I like to get my children photographed at four months. I use the free vouchers, get the freebie and buy one pose I like - which is usually $100+ for ONE photo. This is just the once for each child (I have three and a fourth on the way). But I have recently used the Pixi Photo in South Australia Ingle Farm, because they have a digital service. You can pick and choose which ever you want in whatever size etc. They were annoying to me aswell. Constantly reminding me I had to be out at a certain time, no; we dont want you to change her clothes, why do you want a bow on her head etc.

I planned the session ahead of time, so I knew what colour I wanted, how I wanted her to sit what props etc I'd like. That helped when it came to getting the results I wanted. I was happy with the money I spent, aswell as feeling ripped off!

I got the family portraits last year taken at a local kindy fundraiser, and got a large family portrait framed for $10 and then paid $50 extra for all three poses taken (family, children and a couple shot) in print AND on CD!! Pixi were going to charge $250 for ONE picture on CD! I was MORE than happy to pay for the family portraits and am looking forward to this years fundraiser with the new bub!!

PS We didnt have to have any of our children in the kindy :)

I really don't like those middle of the shopping centre stalls.  My husband and I made a deal last year (finally!!) that we would never buy anything from someone who stops us in the middle of a walkway to try and sell their product, or from someone who knocks on our door to sell something (except perhaps girl guide cookies or the like).

It stops me from making dumb, not-thought-out decisions, which I'm particularly good at.

I also prefer natural photos to the staged ones, and I was very pleased when my friend's brother asked to use my kids to photograph for practice.  He took some amazing shots, by just following the kids around and snapping them doing their normal things.  My MIL has the kids photographed every year, using one of these services, and I have not yet seen a picture that I liked from them.  Good photography requires talent and imagination, and my guess is that most of these services are lacking in these areas.

Sorry that you were taken advantage of. I guess I'm lucky that I'm the type of person who when pays for something, expects what I want, not what they want. If they want to try and intimidate me or ignore my requests then quite simply I'll walk away and give them nothing. I'm quite a shy person who feels intimidated at the best of times but for some reason I stick up for myself quite well and don't let people walk over me. Perhaps this is a lesson both ways; dodgy companies and also learning to be assertive so we don't get bullied in to haste decisions.

I have never paid for someone to take photo's of my kids. My hubby refuses to have them done. he feels the same way as you have stated in this. if I want my daughter in a fairy outfit I will dress her in that and take pics myself.

I remember a ex boyfriends mum making me get these sorta pics done with his sister. I hated them extreemely and to this day wished she had listened to when I said no I didnt want them done.

Having a good photographer and affordable prices is what they should do and LISTEN to the parents.

Good advice!  I do have a strong personality and I sometimes find these people quite intimidating... They are over priced usually, though cheaper than some professional studios, I guess they make their money on volume.  When I got some photos last time, I insisted on how the poses would be and I decided what I would buy and negotiated a price rather than take one of their over priced packages... I know another lady who did the same thing... I have this philosophy; if someone wants me to buy something, they can damn well charge me a price that I want to pay - or no sale.  I guess these photographers play on the fact that it is your child & you will treasure the photos & you are a cheapskate if you don't buy them... Bottom line is, you are free to tell them to take a flying leap if they do a shite job; it feels good too ; )