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Original poster

Would you go to this? Quick answers as need to leave in half an hour!

38 replies

AveAtqueVale · 29/12/2018 08:37

Ages ago we won a competition for a family photo shoot plus prints thing. Have booked and cancelled twice - once due to DS1 vomiting bug, and once because DS2 was teething so badly that he literally was doing nothing but screaming. It’s at 9.30 and I’ve woken up feeling (and looking) like death. Have been ill anyway and now also have a raging sore throat and temperature, puffy face, red nose, the works. Just want to sleep.

Would you take paracetamol, suck it up and go? Or should I just send DH with the boys? We cannot cancel again! Some nice photos of the three of them would be lovely, but there are also virtually no pictures of all of us so I’m a bit sad to miss the chance to potentially get a good one. But then it’s unlikely to be a good one of me anyway...

My head is full of cotton wool and I can’t decide! Help!

OP posts:

Amimissingsomethinghere · 29/12/2018 08:37

Just send the kids and enjoy bed !

QOD · 29/12/2018 08:38

Suck it up and go or cancel altogether as they’re often a kind of scam in as that you win ONE print and dear god they hard sell
You the rest!

kenandbarbie · 29/12/2018 08:38

I would drug myself up and go. You'll still get lovely photos of boys and you might get some nice ones of you! Then go home and go to bed!!

LampShadeHeid · 29/12/2018 08:38

Is it a genuine prize or one of those things where you’ll get a hard up sell at the end?

I’d probably not go for that reason.

Hunkyd0ry · 29/12/2018 08:39

I’d go. Take meds and turn up.
A small chance of a nice picture of you all might be worth it?

Redken24 · 29/12/2018 08:39

Drugs and go

GerrysSuccessor · 29/12/2018 08:40

They’re usually a massive con, you get the photo shoot for free but have to pay a fortune for any actual pictures... I’d stay in bed if I were you!

Childrenofthesun · 29/12/2018 08:40

No, I wouldn't bother. I had a "free" photo shoot when DC1 was a baby. The free photo you got with it was tiny so we ended up spending a fortune to buy 2 of the prints and have thought it a waste of money ever since. I wouldn't bother going if they're ill. These "free" offers come up all the time so you'll be able to do it in the future if you really want to.

birdsdestiny · 29/12/2018 08:41

It will be a very hard sell of my experience is anything to go by. So make sure whichever adult goes is aware of this. The look of disgust on the photographers face when we refused to give in was priceless. The eyewateringly expensive deals that they were offering were less so.

SymphonyofShadows · 29/12/2018 08:41

Nope. As PP have said, they are a con. Almost everyone who enters ‘wins’. If you already feel rubbish then you’ll be easier to manipulate.

Original poster

AveAtqueVale · 29/12/2018 08:42

It’s a genuine prize - a company we’ve used before to take a couple of nice photos of the boys. I can’t remember how many prints this is but it’s a few. Obv you can buy more if you want but they’re not hard sell types, and tbh so extortionate we’re very unlikely to accidentally buy any!

OP posts:

Believeitornot · 29/12/2018 08:43

Why can’t you cancel again? If you actually can’t then drug up.

tittietinsel · 29/12/2018 08:44

I wouldn't go to one of those anyway.

They don't just take a couple of snaps. They take bloody loads. Your prize is one or 2 pics and they will be guilting you into buying more of the 'lovely' pictures.

Best avoided.

MiddleClassProblem · 29/12/2018 08:47

It seems like it’s something you really want to do, so on that basis I’d drug up and go.

rookiemere · 29/12/2018 08:47

Cancel - once had a photoshoot done when unwell for friend who was building up her portfolio and I looked dreadful.

Florabella · 29/12/2018 08:48

If you have cancelled twice then I agree it wouldn't be fair to cancel again at such short notice. This company will be losing money having been unable to rebook three spaces. Not all photographers have rip off pricing structures or hard sell and it seems like these ones don't.

Put make up on and go. Make sure that you also get plenty with juT the kids so that if you don't like ones with you then there are still lots of them to choose from.

TheDogsMother · 29/12/2018 08:48

No. They will give you one photo and hard sell you the rest. Been there, done that 🙄

tittietinsel · 29/12/2018 08:50

Not all photographers have rip off pricing structures or hard sell

No you are right. It's just the once that have these 'competitions' to get the customers through the door. Decent photographers don't need to lure their customers in.

Avoid.

youarenotkiddingme · 29/12/2018 08:52

I'd go.

Let them take photos of you all, your boys and DH and them and you and some of just the boys.

See what they actually look like when developed.

But before hand agree with dh as you are hauling your arse out of bed especially then he's on childcare duty and you're going to bed after!

MincePieMum · 29/12/2018 08:55

Don't send DH without you. He will end up being scammed and arrive with a full CD of 80 photos, a mug, fridge magnets and a cushion. It's ok, they offer a credit agreement to fund it all. Believe me, it's not a prize you want to win.

Florabella · 29/12/2018 08:56

No, in this climate decent photographers do have to use marketing tactics to help boost get business. I know ones locally that do this when they are quiet. They are in no way rip off merchants. I also know ones that do what most people on this thread think and they give the industry a bad name with non transparent pricing. But the OP has already stated she has used this company before and they don't do that

londonrach · 29/12/2018 09:01

I dont know a single mum whos not won a photo shoot. Its a scam so id cancel and get well x

tittietinsel · 29/12/2018 09:02

No, in this climate decent photographers do have to use marketing tactics to help boost get business.

So you agree, it IS a marketing tactic.

I know ones locally that do this when they are quiet. They are in no way rip off merchants. I also know ones that do what most people on this thread think and they give the industry a bad name with non transparent pricing.

The only reason they use this as a 'marketing tactic' is to sell further product.

But the OP has already stated she has used this company before and they don't do that

Presumably she has booked and paid for a session previously though? Not won a competition, so not comparable anyway!

OneStepMoreFun · 29/12/2018 09:15

Send DH with the kids and turn it into a children's photoshoot. Bit weird to have just him and them without you, but them alone could be cute.

Florabella · 29/12/2018 09:31

Of course it is a marketing tactic! Every competition in the world practically is for marketing purposes. That doesn't make them a rip off asking as they are transparent and fair.

And they are not usually done to upswell to that client. They are done to get more people to know about their brand, to become better know in their community and so that others will think about a shoot in the future and remember them. Before gape they would be done to help grow a mailing list.

The Ventures of the world and those with similar pricing structures will be doing the hard up sell though

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