‘25 PS so far

justdoit19 said:
Thornton is the other program. He is usually quick with photos (shoukd already have some up). He is a USNA approved vendor. USNA also posts to FLICKR. You will enjoy those pictures. Nothing like seeking your plebe, doing really cool stuff.
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USNA Alumni Association (photographers') pictures are far better quality than Thornton. Thornton pics are scattershot, badly framed, poorly focused, and generally smack of complete unawareness of basic picture taking techniques (or his 3 new photographers he hired this Summer never learned how to use their gear or shot pics in high school.) Worse, Thornton fees are rapacious for the consistent lack of quality displayed in 2025 Plebe Summer. In contrast, USNA AA/Foundation, on the other hand, supports the MIDs through all their activities and you receive access to their Plebe Summer photos after joining the Alumni Assoc (if you are a parent of a MIDN.) The USNA Flickr galleries are also significantly better quality (composition, framing, lighting, focus, etc.) than Thornton's.
 
Paine1776 said:
USNA Alumni Association (photographers') pictures are far better quality than Thornton. Thornton pics are scattershot, badly framed, poorly focused, and generally smack of complete unawareness of basic picture taking techniques (or his 3 new photographers he hired this Summer never learned how to use their gear or shot pics in high school.) Worse, Thornton fees are rapacious for the consistent lack of quality displayed in 2025 Plebe Summer. In contrast, USNA AA/Foundation, on the other hand, supports the MIDs through all their activities and you receive access to their Plebe Summer photos after joining the Alumni Assoc (if you are a parent of a MIDN.) The USNA Flickr galleries are also significantly better quality (composition, framing, lighting, focus, etc.) than Thornton's.
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That was not our experience at all. Thornton took some incredible shots. Enough to make a book. We also had him do a portrait session with our son his Plebe year. Couldn't ask for better pictures, or a better price.
 
Paine1776 said:
USNA Alumni Association (photographers') pictures are far better quality than Thornton. Thornton pics are scattershot, badly framed, poorly focused, and generally smack of complete unawareness of basic picture taking techniques (or his 3 new photographers he hired this Summer never learned how to use their gear or shot pics in high school.) Worse, Thornton fees are rapacious for the consistent lack of quality displayed in 2025 Plebe Summer. In contrast, USNA AA/Foundation, on the other hand, supports the MIDs through all their activities and you receive access to their Plebe Summer photos after joining the Alumni Assoc (if you are a parent of a MIDN.) The USNA Flickr galleries are also significantly better quality (composition, framing, lighting, focus, etc.) than Thornton's.
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Ya that’s not my experience with two Mids. At all.

I did read he hired additional photographers this year. So that’s new. Also saw he raised his prices. That’s also new.

No allegiances to any at all. Just sharing my own experience. I’m glad to have all the pictures. Also, Thornton is a NASBD. 10pct of his earning also goes to the Brigade. He does support the Mids.
 
brewmeist said:
That was not our experience at all. Thornton took some incredible shots. Enough to make a book. We also had him do a portrait session with our son his Plebe year. Couldn't ask for better pictures, or a better price.
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Same. He photographed my boys together. Didn’t charge extra for big brother to join his plebes session. Added in some ideas for settings. And they are fantastic. He could get on they yard last spring, when rom/iso opened up. When others couldn’t. Those photos were an amazing Mother’s Day present.
 
A1Janitor said:
Got a call from my son late last night. He has no voice.

I asked him how the plebes are eating. He said his company plebes all agree the food is good and plentiful.
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Truly appreciate you letting us know @A1Janitor ❤️
A local Plebe from our area wrote to her mom that she is eating more food than ever before, and that it is all good! They were even treated to Chick-Fi-La several weeks back...
 
A1Janitor said:
Got a call from my son late last night. He has no voice.

