My chapter (here at ECU) has been dealing with Vantine for the last three years. We're EXTREMELY thankful that our contract runs out this year. They're one of worst groups of people I've ever had to deal with as an advisor. Thankfully, our new Asst. Director of GL has helped us find a new company that is nearly $400 cheaper. I think it's Greek Yearbook.

The problem with Vantine is that they're not as good for gigantic chapters. We've been using Vantine Imaging since 1969 and they haven't ever done a bad composite. A couple have had wierd lighting but as a whole, they've been fantastic. Greek Yearbook was used last year but we plan on going back to Vantine. GY was alright. It was very pricy though. Vantine is about $100 cheaper for us (we're only a chapter of around 25). I guess my biggest complaint about GY is that, as a whole, the composite we got didn't look like a "fraternal" composite. Just a bunch of pictures plastered together. I had to tell her how to put the thing together becausethe way it was done initially was rediculous (that is, the placement of the pictures). They had numerous mispellings and what not. But we were able to get it fixed and that was a GOOD thing.

I think Vantine and GY are the best ones out there. Everyone here at CMU uses Vantine.

As a former President of my chapter I can say I did not enjoy working with any composite servicer. They are shady as hell. Back in the day before email was a big source of communication they used to make you sign a contract and shadily put other contracts hidden beneath so you couldn't read them. You'd then get into a big mess and be locked into their contract for years and they'd raise the prices. NEVER sign anything that is for more than 2 years. I had this problem where Fraternal Composite Services dug up this old contract from 4 years before me and claimed we were still under contract for a composite service where we had 40+ brother minimum. We had 18 actives at the time (which is another story). I told them we did not have the funds to pay for such a composite.They got real nasty with me and started talking about lawsuits and crap. I basically kicked and screamed our way out of the contract. Finally, somehow I got us out of it and decided to look at GreekYearbook. I heard a lot of people were switching over to it. Then I heard a lot of rumors that their composites looked like shit and the pictures are of poor quality. I then signed a one year contract back with Fraternal Composite Services and got a deal that didn't break our bank, but was still absolutely ridiculous.

Needless to say, Fraternal Composite Services do a great job, but they are expensive as hell and are very shady. If anyone can back up GreakYearbook and tell me how their compisite services are (as well as the quality of the actual composites themselves) it would be a great help to this chapter in the future. I hope my experiences helped anyone as well.

Bring me some new info
 

Take a look at the dates on these postings. Most of them are years old. Does anybody have new information on Composite Companies?

In my sorority, we used fraternal composite service and like lcalbdpzax said, they were shady, they pulled out some contract with a minimum required number of ppl to sit and charged us b/c we didn't have enough... it was ridiculous! I used Vantine when I didn't know that we were still under contract for another year, and they were FANTASTIC, especially being in NY alumni dad. They were courteous, fair, friendly, and went above and beyond actually researching for our crest so they'd have an original on there. Our composite was beautiful.

http://www.vantineimaging.com/

We have had some issues with Vantine in the past. The photographer and secretary were both rude and unprofessional both of the last two years and when we declined to resign a two year contract their reply was that "You'll come back. No one else can do the composites like we do. So don't sign now, we'll just charge you more later." Rude. Our Greek Office did some research about other companies that we as a Greek Community could use... I'll see if I have the contact information for any of the companies we screened which came both with good reviews.

The only one I've never heard anything bad about is Magnolia.

However, their site doesn't work anymore, so I'm guessing they went out of business.

Fraternal Composite still sucks!! I have no idea when we will get our pictures!! If you have 10 years to wait the pictures are quite nice, but it is taking sooo long. I am sure the chapter will have to mail pictures to graduates.

i'm really surprised by this... but I was only going off my experience, but I know that a few of the other sororities used them and like them as well... hmm... :confused:

We started using Digital Pix after another sorority on campus recommended them, and they have been great. Their website is: www.dpcpix.com

We use a local place; they're really good and work with us very well. AFAIK, we haven't had any problems with contracts or anything.

We used to use a local place, but that place ALWAYS messed up something up every year and would take forever getting the composites to us. Since we don't have a house, we don't get the big composites. So, last year, my lil sis did the composites using her digital camera.

sorority composite
 

I feel like a composite company expert. ok where to start...over the past three years I was historian, treasurer, and now President of my sorority. we used several different companies and because of my positions I had a lot of involvement with these companies. First Fraternal composite Service. They were absolutely terrible, the photographer was late to our shoot and so creepy. Then last year we used Valtine. They were better but a little pricey for us and it took awhile to get the composite. Their customer service was good though dealing with some problems we had, but we shopped around again after using them.

This year we started using GreekYearbook (www.greekyearbook.com). We photographed in October and got our composite in mid November which was amazing. you design your composite on their websitee which was cool, but it took a little getting used too. they were really friendly people that work there and the price was really good too. It didnt hurt either that our photographer looked like Justin Timberlake ;) you can see his picture on their website its crazy how much he looks like JT..omg! (http://www.greekyearbook.com/new/about.asp). he shot our composite and we just hired them to come out for our bid day too this spring. i think all composite clients get a free bid day photographer. so, all in all I would highly recommend them!:)

I would do a google search to find some companies. talk to them about all the costs up front. that way you can avoid issues down the line.

I know my chapter used Greek Yearbook, as did most of the chapters at my campus. We had our pictures taken the end of October, and have yet to receive them, but I am assuming this is because of the Holiday season.