Thank Goodness For Retakes
It happens every year. I get the wee ones all dressed and prepped. Their hair is done perfectly, and their clothes are chosen to complement the background. I hope and cross my fingers that they will have their annual school photos turn out ... decent. Not even great, my goal in life is down to just "decent" school photos.
Little Miss's photos arrived yesterday. As I pulled them from her backpack to peruse them, I smiled. I looked through the little (operative word) window in the envelope and saw that she was smiling and her headband was still in - keeping that nutty hair from falling into her face. Her eyes looked tired, but that's not a big deal. And that particular headband in that photo made her look very 60s-ish, but that's ok; it's cute. We escaped this time around.
Then I pulled them from the envelope to begin the task of cutting them.
Wait wait wait.
Seriously, what photographer took this picture and thought it would work? Where was the parent volunteer who straightens the clothes, makes sure the hair isn't sticking up, and generally manages to minimize the need for retakes?
My mom saw it and thought it was cute. It made Little Miss giggle. My mom thought it showed personality. Little Miss giggled again. I have plenty of photos that demonstrate her personality. It sounds shallow, but I'd like a picture to share with my family that shows not just her personality but show how beautiful and perfect she is in my eyes no matter what she's doing.
The photos have been returned to their envelope and soon will return to the school for retakes. If the next photo comes out like this, so be it. It will be an interesting memory from her first grade year and will show her personality. But I'm still trying for a different picture and yes, selfishly, a "better" picture.
Unfortunately, I know from our experience that the photo she first took - the photo with her hair doing some weird and bizarre sticking out thing that it does not normally do, mind you - is the one that will be in the yearbook. And in the class photo distributed to all her friends. Of course.
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8 comments:
Even with that wild lock of hair, she sure is cute! My daughter's school pictures are hilarious! I wasn't even tempted to purchase them after seeing the proofs. I cannot imagine paying that much for photos that are just as goofy as my snapshots. I think I'll take her to a portrait studio for pics soon.
I know what you mean. You just WANT a good picture! After all, it IS a school picture and you paid good money for it. But honestly (and truly), the pictures you take of her are a million times better. =)
I would've bought it. She looks beautiful and perfect in it AND it shows personality. Both!
I have bought some goofy school pictures of my kids over the years because I find them hilarious. And I agree w/ Sandra: the pictures you take of your own kids are way better than school pics anyway: these days, those are just for posterity.
Little Miss looks adorable. Her hair just looks quirky and cute. And you are right, it definitely doesn't do that generally. Now if you had only seen the photos that came back from the middle school this fall! For the sixth graders, they didn't do the photos until 2pm, after gym class on a hot day. And no mirror or parent helper apparently. A. looked so bedraggled it was horrendous. And M's picture wasn't much better - she is staring off in an odd direction like she is mentally ill or something. Retakes were done and will hopefully be better, but I didn't think about the yearbook. I just won't tell them. But the bad pictures are on their IDs so they might guess...
Wait until she is a teenager.... then SHE will be the one complaining about how the pictures turned out! LOL
Her cute smile on her adorable face far overshadows the stray lock of hair (in my opinion)! I think anyone looking at the class photo will notice her cuteness and not be bothered with the strand of hair floating out.
Mary - You are too sweet. I wish we had the option of proofs. We pay in advance and get what we get.
Sandra - That's exactly it. How is it possible that the photographer can't see the lock of hair like that or whathaveyou. It's the lack of caring for the money I've paid. Upfront.
Melisa - I'll say that if I get the same type of picture with retakes :) But having paid too much money for just a few photos, I expect something.
Debbie - Thanks :) I don't get the schedules for photos sometimes either. Really, they couldn't have moved the 6th graders to before gym? Any chance they can "lose" their IDs and get the new photo on them?
ttmillers - That's actually what I'm thinking of to some degree. It's one less thing she can blame me for, right? ;)
Pat - You're most likely right. I think it's honestly more the principle of the thing that they didn't pay one whit of attention to the kids before snapping the photo and taking their thousands and thousands of dollars from us. This is also likely a lot of a hangover from the collar issue from Mister Man's first photo last year!
oh I always get upset over school photos too - what is up with the hair messing up in like 1 - 2 hours before the photos?? Or not smiling - my kids are never smiling - why does the photographer take the photo then??
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