Oh God, Sears Photo Studio

iamskew · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Well, I figured I'd share an embarassing story today:

My sisters and I came up with the last-minute gift for my Mom for Christmas to get a portrait of the three of us. I thought I could save some dough and get it done quick if I just went to Sears. WHAT A JOKE!

Sure, I got in fast and the whole process was pretty quick, but the whole stupid thing was so terrible.

First off, the gear was a joke: They had this huge fancy camera mount for their old school Olympus digital with a 18-200mm (or so, I don't remember) f/3.5-5.6 Sigma lens. Then, the girl made us do six stupid poses when I just wanted one traditional sitting down pose. Also, we wanted a blue background, but she took one with that and then made us take the rest with a brown bg that was basically a huge sheet.

Once we started taking pictures, there was like 5 times when she couldn't get the camera to work...

To top it all off, I let her sell me on some stupid $120 package when I just wanted 2 8x10 portraits. What a god awful experience. I think next I'll be a lot better off to find someone in my area on here.

joegolf68 · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

You need to learn how to say NO!

iamskew · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegolf68

You need to learn how to say NO!

You aren't kidding. I was kicking myself in the a** the whole way home...

joegolf68 · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

I've done the same thing in things in my life also, you are human, and it is probably a sign that you are a nice guy. We nice guys are sometimes suckers. Oh well, live and learn, it will make you stronger for the next time bud.

iamskew · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joegolf68

I've done the same thing in things in my life also, you are human, and it is probably a sign that you are a nice guy. We nice guys are sometimes suckers. Oh well, live and learn, it will make you stronger for the next time bud.

I'm just waiting for the day that I finally learn ... so far I'm just an expert at messing up

jorj7 · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

I hope she was cute... Otherwise, you don't have any excuse

NickSimcheck · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Outch...

iamskew · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorj7

I hope she was cute... Otherwise, you don't have any excuse

Hah, far from it. "Scary" would be a better description.

T.D. · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

I was at Petsmart the other day (a fairly large pet supply chain).

They had "photos with Santa" for your pets.

They had a Polaroid camera dumping instant pictures that were horrible. I didn't do it, but witnessed several others paying money for that crap!

liza · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

I quit going to Sears and JC Penney once I purchased my DSLR. And I never buy those crappy school pictures.

iamskew · 19th of December 2006 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by liza

I quit going to Sears and JC Penney once I purchased my DSLR. And I never buy those crappy school pictures.

I definitely don't blame you. If I had a backdrop and decent lighting I would have done it on my own ... but I don't

rklepper · 20th of December 2006 (Wed)

This is really not that bad. Worse things will happen and a $120 lesson is actually quite cheap. Just ask anyone who has been around for a while.

sjafari · 20th of December 2006 (Wed)

just think, instead of a few photos, you could have come home with a new Whirlpool dishwasher

you should have seen the equipment that Walgreens was using when i went to get my passport photos taken.. it was one of those original Sony cameras that recorded directly to floppy. i just laughed at it when i saw it, but figured the photos were $7, so why not just get it over with.

StoopidGirl · 20th of December 2006 (Wed)

I'm pretty much against those kind of studio shots, they're generic and overpriced. I had a friend who worked for one of those (Sears or JC Penney) but couldn't hack it. He said the clientel was usually very crappy and the generic guidlines (or should we say restrictions) were killing him being that ha's a good photographer. It's like putting a leash on a wild animal. Most people who work at those places have no experience nordo they need it with everything set up for them.
Sorry you got sucked into the package...I'm sure there are plenty of people on here for next year that will be happy to take the $120 and give you some real photos

ps
you should post your $120 photos so we can laugh at them with you (I wonder if photoshop could save them? LOL)

cdifoto · 20th of December 2006 (Wed)

My friend manages our local Sears Portrait. She couldn't pay enough to get me in there but she actually cares and puts out some decent stuff.

Same equipment though - Olympus with Sigma 18-200. Thing is, they always stop down to about f/8 and use it somewhere in the middle of the zoom range so IQ isn't really a concern.

