Sears Portrait Studio

Didn’t have much pictures to choose from. There were a lot of pics w my baby w her back turned and my eyes closed. There were just a few pics that came out good. Then paid $ 200 for a package where it comes w a cd. They forgot my cd. Went back to pick it up. They lost it. They had to make a new one. Oh i almost forgot their computer broke down while I was picking the pictures I wanted so I was there for awhile while they were trying to fix it. They get two stars for the girl who was taking our pictures. She was nice and made my baby laugh.

I was very disappointed in the quality of the pictures. Quality looked better when we saw it on their computer but when I picked them up the pics were overexposed and the backdrop in the pics looked faded compared to the clarity of the rest of the picture.
Our photographer was very nice but they seemed to be shorthanded so we waited a long time. After our session there were a couple of different packages she explained even though we had a Groupon that gave us a specific package.
It was a lot of information to remember. They should have a step by step form to follow afterwards to make it user friendly for people to choose their packages. Because they were shorthanded and we had to remember what was said we waited a long time for someone to help us.
Perhaps the day we came, a Sunday early afternoon, is a busy day.
Overall they need more workers at the front desk [only], and sales people to help [only] with the packages. Seemed like the photographers were doing all areas.
And better quality on their pictures would be great.
Unfortunately I will not go back.

I had a great groupon and decided to use it for our christmas pictures. The groupon came with a 1 image cd, 6 natural sheets, a free enhanced 10×13, and 50% off regular priced items. We upgraded to the all image cd where we got ownership of all the photos we took, so that we could make greeting cards. We also ordered 2 extra enhanced photos for the grandparents. It came out to be about 80 bucks.
We had great service, our photographer was great with my daughter. My bf was getting all stressed out because my daughter kept running around, but the photographer stayed focused and very pleasant. I could never do that job.
The only reason I gave them 4 stars and not 5 is because they seemed to be under staffed. I felt really bad for the girl cuz she kept running back and forth trying to help 3 people at once. She has great multi-​tasking skills I can tell you that. After all that running around, not once did she feel the pressure. When it came time to checkout she explained everything on the receipt to me. Her name is Valerie, if possible I would ask for her… she does a great job with little kids.

I wrote what’s below, posted it, and then read the note from L.S. I read the note a few times because it didn’t make sense to me. After a few tries, I had to give up because I just don’t understand the points being made. No, I didn’t read the return policy. They only issue new CDs if you bring in the CD that you already have in your possession– what an enlightened policy. I never said they were liable for us losing the original. The next couple points about pirates and Hi-​Res CD would be funny, classic non sequiturs, but I suspect they are not meant to be that. Jump to pay $ 100 to obtain what she had already paid $ 100 for? Maybe L.S. did not realize that I had already paid for the CD? I dunno. I give up. Good Luck L.S.
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I did file a complaint with the BBB and contacted KHON Action Hotline. I ended up not pursuing the Action Hotline because the BBB got Sears corporate office people involved, and the lady from corporate was professional and direct. Given I had wasted time going to the store, endured an attempted shakedown by the Ala Moana lady and her dist manager, and had to fill out the BBB’s forms, I felt entitled to a free CD, but the corporate lady was firm and $ 10 bucks, and so we settled. I asked the corporate lady to have the CD waiting for me, and it was. I was in and out in 30 seconds with no sign of the wannabe gangster manager Valeria.
Bottom line– Don’t jump at the opportunity to pay $ 100 for a CD you already paid $ 100 for, pay $ 10.

I’m a longtime loyal customer to the Portrait STudio at Sears and just a note to John F, did you read the return policy? If you did you’d have seen they dont do refunds or issue new CDs without getting the original one. And with today’s piracy rate that causes other DVD business to not take opened dvds/​cd returns unless damaged, how’s the portrait studio to be the liable party if your wife lost hers, with or without the receipt?
Seems to me you’re downplaying how much that thing’s worth (by the way Hi-​Resolution CD by itself is almost completely unreasonable to purchase at $ 300 bucks) so if you can get an entire session for 100 bucks, I’d have JUMPED at that opportunity!!! It’s almost impossible to get a cd without having to get prints for a reasonable price even WITH a coupon. Because once your order goes through and you pick up your pictures, ordering more pictures or another cd from the studio is basically considered starting a brand new order. That $ 10 thing is for when you’re actually putting your order in the first time (which i learned when i brought my whole family in).
i“m sorry about your situation, but you jypped yourself of about 210 bucks my good sir.

