Mumsnet Talk

I will check that out, not that I can afford Venture mind you.

They what? Are you sure? That sounds bonkers.

I came across this when DS was small.

I was approached by someone in the local high street, with the usual, 'Oh you can have a shoot for only £10!' (ie come along for the shoot, then you can have one pic, if you want the rest you'll have to take out a second mortgage)

I though, 'Ok, I know what your deal is, but I'll come along, just so I can have one proeffesional photo'

So thy instantly said, right, when can you and your partner make it. When I told them he wasn't really a photos person, I got a really dismissive reply, saying they only did family pics!

I challenged them and asked them, well how do you know I'm not single? They mumbled a lot so I politely declined the offer

This is true. I signed up for their ' deal. I wasn't made aware that all members of the family had to be in at least one photo. I AM HIDEOUSLY UGLY and didn't want this at all.I did not want to be in the photo and asked them what would happen if my DH was a single parent - they said that the offer would not be open to him. I asked for my money back but I am yet to hear.

Wh-at??? How horrible - worse than those naffola Sandals resorts outlawing gay couples.

(Never liked Venture photography stuff, I think they're a big rip off and like Sandals exceedingly naff anyway).

Boycott them I say!!

Isn't it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of marital status/sexual orientation? Definitely is in the employment sphere, but it may also be unlawful in the provision of good & services. Am a bit out of date on the latest rules, but I recall there being a problem with a hotelier refusing to have a gay couple stay.

I suggest contacting the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, they'll remind Venture of the law, and if they don't change their ways may bring a case against them.

How appalling.

surely that just relates to that particular offer though?

When we took this offer we understood that at least 2 adults had to be there ad at least one photo had to include everyone who attended (we had a max number)

their terms and conditions are here

They are franchised so i wonder if all the complaints are based around 1 or 2 studios.

I don't understand why it would matter to them how many adults were there?
Also, why do anything that excludes a potential group of customers?? Don't they want to make money?

Wow, I cannot believe that a national company like this would have such a discriminatory policy.

Just had a sneaky peek at their T's and C's and found this:

"5) Voucher is for a full family photography session.

6) All family members, ie your complete family unit must attend the session for the voucher to be valid, at individual studios’ discretion."

So if your "complete family unit" is a single parent, or a gay couple, they should be able to take up the offer. If Venture are saying that people cannot take advantage of the offer because of being a single parent then surely they are breaking their own terms and conditions.

Someone bought us a free photo shoot and photo as a present when DD2 was born. Thought it would be a lovely idea. It was just crap. The photographer was rubbish, then we had to come back another day without the kids to watch some shitty powerpoint presentation of the pictures. We only liked 2 pictures, which was one of each child. But the deal only allowed one crappy little photo. Becuase it was a present, we felt obliged to pay for the bigger size £40, just so that we could show our friends the lovely present they had spent £50 or something on for us. So we settled on another as I was not for paying hundreds of pounds to get 2! I very nearly died when I saw the price list - seriously , there was one on there at £1000

So I would be happy to do anything to support a boycott. I think they are rubbish and the deal is crap that they are punting out to people

Can't you just have the kids in the picture?

We had a "watch me grow" plan for our babies, you went 4 times a year and ran out with the "free" pic before you spent far too much each time.

Say you are doing the pics as a suprise for your partner??

Sorry - I did not say I agree this is outrageous if this is true.

this must be only for certian offers then because I bought a Venture deal for 25 quid for my ex for Christmas, by the time we got to the date we'd split up. So we did the shoot anyway, none of us together though, and took the one photo.

Ds and I had one, they didn't ask about anyone else, we are a 'family'. I paid the initial £25 for the world's smallest photo and the shoot, then chose to pay £40 for a bigger picture. I did say that I wanted a picture of ds and I as we didn't have any really nice pictures of our family, I'm happy with the one we have but was less happy that they took lots of lovely pictures of ds alone as this wasn't what I asked for. I only paid for one picture, there's no way I could have afforded more then this. I didn't feel discriminated against in any way.

Ref Lily's post:
6) All family members, ie your complete family unit must attend the session for the voucher to be valid, at individual studios’ discretion."

I had to fill out a mini questionnaire type thing before they told me that we all had to be thre for the offer to be valid...one of the questions was (something along the lines of...) 'are you single or do you have a partner'. I answered yes, so think then I obviously qualified for thier 'offer'

To OP I did their £25 offer when ds was small and I'm a single parent. No discrimination at all. Very poor photos though - made a blue eyed blonde haired boy turn ginger . We had other photos done elsewhere that were fab.

Didn't like Venture at all and thought their hard sell was dreadful. Lots of pressure but it didn't work as I was laughing too much at how bad the photos were .

Create the 'Venture' look at home for free by simply smearing the lense with vaseline, turning all the lights on and giving the camera to your three year old. Hey presto!

DH bought me a Venture package for Christmas when DC2 was just a few weeks old (this was 5 years ago). I came down with PND almost immediately after Xmas and so didn't feel able to go for a few months. Then when we tried to book, it had expired. This wasn't a special offer, this was something paid for. Explained the circs and why we'd not been able to go within the allotted time and not a shred of sympathy. Wasn't up to arguing, but delighted to see this campaign - thieving b'stards IMHO.

Their pictures are so naffly shite that they are almost running the campaign themselves - they will be as popular as swirly, seashell artex ceilings in no time.

What is their rationale? Sounds bonkers.

I tried to buy just the picture without the frame, I wasn't allowed as it's sold as 'a concept'