Mirificam Press

School Pictures on the Web | How the Internet Will Change School Picture Day Forever

February 13th, 2008 in Product Reviews

by: Matthew Griffin

Since the beginning, the web has continually presented us with tools and ideas that dramatically simplify age-old processes. QuickSchoolPix.com is another such idea that tackles the chaos of school picture day. I normally avoid mentioning personal design projects on Bits O' NewMedia but the example QuickSchoolPix.com provides goes much deeper than vain design credit. It's the core concept that makes it noteworthy.

If you can't recall the old way picture day went down, let me refresh your memory. About a week before picture day, your parents would receive a flier with a money envelope attached announcing picture day and reminding them to send money. Assuming the check ever made it to the right person, you would stand in line in your green corduroy overalls (rockin') with the other kids who brought their money. The have-nots always sat on the other side of the gym waiting for you to finish. Three or four weeks later you would bring the pictures home—usually damaged from the ride in your backpack and almost always picturing a version of you with drunk eyes or head cocked funny.

There are three major problems with this system:

1. When you trust kids with money you have about a 50/50 chance that it will fall into a black hole before it gets where it's going.

2. Parents have to buy something before the get to see it. That's just begging for returns and refunds.

3. Schools have ridiculous task of getting the right pictures to the right kids. If the kids actually get home with the pictures, that's just gravy.

Obviously, QuickSchoolPix.com fixes all three of these problems or I wouldn't have brought them up. But since the solution is so self-evident I'll just give a quick overview. First, digital photos are taken of all the kids, both haves and have-nots (with film out of the picture, taking more photos only costs the time it takes to shoot them). Then the photos are uploaded onto a website where friends and family can see and purchase them. Finally, photos are shipped directly to the purchaser completely eliminating picture distribution woes. It's a simple solution that has the potential to save an enormous amount of time and frustration.

I know picture day seems like an insignificant blip when compared to some of the changes the web has brought about. But it's exciting even to be a part of one of the little improvements—it's why I love this job. We were created to take dominion of our world and, as web workers, we get to see that goal accomplished in such an up-close and practical way.

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