Frequently asked questions

Q. I have lost my sitting ID, how do I order my photos?

A.

School Photography Customers

Please email customerservice@pret-a-portrait.net with the following details:

  • School Name
  • Pupil/Student Name,
  • Class Name.

For security we also ask you to attach a photograph of the pupil/student holding up a piece of paper with today’s date written on it.

Alternatively, the school will often be able to help you.

Center Parcs Customers

Please email customerservice@pret-a-portrait.net with the following details:

  • The name and email address under which the sitting was booked
  • The date of your photo shoot
  • The name of the Center Parcs village where you had your photo shoot.

Back to top

Q. Can I still order my photographs once the early bird discount expires?

A. Yes, unless instructed otherwise, we store image files for at least ten and often up to sixteen years; see https://www.pret-a-portrait.net/privacy-statement/.
You can order pictures at any point during this time.

Back to top

Q. Will the pictures I order be exactly as I see them online or are they edited?

A. Most pictures taken since September 2022 will have been cleaned up automatically before they go online, so you will be viewing a finished ‘print-ready’ image.

We use specially developed artificial intelligence software to do this. It works brilliantly for most pictures – but very occasionally something might look a bit odd. If you are concerned about any of your pictures, please let us know and we will be happy to rectify any automation errors by hand, free of charge.

Other than for school group pictures, you will be able to confirm the crop from your shopping cart.

If you would like to request other retouching or adjustments, please see ‘Can I make Adjustments to my pictures’ below.

Pictures taken before September 2022, will normally be displayed online unretouched, straight from the camera. Any of these you order will be retouched by hand to make the background clean before we ship your order.

Back to top

Q. Can I make adjustments to my pictures?

A. Most pictures taken since September 2022 will have been cleaned up automatically before they go online, so you will be viewing a ‘print-ready’ image. If you would like to request any additional adjustments, please select the ‘Custom Crop’ option and then add some explanatory notes in the ‘Special requests’ box once you have added the picture(s) to your basket.

Most requests can be carried out for a small charge, and will be completed within a few days. If we have questions about your request, we’ll get in touch before we proceed.

Back to top

Q. One or more of my pictures is cropped so that part of a head or body is ‘missing’.

A. We offer a range of pictures for our customers to choose from. Some of them may be tightly cropped as these are amongst our most popular shots. But if they’re not your preference there should be plenty of others that are cropped more widely for you to choose from.

Back to top

Q. When I enter my sitting ID, the website takes me to a login page instead of my album?

A. This could be one of two things:

  1. Take care that you are entering the Sitting ID correctly. Watch out for the letter ‘O’ and the number ‘0’, or the letter ‘I’ and the number ‘1’. If you copy & paste your Sitting ID take care not to add a ‘space’ by mistake.
  2. Your images may not be online yet. Please be patient but if the problem persists please contact us and we‘ll be happy to investigate.

Back to top

Q. Can I share my sitting ID with family and friends and will they be able to see my account?

A. Yes. You are welcome to share your Sitting ID with family & friends. This will give them access to the pictures but not to your account. If they want to order pictures, or create favourites or products they are welcome to create their own account.

Back to top

Q. Can I change the background colour?

A. No sorry. We cannot change the background colour of our pictures.

Back to top

Q. How do I select and use ‘Favourites’?

A. Please create or login to your account before you select favourites. Then click or touch the heart in the bottom right hand corner of your favourite pictures. To view your favourite pictures just click ‘Favourites’ in the top navigation menu in the shop. To remove pictures from your ‘Favourites’ just click the heart again.

Back to top

Q. One or more of the picture I ordered has arrived damaged. What can I do?

A. Please email a picture of the packaging and the damaged item(s) to customerservice@pret-a-portrait.net
We will investigate any such issue promptly and resolve things for you as quickly as possible.

Back to top

Q. I prefer not to pay online. Is there another way to pay?

A. We offer a range of alternative payment methods. As well as paying online by card or PayPal we also offer online banking payments, and card payments by telephone.
Please see http://www.pret-a-portrait.net/contact/

Customers in China can also use Alipay or China Union Pay

Back to top

Q. How long will it take to get my order?

A. Turnaround times vary by product and by country. They typically range from 3 days to 3-4 weeks. If you need your order to arrive by a specific date please let us know and we will do our very best. In the run up to Christmas we publish specific information on order deadlines and delivery timing which can be accessed from our home page.

Back to top

Q. DIGITAL FILES (JPEGS): Do I own the copyright of my images once I purchase the JPEG?

A. Pret-a-Portrait retains copyright of all the images it takes including any purchased as jpegs. The purchaser has permission to make prints or use these files in any way they choose provided it is for their own personal or private use.

This permission does not extend to commercial use, publishing or broadcasting. Should you wish to use any of Pret-a-Portrait’s pictures for these purposed please contact us directly in advance.

Back to top

Q. DIGITAL FILES (JPEGS): Can I order a class picture as a digital file?

A. . Yes – you can now buy pictures of classes, teams and other groups as digital files. Just select a group picture and the appropriate product options will appear in the shop. Choose ‘Change Option’ and then select High Resolution JPEG (Digital File) from the drop down menu.

Back to top

Q. Why is my class picture a different shape or size to last year?

A. The exact shape and size of our class pictures are determined by two factors:

  • the style of picture (the school chooses one of three alternative styles)
  • the number of people in the picture

This means that picture sizes can vary from year to year or even from class to class.

Back to top

Q. How do I order a class or group picture?

A. Because of their shape group pictures are only compatible with a selected range of our products. Click on the image you are thinking of buying and the appropriate products will appear in the shop.

Back to top

Q. Why are some pictures ‘greyed-out’ when choosing the ‘buy more’ option?

A. The ‘Buy More’ option only applies when buying more of exactly the same product.

In some cases (e.g. where a picture was taken before we introduced automatic retouching) what is ostensibly the same end product (e.g. a digital download, or a print) requires a different workflow process, so has to be treated as a different product by our system.

To buy a ‘greyed-out’ picture, simply go back to the Sitting that picture is from.

Back to top