My sister who has issues regarding her body image was told that she had won a competition for a free photoshoot. What she didn't realise was that everyone who enters the competition wins the same prize! She asked my wife to drive her to Manchester from Somerset for the photoshoot. With time to charge the electric car and traffic, the journey took 4 hours each way. The 'shoot' took over 3 hours from signing in but that did include hair and makeup, so not as bad as it could have been. When the shoot was finished, they told her that she needed to book in again within 4 to 7 days to 'review the pictures'. Not easy when you have to consider 8 hours driving for a 1 hour appointment! She was absolutely made to feel that they wouldn't let her leave until she booked the follow-up appointment. This 'viewing appointment' is described as you sitting in a 'cinema-like environment' with drinks and popcorn while you're shown a slide show of your photos. Well worth 8 hours of driving for - NOT!Then there are the available packages which range in price from £645 (for 10 images on a USB key - even though the rest of the world has moved on from technology that old) through to £3160 for digital and printed images and a bonus printed canvas to put on your wall! At it's conception, you'd have paid less for a timeshare from the 'prize' scheme and at least you'd have got a weekend away into the bargain! Ironically, you'd probably have gone home with more than 30 photos as well!!! 🤣😂🤣😂 Their leaflet talks about the average spend being between £600 and £1200 (absolutely impossible when the lowest price is £645!). Surprise, surprise, they offer credit for people spending more than £700 - yet more hard sell to force people to spend more than the minimum! Of course, part of their hard sell is that they offer you 2 free images if you go back for the 'viewing' and that they'll 'refund' your deposit. What they mean by 'refund' is that they'll knock it off of their ridiculously expensive package prices! When my sister explained her difficulties in coming back, she was basically told that she had no choice and blackmailed with the potential return of her deposit if she returned. She was also told that they needed 4 days to 'edit the pictures' and that she had up to 7 days to book her return appointment giving her a 3 day window for that appointment. They were kind enough (or determined enough to try and rip her off further) to allow her to book an appointment on the bank holiday Monday! In the modern day and age, they offer no non-face-to-face alternative to viewing in person such as Zoom, Teams, Skype, or any of the other multitude of online applications, but insist that you have to be there in person. Why do they do this? They'll never admit it, but they do it because hard sell tactics don't work over the phone or online!This is NOT a scam but simply use of underhand and unfair techniques to sell someone something that they don't need or even really want! The scheme predates on those who have issues with their self esteem and body images and hopes that the £50 deposit with persuade them to throw good money that they don't really have after bad for an album of photos that realistically costs a few quid to put together! Get together with some girly friends and spend your day drinking Prosecco, doing hair and makeup, and having a huge laugh as you take photos of each other on your phones. You could even buy a decent printer, ink and photo paper to print your photos for less than your £50 deposits added together! Please don't get conned! I'm sure that if you're a model needing photos for a portfolio these photoshoots are worth it as a business expense, but for the average woman, they simply offer to make you feel better about yourself while actually leaving you feeling worse!!!
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Photographer specialising in baby, child, family, wedding and makeover photography. Provides portraits, galleries and contact details.
