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School pics- anyone else appalled???

Discussion in 'Broadlands Advertisers Forum' started by redon1, Sep 23, 2009.

  1. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    ...that the company doing the school pics at Eagle Ridge- is promoting RETOUCHING packages to whiten teeth, remove scars or blemishes, and even skin tone?!?!? like a healthy self image isn't hard ENOUGH in school? NOW we need PERFECT pictures? NOT to remember our kids as they WERE that year but as airbrushed as this company represented them to be? AND I QUOTE from the form:

    "proudly display and hand them out instead of hiding them in a drawer!" WHAT?!?!?

    YES there are more important things in the world, but this just ticks me off. I took hideous school pics when i was a kid- why? because i was pretty hideous. pimples, bad hair, it's called puberty. my parents handed them out to family as though i was the most beautiful girl in the world. What message does that send to kids- that since they don't look PERFECT, that they should fake their appearance since the real deal isn't GOOD enough? :angryfire: maybe i'm overreacting but i'm disgusted.

    If I could NOT get my son's picture taken at ALL by this company and he could still be in his yearbook, that is EXACTLY what i would do. but since they MAKE you pay to have these photos in order for your kid to be in the yearbook, i must. but i will call the school and see if i can find a way for him to have a yearbook pic without me having to give a DIME to this company.

    maybe other companies are doing this now too... how sad and disturbing that that level of shallow BS has reached into school pics.

    off my soap box now. and into a box of wine... lol
     
  2. Kaosdad

    Kaosdad Will work for Rum

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    Sweetie - which rock you been under? This is SOP. In fact, the companies actually shoot against a "blue screen" and allow you to pick the background.

    It's OK - go back to the box, the kids will be fine.
     
  3. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    a backdrop is fine. but redon you are absolutely right and consider me among your pitchfork prodders when i say "Don't you TOUCH my kids! (picture!)"
    I will definitely join in on a protest. Let me know!
     
  4. JLC

    JLC Member

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    Double check - do they really require you to buy prints in order for your kid to be in the yearbook?
     
  5. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    it's simple... money opportunity. People want to fix their photos, and they see the opportunity to cash in on it.
     
  6. ayayagirl

    ayayagirl New Member

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    Redon I thought the same thing when I received the flyer! Wow how early we are teaching our kids not to like who they are the way they were made! I can understand senior portraits, but this is ridiculous! But I agree with Steve, did you see how much more money they were charging to the already inflated prices?!?!?!
     
  7. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    I totally agree with you! That is absolutely ridiculous! But that's what the media has everyone thinking - you have to be perfect. Look at the magazines where they air brush the models to make them perfect. I'd be upset too......may I join you in that wine???
     
  8. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Simple again, no one says you have to buy them.
     
  9. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    NO. they can be in the yearbook without buying pics, whew. retouching aside, the packages they offer are ridiculous.
     
  10. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    t8- it's not about that, it's about the message it sends at an age where you are already a hormonal mess. now that i know i DON'T have to buy it for him to be in the yearbook, i won't. but i did write to the company to express my feelings about their marketing.

    improving a picture (lighting, shadows, etc.) is one thing- improving a kid (removing "imperfections") is another. the message disturbs me.
     
  11. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    I remember having pictures taken when I was that age and you know what, I didn't really care how they looked. It was my parents who were concerned with how I was dressed, if my hair was combed or not. If YOU (parents) want touched up photos then so be it, I honestly doubt that the vast majority of kids truly care how they look (senior YB aside).

    And as the parents are the ones concerned with clothes and appearance, why not go a step further?
     
  12. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    not in our house! my 10 year old boy spent all morning putting together his outfit and asked me to do his hair. :scaredeyes:

    he cares deeply about his appearance, but he could care less if we order school pics. he just wanted to look good for the yearbook.

    i;m glad we don't have to buy school pics for him to be in the yearbook- those fake backgrounds look ridiculous anyway. especially since we can take a great pic of him ourselves and order wallets via KodakGallery for our wall and wallets. with a real background, like the trees along the trails, and my dog in the pic! woohoo!
     
  13. luftinarr

    luftinarr Member

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    I hated how I looked in every one of my yearbook photos. Senior year turned out alright, but the few years before that were horrible. Those pictures are a lasting image of what we looked like then so just about every kid is going to be concerned with how they look. Just look at all the "throwback" photos on Facebook that some friends post. Sure they're a good laugh now, but back then they were mortifying. I'm completely on Redon's side about this one. Kids do care about what they look like and unfortunately,at least for my kids, they'll have to "suffer" through untouched photos in their yearbooks.
     
  14. LvBlands3

    LvBlands3 New Member

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    I hated the way my yearbook photos looked also. So much so, that I skipped the senior year ones entirely - so, I am not in my senior yearbook. Airbrushing may not be such a bad thing afterall...
     
  15. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    But you can't airbrush in real life!
     
  16. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    THAT is my whole point. why erase the uncomfortable stuff? it's part of LIFE. life is uncomfortable. pimples itch. jheri curls drip (that's a African American hair reference- google it!), teeth are crooked, hair flies with static. so what?? i do not want my kid thinking his life is SUPPOSED to always be comfortable. he has to learn to deal with the hard times.

    and i don't want him thinking a blemish or zit makes him less than perfect in my eyes and i'd rather remember him with no facial flaws. that's a metaphor for SO MUCH MORE.

    imperfect IS NORMAL and it's NOT a problem.
     
  17. LvBlands3

    LvBlands3 New Member

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    Correct. It was easier to just avoid the pictures. With age, we realize that it doesn't really matter how we look. Back in high school though, things seemed a bit tougher.
     
  18. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    redon1-
    They were doing this as far back as the early 70's.
    Nothing new.
     
  19. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    So one of your boys normally has good skin and rarely gets acne but LOW AND BEHOLD he has a nasty zit on his face for his senior year picture and there is an offer to airbrush it out, you still gonna make THAT his picture that most of his friends will associate hime with? The one that they use at his reunions?
     
  20. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Most women airbrush everyday before leaving the house.

    It is called makeup.

    And from what I gather, most of them spend LOTs of $$$ on it too.
     

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