AIBU to just use the free photoshoot and not buy any prints?

[PhotoPromotion]

I have a won a photoshoot for my family which I am very grateful for, as it’s not something we can afford to pay for ourselves.

The shoot we have won gives us different scenes and one free framed photo of our choice.

I would love a professional photo of us altogether, but my family are saying it is cheeky to take them up on the prize if I am not intending to buy anymore prints.

I am aware they do these giveaways in the hopes people will then go on to spend hundreds on the photos, but unfortunately that’s not money we have, and it is a prize I won fair and square.

They are making me feel entitled and embarrassed to go ahead with it and just get the free print.

AIBU?

i agree

there’s something a bit mid 90s about it. Including the style of photos!

I've done this before, just paid the headline price ( £9) for one pic and the £25 deposit for another £34 for 2 prints plus a mini and my daughter loved being a 'model' for the shoot.

I made it clear upfront that I wouldn't be buying more so escaped the hard sell.

Don't see a problem with it. They rely on you feeling guilty to upsell you, so don't!

If you're feeling uncomfortable you could always be clear with him before the shoot. If you know him I'm sure he'll understand!

I wonder how nice the photographer will be to you once he realises you are not going to be spending thousands like last time. I think the atmosphere might change somewhat and he will go for the hard sell with payment plans etc.

High pressure sales . Not a scam but you can end up leaving having spent far more than you wanted to and far more than you can afford.

I think I’d be honest with them tell them you won’t be buying any more prints
then
decide what you want as your free one the focus on that rather than have them waste hours on taking photos that will never be bought

Why not just go to an independent photographer? Probably nicer photos and won’t just be one small print or cost thousands. I thought these shady photography companies had all gone.

But it's a prize! You're not meant to pay for a prize! I'd explain at booking that you're claiming your prize and won't be spending money further as you can't afford it.

What’s the chances of you ‘winning’ more than once.

It’s not a scam, it’s a marketing ploy. One that is designed to make you part with a lot of money. But the end product will be beautiful. My parents got hooked by it and spen £3000. You can’t deny the frames are an artwork in themselves.

If you want to get more reasonably priced photos find a local independent photographer.

Oh lord no, I hate the intense sales pressure that comes along with these kind of things.

Mini blondes won a photos shoot and one free pic

Yes there was a sell but not a hard one

I did end up buying some pictures as she was so cute !!!!!

but they also did a interest free payment plan so I was happy do to that

Yes fine to only Get the free one if you have balls of steel and can say no no no no 😂

I expect there are a lot of winners of this "prize".

It's more of a marketing ploy than a scam. They know that a lot of people struggle to choose only one picture and that they will end up selling more.

There is no obligation to buy more, but expect them to put pressure on you to do so. Just make it clear you don't have money to spare for more photos.

And wasnt thousands. Think was £500

But the main package with all and memory stick etx was think £2k

Is it Venture?

Photographer here! This is not a scam however we need to earn money to put food on the table so very rarely will do a full shoot for free without expecting some sort of sales. How else do we live by just offering freebies. Personally I never ever offer these ‘free’ shoots. People do feel ripped off when they find out how much they are expected to spend, and if you choose to only have the one free print I imagine it will be very awkward when you go for your viewing, especially since you’ve previously spent a lot with them. They will expect it. That’s why these people do these offers / competitions, it’s to bring money in a a quiet time, not to work for free.

Tho @TheLizardQueen if you do an offer /free photoshoot with one photo and no pressure to buy

If someone literally takes the one free photo then that's fine as well

Yes it's your job time and money but that's the offer as such

But that's a risk they choose to take, isn't it? Unless it forms part of the initial contract, clients are under no obligation whatsoever to buy, and suppliers shouldn't make it awkward for them if they choose not to.

If they don't want to work for free, then they have the option of not offering "free prints" in the first place.

We’ve used this company a lot, both for paid shoots and one previous time where we just got the free photo we won.

At the moment we are not in a position to buy, but in the future I am planning on spending a lot with this company over the years as the photographer is brilliant.

Go for it! They offered up a prize and you won it. Plus, assuming they continue to do a good job, you are very likely to return to them for paid work later.

Two things I'd do; 1. tell them up front that you don't intend to spend money so they know how much time to invest in the shoot (pointless spending hours on loads of different set ups when you only need 1 good photo) and 2. don't get persuaded to spend money you can't afford!

I 'won' a free photo shoot in a raffle from a less reputable company when DS was a baby. The free photo was a quick passport style snapshot with zero effort made, then they tried to get him to pose for loads more photos and said I could only have the free photo if we did the whole shoot! I politely declined and left empty handed!

Your reply doesn’t make sense.

My point is that you seem overly invested and quite het up about the situation.

Thank you all 😊

Knowing they’re a reputable local company and we plan to spend more with them in the future we will carry on and just take the free print for now.

It's Venture isn't it?

Definitely. The prize is the free photo. They run the promotion as they hope you will buy more

The only thing I don't understand is if this is a competition prize, surely it usually has some financial value? Whereas the business model is to offer a "free" or very cheap shoot and free single print as standard, in the hope that you will spend £££ on other images from the shoot, isn't it?

Mind you I suppose giving away a very cheap shoot for free as a prize is still a prize.

I once read on here that one of them printed copies of the photos of this lady's kid there and then, said any she didn't buy in the moment would be deleted from memory cards, and got nasty when she declined to purchase, including ripping them up in front of her. It sounded like a horrific and sleezy sales tactic.

OP I am glad your photographer isn't like that. I think given that you've spent thousands with him in the past and will again, taking the freebie prize is fine. Actually I think it's fine anyway, people should honour a prize they offer and if the T&Cs don't say "and you also need to buy other prints" then it's ethically sound for you to take up the offer of just the one photo.