Lifetouch Studios to reprint yearbook for altering pics.

[00silvergt]

Lifetouch studios to reprint Mckinney High School's yearbook for 30 pictures that has been altered to include head swapping:

Company to reprint yearbooks after head switching

[rshunk]

Lifetouch has always had very questionable business practices, so this is no surprise.

What does surprise me is that a photographer shot a yearbook without in-camera crop lines and head boxes - they make it so much easier to get every head in the correct spot within the frame.

But then again. . .a lot of folks have a "fix it in post" attitude.


Bob S.

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by rshunk

Lifetouch has always had very questionable business practices, so this is no surprise.

What does surprise me is that a photographer shot a yearbook without in-camera crop lines and head boxes - they make it so much easier to get every head in the correct spot within the frame.

But then again. . .a lot of folks have a "fix it in post" attitude.


Bob S.

What gets me is that they cornered most of the schools in my area. They use Lifetouch exclusively, when they really are not that great.

[Mr. Pickles]

I doubt most schools care about how good the company doing the printing is. They are looking for the best bang to buck ratio, I'd imagine.

If you're concerned, make sure every school around there gets a copy of the article....but it probably would have no effect.

[00silvergt]

LOL, that would be Sabotage...LOL I like your style!

[rshunk]

Originally Posted by 00silvergt

What gets me is that they cornered most of the schools in my area. They use Lifetouch exclusively, when they really are not that great.

I know that they offer HUGE incentives/kick-backs to schools and other organizations to get their business - something a smaller company or individual could never afford to do. But they deliver crap and people keep on buying!!

One of the "questionable business practices" I mentioned happened to my sister. Her daughter (5 years old) had their "Fall Picture Day" done with no notification to the parents during the 2nd week of school. Then, when the photos came back, the kids were given the photos and a bill to give to their parents to pay. Well, most of the kids handed out some wallet photos to friends before making it home, so the parents (my sister included) felt that they had to pay for the images - even though they didn't order them!! Pretty questionable and, I think, unethical.


Bob S.

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by rshunk

I know that they offer HUGE incentives/kick-backs to schools and other organizations to get their business - something a smaller company or individual could never afford to do. But they deliver crap and people keep on buying!!

One of the "questionable business practices" I mentioned happened to my sister. Her daughter (5 years old) had their "Fall Picture Day" done with no notification to the parents during the 2nd week of school. Then, when the photos came back, the kids were given the photos and a bill to give to their parents to pay. Well, most of the kids handed out some wallet photos to friends before making it home, so the parents (my sister included) felt that they had to pay for the images - even though they didn't order them!! Pretty questionable and, I think, unethical.


Bob S.

That's how we got it to for my 2 school-aged kids. They gave us a week notice. The pictures were crap, mostly of the backdrop, my son was centered on the frame which he covered about 20% of and rest was all backdrop and props, as if they wanted to show off their backdrop instead of my son. Cut all sorts of sizes and then had a bill attached.

[Mr. Pickles]

The practices won't change as long as people keep on paying the bills....If you didn't order, then you didn't order. They don't want a lawsuit on their plate, either as defendant or prosecution...

And I'd certainly call the school (and school board) and mention the no notice, didn't order, crap work, etc too....

[Songman45]

The school relies upon the "participation" aka: rebate, kick-back from these outfits. If my math still works 20% of nothing equals nothing. If parents stop ordering/buying from these guys another company will get the gig. Unfortunately, it will most likely be company made with the same cookie cutter

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by Songman45

The school relies upon the "participation" aka: rebate, kick-back from these outfits. If my math still works 20% of nothing equals nothing. If parents stop ordering/buying from these guys another company will get the gig. Unfortunately, it will most likely be company made with the same cookie cutter

I wonder how many of our members work for Lifetouch? LOL

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by 00silvergt

I wonder how many of our members work for Lifetouch? LOL

Not enough or it would be a more credible company.

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by Songman45

Not enough or it would be a more credible company.

I figure as much, albeit, with posting this article and reading our comments, I doubt, any of our members who are employed by Lifetouch would "come out the closet" now. LOL

[DigitalDetailer]

Unfortunately LifeTouch does every school in my city. My kids pictures have never been sent with a bill attached but the quality of the pictures are that of an decent amateur. I don't buy any of them. I can not however convince my ex-wife to do the same.

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by DigitalDetailer

Unfortunately LifeTouch does every school in my city. My kids pictures have never been sent with a bill attached but the quality of the pictures are that of an decent amateur. I don't buy any of them. I can not however convince my ex-wife to do the same.

That's hard to do, face it most people in the world, present company excluded, of course, can not tell a good photo from a decent photo. Most of them look at the subject, sharpness and brightness. It is hard not to buy a photo of your "little one" with the condition that if you don't buy it, they will "destroy it". Which makes you feel some what guilty...at least for me.

[XTSteve]

my worst school picture ever came from lifetouch.

they're garbage. their business ethics SUCK.

we have a senior portrait photographer who works for lifetouch in our area, and as part of a deal with the school, lifetouch gives them a break on school photos, in exchange... here's what our school does for them.

Near the end of each school year, the entire junior class gets TAKEN OUT OF CLASS to attend a 1 hour assembly in the auditorium about senior pictures... here's my beef.

ONLY 1 PHOTOGRAPHER PRESENTS AT THE ASSEMBLY. HE'S THE LIFETOUCH PHOTOGRAPHER, AND HE GETS AN HOUR TO PEDAL HIS COMPANY TO A VIRGIN AUDIENCE. Meanwhile the dozens of other studios and freelance portrait artists aren't given a choice to either present at the assembly or have their own equal assembly.

I hate lifetouch.

a whole lot.