OK, this is the end of the school year, and photographers are visiting schools. The policy in Norway is the following: the photographer comes, takes one class photo and a portrait of each child. Once the pictures are ready, the child comes home with a paper about loggin details to a website. You loggin, enter your postal address and can preview the photos, thumbnail size. Thats it. Next thing, you receive a letter with:
- 1 class photo
- portraits of your child (one big, one small, and 4 in ID format)
- 1 portrait of your child pasted onto a calendar
- a bill for NOK790 (US$130)
They have to pay bills too, but:
- the photos are printed on thinner paper than their pamphlets (??). By thin I mean normal A4 paper without substance.
- because of the quality of paper, I presume the ink will turn green in a couple of years
- posted in an enveloped with no cardboard to prevent crimpling.
- this ridiculous price for that? no thank you
In my days, the photographer came with his medium format camera, took 2-3 shots of the class. When the photos are ready, a copy of each is sent to the teacher and each school child choose the photo where they look the best. You order, pay, and the photos still have their colors 30 years after the facts.
So now, what is it with this quick buck mentality? There is no more heart put into the craft? Or maybe is it just what the majority wants? I am just wondering if this is common practice everywhere and if the standards have dropped so low...