I asked him how the plebes are eating. He said his company plebes all agree the food is good and plentiful.
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My DS indicated the food does what it needs to, but it isn't Mom & Dads cooking (we love to cook), nor should it be (he has to have something to look forward to coming home for, right!?). He did say he avoids red food at all costs :p
 
Paine1776 said:
USNA Alumni Association (photographers') pictures are far better quality than Thornton. Thornton pics are scattershot, badly framed, poorly focused, and generally smack of complete unawareness of basic picture taking techniques (or his 3 new photographers he hired this Summer never learned how to use their gear or shot pics in high school.) Worse, Thornton fees are rapacious for the consistent lack of quality displayed in 2025 Plebe Summer. In contrast, USNA AA/Foundation, on the other hand, supports the MIDs through all their activities and you receive access to their Plebe Summer photos after joining the Alumni Assoc (if you are a parent of a MIDN.) The USNA Flickr galleries are also significantly better quality (composition, framing, lighting, focus, etc.) than Thornton's.
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I also echo no allegiances to any at all...
Yes, I agree that USNA AA and USNA Flickr photos are fantastic! Mr. Thornton has said in several of his emails that the pictures he is posting for all to see are unedited. This is the reason: prior plebe "parents took a vote that indicated they wanted the photographs instantly, if at all possible. That was impossible, so we compromised. We posted the photographs unedited. At the end of the summer you can request us to complete the basic editing we would have normally done on your FAVORITES. Limit is 150."
 
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93RN said:
I also echo no allegiances to any at all...
Yes, I agree that USNA AA and USNA Flickr photos are fantastic! Mr. Thornton has said in several of his emails that the pictures he is posting for all to see are unedited. This is the reason: prior plebe "parents took a vote that indicated they wanted the photographs instantly, if at all possible. That was impossible, so we compromised. We posted the photographs unedited. At the end of the summer you can request us to complete the basic editing we would have normally done on your FAVORITES. Limit is 150."
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It is impossible to 'edit' bad files/pics. His pictures are out of focus (poorly set camera AF focus points) and/or his aperture settings are wrong (large aperture for light which produces shallow depth of field, i.e. most of scene and subjects are out of focus. His action shots are too tight (zoom too tight) so most of the relevant content is missing, ex. someone on the Obstacle Course and you only see a body/torso - no obstacle. Nothing in post-production (editing at desktop) can save any of these (the multitude in his 2021 Summer galleries to date). USNA AA and Flickr shots are all extremely well executed (i.e. the USNA AA photographers configure their DSLR settings properly and they shoot from thoughtful angles and with excellent focal length - to tell the story of the action/Plebe. Go Navy! Go USNA AA Photographers!!
 
We also have both. Most of Thornton's unedited photos aren't as nice as the AA photos but his service, this year in particular apparently based on what parents have said they want, gets many, many more photos of the plebes than the Alumni Association. And he posts them more quickly and covers the plebes much more thoroughly. Alumni Association site hasn't posted anything from our plebe's company in the last 8 days. Glad to have Thornton.
 
I am a 2024 mom so you can imagine last year's photo program from any photographer left much to be desired (as did the whole year). I have a few cherished pictures from PS from both programs.
My experience with Mr. Thornton for portraits was amazing. Very easy to set up, incredibly affordable, and far better than the Legacy photos (which I will not purchase).
To each his own as they say. But, grateful for any chance we had to see our kiddo.
 
So back to how the this year's PS....any reports from the first set of detailers on how things went? is there a cultural shift with the new 'Dant? How's the weather been so far (other than TS that went through and the severe storm after I-day)?
 
LT360 said:
So back to how the this year's PS....any reports from the first set of detailers on how things went? is there a cultural shift with the new 'Dant? How's the weather been so far (other than TS that went through and the severe storm after I-day)?
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Letter from DS told us about the switch and said “3 of The Detailers were doing SEALS and the game was stepping up!“ Not sure if he meant 3 Detailers assigned to his Company doing SEALS? Or 3 Detailers in general doing SEALS? 🤷🏻‍♀️

DS said he is enjoying all of the physical aspects of Plebe Summer 🥳
 
93RN said:
Letter from DS told us about the switch and said “3 of The Detailers were doing SEALS and the game was stepping up!“ Not sure if he meant 3 Detailers assigned to his Company doing SEALS? Or 3 Detailers in general doing SEALS? 🤷🏻‍♀️

DS said he is enjoying all of the physical aspects of Plebe Summer 🥳
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More than likely it means 3 of his detailers within the company completed mini-BUDS this summer. It’s the SEAL screener they do over the summer prior to 1/C year.
 
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