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| - As I was going through my second son's newborn photos to choose some for a family gallery wall, I realized it was time to do an update for LaLa. We found LaLa through FIT4MOM and originally we were very impressed. There was great value to be found at LaLa, with lots of options as far as sets and a nice studio (granted, as far across town from me as a place can be). But we were dying for some good family photos so we tried them out first for a mini session, then for maternity photos, and then newborn photos. We've also had a couple of Christmas sessions since then.
All of the props, costumes, and sets make for a wide variety of photo options, and you never feel like you're taking the exact same set of photos twice. But there were some things that haven't been perfect.
During my maternity shoot I was in a very see-through gown and the door to the studio was left open, so when other families walked in early for their shoots, they were watching my shoot and it made me very self conscious.
In going through the newborn photos of my son, I realized that some attention to detail was lost. For example, in one of the photos you can see the clip that is holding the sheet to the surface to create the backdrop. You would think this would have been edited out. Further, I need a photo in the portrait orientation for a gallery wall I'm putting together and I don't have ONE decent photo that isn't in a landscape orientation. Easy enough to play around with, but I wish I didn't have to.
I think they recently added an additional studio to their shop, which will probably alleviate crowded conditions and privacy issues but, in general, there have been times I've been there where it felt more like a factory than a photo studio. There's just so much going on at once.
Lastly, I feel like our photographers are constantly changing. This might be my fault because I always book and never request anyone, but it's hard to develop that rapport and comfort when there's no continuity in who's taking your family photos. Just my opinion.
Everyone we've ever had the pleasure of meeting at LaLa has been very nice, and we do have some great family memories from them. But I'm not entirely sure I found a permanent "home" from which to capture my family's biggest milestones.
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