Did a family photo here and initially the service was great. The girl taking our picture was nice and courteous. We did our photo in March and we still have yet to receive our koa framed collage photo and its July. My mom and I tried repeatedly to get someone to tell us what was going on but each time they offered no assurance that we would receive the frame at all. (FYI we already paid for everything)

I have had varied experiences here… I had a much better experience in California at the Sears potrait studio. I only tried this place twice… unfortunately, it’s the closest one to our house and we just walk in here.
The first time we came here was for my son’s four month pictures… we wanted to test it out here. We walked in right as they opened so she could take us. I guess everyone else bailed on this lady by calling in sick so they were EXTREMELY short handed. She kept running around, answering phone calls, and snapping pictures. I felt bad for her. She was able to get some good ones of Kent. However, she didn’t really have time to sit down with us and almost overcharged us and ordered us the wrong things. Fast forward to two weeks later and she calls us to tell us our pictures are ready to be picked up! Yay. We were able to get our pictures early :). She at least gave us a courtesy call.
Took a day off a few weeks ago to get my son’s six month pictures done. Again we walked in around noon ish. No one was in there except the portrait people. Our photographer had her son there too and he kept interrupting us and it was VERY annoying. I didn’t realize they had take your kids to work day. Honestly, I know it’s the mall but don’t bring your young child to work. It’s not really professional. Oh well that’s my opninion. This was a different lady from last time and honestly, she wasn’t very good. If your subject keeps smiling AFTER you take the picture, don’t stop after you take one picture and look at how you did. She should have snapped continously! She was terrible at getting him to smile. She didn’t know how to take good baby photos in my opinion. Note she was an older lady unlike the younger girl who was able to get some good photos. There were feet in the picture since she kept telling me to hold up various things. Also her feet appeared in some pictures. I was highly dissatisfied with this experience.
So note to self, if you need to get a good photographer, get the younger one who actually takes good photos even if it’s busy and she gets frazzled.

Wanted a relatively affordable in town place to get my son’s 1 year old portraits done.
Booked the appointment online with ease, and received a prompt appointment reminder call the day before our session. I was quite impressed by this call as they asked details about our preferences (ie — how many people, what type of shoot, preferred props/​backgrounds, etc.) which I was not able to provide when booking the appointment.
HOWEVER, on the day of our sitting it turns out that they couldn’t find this sheet where our notes had been taken down. Not that big of a deal since we didn’t have too many requests and I was able to remember what I had selected when being asked the day before.
We booked the first available appointment time of the day since my son does better in the morning, but wouldn’t you know — he wakes up earlier than usual this day and is cranky when we arrive for our session (he’s also not too fond of new faces at this age). We got a few good shots, but he was not being cooperative and so the girl in charge of our shoot suggested that we come back later for a second try. Gave him a nap, and went back two hours later. Had a bit of a wait, but not too bad. This second attempt went much better. The girl was very patient with us and my son, and we were able to get at least 9 — 10 good shots (after many many attempts).
We had to go back a third time in the afternoon to review the shots on the PC there (they added some effects and things to entice us to purchase more). Ended up purchasing the package that includes the CD which was more than we had intended to pay, but with no session fee charged we felt it was worth the money. Got a few prints with the package, and printed much more off of the CD elsewhere for a cheaper price (not to mention, got to show the family our shots off of the CD that same day, and e-​mail to friends and family).
The studio was noticeably more crowded as the day progressed… many kids and tired looking parents. I’ll probably go back for his 2 year old photos, and will book early in the day again.