We usually purchase the individual ones, just because. We also order a yearbook, which features all of the individual pictures and the boys' classmates together.
We don't, however, order the class photos. There are reasons for that. The most important one being that two of my children are not always cooperative for photographs. They are even less cooperative for group photos that require multiple people to look at the camera at the same time. It's just part of it. We don't want to force the photographer or the class to get that photograph, because sometimes, it just isn't possible.
Here are the boys, cropped out from their respective class photos. I wish that I could show you the entire class photo - because more than half of the kids are not paying attention to the photographer (see, my kids are not the only ones). But there are privacy and consent issues that I don't want to get into with other students and their parents. So I will show you my boys, as they were in their respective class photos.
Now do you see why we don't purchase the class photos?
Sawyer is very clearly saying "Are we done yet, because I am so over this!"
Xander is being bribed with gummy bears (he's actually eating in the photo) and with a book.
That's my boys. Pictures are not their thing. You have to capture them in moments. You cannot pose them. Or you get photos like the ones you see above. Or sometimes the ones you see on our Christmas cards.
Special thanks to Mrs. M, Sawyer's regular classroom teacher, for sharing one of her teacher copies with us. Special thanks to Mrs. G, Xander's aide, for sharing her teacher copy with us.