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Original poster

photos by Venture

46 replies

jinna · 19/09/2003 12:08

has anyone had their photos done by a company called Venture - got a leaflet through today and they seem to do very natural pictures

OP posts:
Mo2 · 19/09/2003 12:22

Quite a few of my friends have, and we are thinking about having some done too.
They have quite a different sort of approach - basically you take your family along to a large white, box-like studio, and they let you 'mess around' to try to express your individual personalities etc i.e. using toys/ clothes / movement etc.
The output is very modern and vibrant I think.
A few things to be aware of:

  • they are VERY expensive - make sure you push for a price list in advance so you know what you're getting to (there's no point going for the session if you can't afford the prints)
  • There sales people are quite pushy, so be clear about what you do/don't want (e.g. they were trying to make out to us that we could only comer to the sessions on a weekday morning, which since dh & I work full time wasn't on. As soon as I said well that meant we'd not be able to do it they miraculously found us a Saturday!)
  • they are also a franchise operation, so the shots will only be as good as your particular areas franchisee. If you are in an area with two or more Venture studios within striking distance it may be worth comparing their work. HTH
hopey · 19/09/2003 12:45

I've recently had a picture of myself and dd delivered from Venture and love it! Yeah they're pricey, but its something you're not likely to do more than once so in my opinion its worth the money. The place I went to made it a fun experience and I didn't find them pushy.

janh · 19/09/2003 12:51

We have 2 black & white ones - one of the kids and one of all of us. They are 12x10 (I think), framed but without glass (plastic coated?) and cost over £200....

The photographer was brilliant though. They are lovely pictures.

JanHR · 19/09/2003 14:19

I "won" a photo session and "free" photo from Venture by completing a questionnaire in Safeways in May. The "free" photo was a 7x5(worth £75) we paid and extra £40 to get a framed 10x8
Out of all the pictures taken there were only about 2 or 3 that we liked and only 1 that we wanted to buy.
If, like us, you can't afford to but many don't be pressureed into buying more.

codswallop · 19/09/2003 14:23

I had a thread about this once will try and find it

misdee · 19/09/2003 22:11

my ex has a pic of the girls done by venture. its absolutly gorgeous, i'm hopeing to go there when i come by a bit of cash at some point and get one done for myself. the kids loved it, just spent the session playing about, the pic my ex has has my dd1 jumping and shouting, and my dd2 crawling on the floor beside her. it captures their personalilties more than an usual 'posed' portrait. I would definatly recommend them.

Mummysurfer · 19/09/2003 22:25

EXPENSIVE that is an understatement!!!!!!!!!!!!

We "won" a free portrait and sitting. The photographer was brilliant dd aged 7 loved every minute of it. ds ages 4 got it into it too. Then we saw the price list. WWWWHHHHOOOOOHHHH!
Cheapest was £175 for a 6x4 ... that's postcard size!!
Most expensive was £900 for 9 photos of 3x3 in a frame.

Don't get me wrong dh and I aren't skinflints and we believe in "you get what you pay for" but we won't be ripped off and this was rip off BIG STYLE.

DH did his Victor Meldrew bit when we saw the prices and refused to go back to view the proofs.
DD had enjoyed it so much that I persuaded him to go and view them, choose one for our freebie (6x4). We did, and were all prepared for high pressure salse> In all fairness there was none. We chose one free framed 6x4 and were very pleased with it. But BEWARE.

AliH · 22/09/2003 21:31

We have a set of Venture portraits, and we love them. Our were done in Leicester, and we too were 'hooked' in by the intro offer.

A bit of history - we went to a photographer when dd was 8mths old, and got a great set of pictures of us all. The end result was good, but most of the poses were initiated by us, as were the clothing and styling of the pictures. Also, the photographer was not great with dd.

Venture on the other hand were totally different. We went when dd was around 20mths, and they were great. The whole experience, of both the sitting and the subsequent viewing was very pleasurable.

Yes, the prices are not cheap, but actually Venture compared very favourably against the first photographer. We had absolutely no hard sell, and were left to discuss our choices alone.

Definate recommendation, and we will be going back. Oh, and no, I do not have any connection with them, so my view is totally unbiased!

