Target Portrait Studios

With the demise of the Sears Portrait Studios, Target Portraits make an excellent local alternative to family photos and milestone moments.
PROTIP: Always look for Target coupons (from the register) or online packages. They always have $ 9.99 sitting deals and photo packages at discount prices. Don’t pay full price!
I brought my child for his two month photos at the studio, having lucked out on getting to a professional infant photographer on time. Sigh. As this was during the Christmas rush, the studio was hopping busy at the time of my sitting. We ended up waiting 15 minutes past our appointment. The studio had a bit of a three-​ring circus atmosphere, completely understandable given the timing and the rather cramped waiting room open to the electronics section. Target could improve matters by making this a separate room, more like the Kohl’s and JC Penney in Canton.
Prior to entering the studio, I was asked to select a backdrop for the photo session and any specific details I wanted for composition. Since I know next to nothing about photographing babies, even very happy and compliant ones like mine, I opted to let the experts make the decisions. We picked two seasonal backgrounds and I packed along an extra outfit, a Christmas sleeper, for a midphoto change. As any seasoned parent can tell you, don’t. Just don’t. Flipping baby into his onesie between shots only upset him and made me feel terribly rushed. On a normal day, midweek outside of a key holiday, this might work. Not with a lobby full of babbling toddlers and cranky tweens.
The photographers work quickly setting up the various props. Baby was put in a basket and shot from several angles. The female photographer coaxed several silly smiles out of him, though he was of course reluctant and suspicious instead of chirpy, which he is with every stranger, in every environment, except a photo studio. When he started to get upset post-​outfit change, I did feel a tad rushed but they worked their best to keep him happy with the props they had. We got a few funny shots of a grumpy baby.
Packages are selected after the front-​desk employees go through different shots and load them into predesigned templates that produce your images. This part takes about 15 to 30 minutes depending on whether specialized images are involved. I opted for New Years cards, so we did some additional typing and image selection. I also used a GroupOn discount that gave me a certain number of images for free and then a hefty 40% discount on all additional images.
PROTIP: When you buy images, you usually receive a bunch of discount coupons for new sittings and further image purchases.
The photos are loaded into an online album where you can further muck about with them using their online image manipulator. You can order extra 5x7s for Grandma and relatives you didn’t know you had, at reasonable prices.
All in all, Target Portrait Studios does nice work at a fraction of the cost for a professional sitter.