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#1
iamskew Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 195 IMAGE EDITING OK	Oh God, Sears Photo Studio Well, I figured I'd share an embarassing story today: My sisters and I came up with the last-minute gift for my Mom for Christmas to get a portrait of the three of us. I thought I could save some dough and get it done quick if I just went to Sears. WHAT A JOKE! Sure, I got in fast and the whole process was pretty quick, but the whole stupid thing was so terrible. First off, the gear was a joke: They had this huge fancy camera mount for their old school Olympus digital with a 18-200mm (or so, I don't remember) f/3.5-5.6 Sigma lens. Then, the girl made us do six stupid poses when I just wanted one traditional sitting down pose. Also, we wanted a blue background, but she took one with that and then made us take the rest with a brown bg that was basically a huge sheet. Once we started taking pictures, there was like 5 times when she couldn't get the camera to work... To top it all off, I let her sell me on some stupid $120 package when I just wanted 2 8x10 portraits. What a god awful experience. I think next I'll be a lot better off to find someone in my area on here. __________________ Equipment: Canon 40D, Sigma 24-70 f/2.8

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#2
joegolf68 Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sacramento CA area Posts: 3,269 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio You need to learn how to say NO! __________________ Gear List Peace be upon you

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#4
joegolf68 Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sacramento CA area Posts: 3,269 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio I've done the same thing in things in my life also, you are human, and it is probably a sign that you are a nice guy. We nice guys are sometimes suckers. Oh well, live and learn, it will make you stronger for the next time bud. __________________ Gear List Peace be upon you

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#6
jorj7 Goldmember Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 2,036 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio I hope she was cute... Otherwise, you don't have any excuse __________________ George - SF Bay Area- 1Dmk2, 1D, 20D, & 60D Ls:16-35,24-70,24-105,35-350,70-200,100-400,135,300,400,500 Others: 10-22, 17-55IS, 35, 50, 85, 100 Macro, Peleng8;Sigma14,20,18-200,600,800;Tamron17-50,180Macro Posts

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#7
NickSimcheck Sir Chimp-a-lot Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SE, Michigan Posts: 3,565 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio Outch... __________________ Gear List \| Feedback \| Model Mayhem \| About.Me

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#9
T.D. Moderator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 32,882 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio I was at Petsmart the other day (a fairly large pet supply chain). They had "photos with Santa" for your pets. They had a Polaroid camera dumping instant pictures that were horrible. I didn't do it, but witnessed several others paying money for that crap! __________________ Gear List Take a picture, it lasts longer (My Gallery) Still creating Craptacular HDR Images. Deal with it. PERSONAL MESSAGING REGARDING SELLING OR BUYING ITEMS WITH MEMBERS WHO HAVE NO POSTS IN FORUMS AND/OR WHO YOU DO NOT KNOW FROM FORUMS IS HEREBY DECLARED STRICTLY STUPID AND YOU WILL GET BURNED.

19th of December 2006 (Tue)	#10
liza User is banned from forums Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mayberry Posts: 11,386	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio I quit going to Sears and JC Penney once I purchased my DSLR. And I never buy those crappy school pictures.

20th of December 2006 (Wed)	#12
rklepper Dignity-Esteem-Compassion Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: No longer living at the center of the known universe, moved just slightly to the right. Iowa, USA. Posts: 8,940 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio This is really not that bad. Worse things will happen and a $120 lesson is actually quite cheap. Just ask anyone who has been around for a while. __________________ Doc Klepper in the USA I am a photorealist, I like my photos with a touch of what was actually there. Polite C&C always welcome, Thanks. Gear List

20th of December 2006 (Wed)	#13
sjafari Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 507 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio just think, instead of a few photos, you could have come home with a new Whirlpool dishwasher you should have seen the equipment that Walgreens was using when i went to get my passport photos taken.. it was one of those original Sony cameras that recorded directly to floppy. i just laughed at it when i saw it, but figured the photos were $7, so why not just get it over with. __________________ -Shehab- http://www.fotojafari.net 5Dii, 16-35/2.8ii, 24-70/2.8, 135/2

20th of December 2006 (Wed)	#14
StoopidGirl Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: SC/NC border Posts: 330 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio I'm pretty much against those kind of studio shots, they're generic and overpriced. I had a friend who worked for one of those (Sears or JC Penney) but couldn't hack it. He said the clientel was usually very crappy and the generic guidlines (or should we say restrictions) were killing him being that ha's a good photographer. It's like putting a leash on a wild animal. Most people who work at those places have no experience nordo they need it with everything set up for them. Sorry you got sucked into the package...I'm sure there are plenty of people on here for next year that will be happy to take the $120 and give you some real photos ps you should post your $120 photos so we can laugh at them with you (I wonder if photoshop could save them? LOL) __________________ FLICKR, DeviantArt, My Blog (Advisory; I've been known to offend so don't click my links if you lack a sense of humor. Consider yourself warned) I also can't spell to save my life

20th of December 2006 (Wed)	#15
cdifoto Don't get pissy with me Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 32,714	Re: Oh God, Sears Photo Studio My friend manages our local Sears Portrait. She couldn't pay enough to get me in there but she actually cares and puts out some decent stuff. Same equipment though - Olympus with Sigma 18-200. Thing is, they always stop down to about f/8 and use it somewhere in the middle of the zoom range so IQ isn't really a concern. __________________ Did you lose Digital Photo Professional (DPP)? Get it here. Cursing at your worse-than-a-map reflector? Check out this vid!

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