then select what sizes you want printed (and they can do ALL sizes). The pictures are amazing quality as well.

You just have to call around and ask what their package prices are are and if there is a sitting fee. Take notes and take the best price and if you are doing this strictly by price.

It really doesn't matter if you pay a sitting fee or not, if you are happy with what you receive and the price is within your range.

I don't suggest that you take the tone below. I am a professional photographer and don't appreciate anyone telling me how to run my business or adjust my prices. However, if people are nice to me, I have no problem doing extra things for them, spending extra time with them, or waiting to get started if a shirt needs to be changed. When people are mean to me, I pack it up when my time is up and if they are mean at the time we are trying to work through an agreement, I don't spend my time trying to get their contract, I simply move on.

If you have a question, just ask them and I am sure they will answer you.

I haven't used Penney's or Sear's since my girls were VERY young, they did an okay job at the time. I decided at that point that family portraits are one of those expenses that is simply worth the cost. You are capturing your family, just as you all are, at one time of your lives. Your kids grow so fast and change so much! Heck, I have changed so much over the past 17 years! It's heartwarming to look back and see how young my husband and I were when the girls were young and now, how proud and happy we all look together. I don't regret a penny I've spent on the portraits we've taken through the years!

I was happy with JC Penny's portrait studio!

my last one cost hundreds of dollars and I have one kid with a red blotchy face, me looking like Mona Lisa with OUT the smile, and my husband is looking like he got kicked in the nuts, which is about what happened trying to round up all three to sit. I will no longer go to any "department store" do our photos. Every time we seem to get the one that forgot to take happy pills that day. I have a pro come and do it at our home or park somewhere we feel happy and comfy to sit for it.