AllyWB · 04/10/2003 22:36

We went to Venture Watford, (tel 01923 202 015)
what a FANTASTIC time we had. My kids aged 4 & 1 had a great time, the photographer, Gideon, came up with loads of unusual poses, they've even got a swing. None of the usual boring stuff, my 5 year old son had taken a little spiderman toy with him, they had a 6ft one!!

We went in before we booked as were we a bit unsure, and spoke to the Studio Manager, Hazel, who was a northerner and very friendly. She explained that it would take about an hour for the pictures and then you would be invited back to view them at a later date.

We had a great time, the prices are expensive but if you want quality its what you pay for. Afraid I went a bit over the top and now our house looks like a showroom for Venture but everyone says how fantastic they are. Can throughly recommend them. Pictures look stunning in your lounge.

Also I believe they are now doing parties, like Body Shop parties, and you get a free pictures, so I'm trying to round up a few friends, anyone want to come?

Original poster
jinna · 05/10/2003 02:30

thanks for all the info- i think we will give it a go - they are doing an introduction offer where you get a sitting and a small picture for £25 - i think i might get tempted to buy others so may end up being very expensive - i may not tell DH about this!!!

OP posts:
willow2 · 07/10/2003 11:27

Can I just hijack this thread to blow someone else's trumpet? I know a very talented Mumsnetter who can, working from a photograph of your child, create the most stunning monochrome piece of art. She is a brilliant painter, but she is pretty rubbish at promoting her work and so I have taken it upon myself to let you know about her! Her work is highly individual yet instantly recognisable - and will remain a talking point for far longer than any photograph ever can. Anyone who has seen her work has been bowled over by it - so if you fancy finding out more email me and I'll make sure she gets in contact!

PS: I hope she doesn't kill me for this!

Lilysmum · 07/10/2003 11:52

Yes - a good result...but be warned, few clients walk away without first spending a few hundred quid (about £700 for us I think)

Their pictures are so lovely you can't help but get drawn in. Incidentally our £700 was one large framed photograph (about the same size as an average painting) made up of 4 individual photographs. So we hardly went mad in incurring our £700 bill.

willow2 · 07/10/2003 12:04

Ah - but you could have an original piece of art for less than that...

not that i'm pushy or anything

Bogwoppit · 07/10/2003 15:36

willoe2 I've sent you an E-mail

willow2 · 07/10/2003 17:14

bogwoppit - haven't got it yet - but will respond when it gets through.

ThomCat · 07/10/2003 17:19

I'm booked in - sent her pics of sprogg and everything! She's very clever and very talented isn't she.

Girly · 07/10/2003 17:29

Willow2, Have sent an email via contact, sound like a great idea as we are just redecorating our lounge and would love a professional picture.

Bogwoppit · 07/10/2003 19:27

not that we're hijacking this bventure thread, but I've just seen an example of Willow2's friends work. it is brilliant & I shall certainly be considering getting one done

willow2 · 07/10/2003 20:11

Shall I start a whole new thread signing her praises???

willow2 · 07/10/2003 20:11

singing even?

forestfly · 07/10/2003 20:12

Im interested in seeing her work could you do a link on the new thread?

allatsea · 07/10/2003 20:33

We had some photos done by Venture last year when dd was 8mo. There was definetly no hard sell, in fact they kept reminding us that we could walk away with just the free print that came as part of their £25 offer. There was also no problem having a Saturday morning slot. The session was great, and the viewing, where they recommend you don't bring small children or you won't be able to concentrate was excellent. The guy actually talked us out of what we had intended to buy into a cheaper option because he made some excellent points about thinking in advance about where you would hang the pictures; everyone who comes to the house says lovely things about them. DH and I who hate having our photos taken think that they're good too. A rip off? Maybe, but when compared the work of other local photographers, who aren't much cheaper but really twee, I thought they were great

Lilysmum · 08/10/2003 08:23

Personally I wouldn't use Venture again. I have since had photos done by a visiting photographer at my daughters day nursery, and ended up with some lovely photos for about £40.

willow2 · 08/10/2003 10:52

forestfly - nothing to link to at present but if you email me I can put you in contact with her and she can email you stuff to look at.