I haven't got my dd's pictures taken professionally yet (she is 1 year now), but that's not to say I don't have pictures, they're just not done with backgrounds with her looking at the camera all the time. Everyday stuff.
My mom is annoying me, though. I told her i was finally going to go get it done, thinking she'd be happy. and i guess she is, but she said i want 8x, 10's. well, i only have enough money to get myself one 8x10 (i'm doing a sheet deal), and a couple of 5 x7's, and both grandma's can get 5x7's. okay, we could technically afford it, but i don't want to skimp on our bills. being in debt with a pack of pictures would add a bit of stress....

maybe i am looking at this wrong. my daughter is only 1 once, but i was hoping to save up money for Christmas pics, and she needs a new carseat, and of course diapers and wipes. my mom was a single mom living on her own with her first ds working a part time job, and she spent a lot of money. but i don't like to choose between things we need or cute pictures.....

am i just weird about this?

I had my oldest's pictures done at JCPenney for her 1st year. I ended up hating the process. She had a 3, 6, 9 & 12 month picture done. I was happier with the candid photos I took at home. I stopped the insanity with my youngest. I started setting props up at home (pink blanket backdrop and took pictures of her sitting in her boppy pillow). They turned out really cute and she wasn't terrified at the studio (or asleep!). Whenever possible, I took her out in the yard under the oak tree and took pics of her. I put her on a blanket and took a ton of digital pictures. They are so much nicer than the studio pics.

My oldest now gets her picture taken at school so we don't do any studio pics. I make sure to take lots of photos with my digital camera.

If your mom wants a larger picture, give her the negative or the file and let her get a bigger size.

Maybe tell her that you have the money for a 5x7 for her so if she wants an 8x10 she'll have to chip in the difference.

If you have other recent pictures you have taken, pick a nice one and get it made into a 5x7. Of if you don't have any you like, take one now and get it done up for your mom.

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If you don't have one close by, they will mail the pictures. They have great little portrait packs, made from your digital pics: for $4.99 you get an 8x10, 2 5x7 and 4 4x6, and for $9.99 I think you get about double that, including wallets. That's where we've done all ours for the grandparents, so far. Much cheaper than a professional place, and the pictures are just as great. I figure, what's going to be more important in a few years, that we had professional portraits taken and spent a ton of money, or that most of the time we had pictures made from our own prints, and used that moeny to improve the quality of life, ie savings for baby?

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"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70

thanks for the good ideas! taking our own studio- like pictures would be a great option for us. i want great looking pics, my dh hates studio prices, that would be a good middle ground to set up the pictures ourself.....

It is such a hassle to get kids pictures done. If your mom wants an 8x10, tell her how much it will cost and that she'll have to pay for it as you don't have the money for more than a 5x7. If she doesn't want to pay, she'll have to be happy with what she gets.

With my daughter, I did pay for several studio prices and I NEVER could just walk away with the basic package. Even when I tried!

For my son and daughter now, I take the photos and use mpix.com they have TONS of different types of pictures, sizes, and whatever else you could imagine. I LOVE their wallet even better than the studio ones I paid so much.

In a pinch I'll use WalMart's photo processing but the quality isn't as nice.

We've done the whole home-studio thing several times. Specifically for xmas pic cards we did multiple days. DH was starting to get annoyed with the whole process but after one night where ds nose just started running like crazy and the whole thing was a wash -- I said to him, could you imagine if we had been all trouped out to the store and waited for our appt time and PAID for these pictures. The next time he was a lot more agreeable to helping setup. Not to say that we won't get some professional ones but I don't feel bad that I haven't had them done since 2 mos old.

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I agree with doing them yourself. Just take a lot of pictures all the time - you're bound to get one that really stands out. I think it looks better when you see the kids doing real things with real objects in the pictures, and not fake posing with cheap props in front of a spongebob cartoon.

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~~Amanda~~ Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), TTC #2

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