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Original poster

Venture Photography - are the photos VERY expensive?

72 replies

berrycherry · 05/01/2007 13:38

We are about to have a photo session with venture, but I keep getting conflicting advice, and that they are very expensive. anybody out there with recent experience?

OP posts:

LIZS · 23/01/2007 19:53

lol just been invited to a friend's Venture soiree ! Am tempted as it is our 40th b'days soon ...

IdrisTheDragon · 23/01/2007 19:56

At a toddler group, a photographer came round and took pictures in a Venture-eske way ie white background, children all over the place etc. He was really good with them and although I wasn't in any photos (maybe because I wasn't in any photos) it was really fun .

Chose photos at the time and got 4 small and one medium sized for £17. Unframed, but we have framed them ourselves. Pictures are on their webste and so we or family/friends can get more.

I would never ever want to go to Venture .

WriggleJiggle · 23/01/2007 20:04

carwillin, where are you? You're photos are FAB!

pianist · 23/01/2007 20:40

Well, I am VERY proud of myself - did manage to walk away with just the free desktop picture. My husband still dines out on the story of how forceful I was!
It's quite a nice picture, but I don't think they're worth the money they charge.

Pinkchampagne · 23/01/2007 20:43

Well done!! You are a stronger woman than me!!!

WigWamBam · 23/01/2007 22:31

LIZS, don't do it!!

You will get the hard-sell from your friends as well, because they get extra pictures for having the party ... but only if they convince enough of their guests to buy vouchers for photo shoots. I know a couple who were put under such pressure by Venture to push vouchers onto their friends, and who were so desperate to "earn" the picture they wanted but couldn't afford, that they ended up losing friends over it.

LIZS · 24/01/2007 10:50

I know wwb , but I also know that this friend is unlikely to bear any grudges when it comes to us buying or not and it is as much a housewarming evening as a Venture evening. I went to a similar session last year and didn't buy so have will power !!

loopity · 24/01/2007 16:27

Hoping this thread has saved me some money! Had booked in for a Venture session in a few days time. After reading the scary prices on here for some of the photos, I contacted another local photographer to compare prices. She can do a set of three photos in a frame for £100 plus £30 sitting fee. Someone described something similar from Venture costing £790

Phoned Venture to cancel our session - hard sell continued on the phone, practically had to argue my way out of it!

bogie · 24/01/2007 16:31

if you are in nottingham or near nottingham try life photographic there just as good as venture look at pics in my profile to see what there like : ) there site is www.lifephotographic.co.uk

loopity · 24/01/2007 16:39

That photo is so lovely, bogie
(I'm nowhere near Nottingham though so can't take up your recommendation unfortunately, but curious to know if their prices were better than Venture?)

bogie · 24/01/2007 17:11

yeh they do 10x12 prints for £25 and if you buy 4 you get 1 free they do canves prints and all sorts of picture packages not sure on the prices of them but good value : )

Original poster

berrycherry · 31/01/2007 13:53

OK - we had our session on saturday - despite seriously bad colds for my dh and I! my dd's were very excited, after I showed them a DVD of what to expect, even though my dd2 is quite shy. They packed a bag of "props", we took a couple of lovely , colourful outfits, and decided we would just enjoy ourselves.

The photographer was just lovely, my dd's warmed to her immedialtly. She asked us what we wanted, and we said we didn't want bog standard portraits, we wanted to capture some fun (my dd's are 5 and 6).

we all started together with plenty of tickling and banter, and then the girls did some shots alone. after the shoot, we were asked when we wanted our preview, and we were given the price list, so we were prepared.

THe preview was exactly as we expected. we had already decided that if the photos were good, we would get what we wanted (within reason). THey were actually better than we expected, and we were brutal with wittling them down. WE ended up with a collection of 9, and our "free" photo was upgraded to a larger size. I did not feel there was any hard sell, and actually enjoyed the whole experience. I can't wait for them to arrive!

I think anyone who is going to Venture should be prepared for the prices - they are not cheap, but for me it has turned out great.

OP posts:

SleepIsForTheWeak · 31/01/2007 14:03

My friend got really stung by them, ended up leaving with one print and about £400 on her credit card!
A photographer friend is doing baby and child photography in North London, I am going to get some done this weekend, very reasonable prices, does anyone want the details?

Flamesparrow · 31/01/2007 14:10

With all due respect... you wouldn't have felt there was a hard sell if you went in with a large amount of money to spend. Its when you go in with nothing to spend and they don't want to take no for an answer that you get the hard (and very upsetting) sell.

FluffyMummy123 · 31/01/2007 14:10

Message withdrawn

SleepIsForTheWeak · 31/01/2007 14:16

errr, no! Passing on details if someone wants them, is hardly advertising?!??!

Original poster

berrycherry · 31/01/2007 14:19

Why is it a problem that I actually found the whole experience a good one? I am not advertising, as there is nothing in it for me!

I was worried about the cost, but I knew how much the photos were before I went in (which was what i was worried about initially - if I was shown the photos with no idea of how much they were - then hit with it - that would be a hard sell)

I think the photos are very special, and they are for my upcoming 40th. We are not in debt, we can afford them thankfully, and we are happy with our decisions...all in all it was a good experience, and I am sure I am not the only person out there who is!

OP posts:

ParanoidAndroid · 31/01/2007 14:19

Has anyone used the Old Kiln Studios near Guildford?

We've a session booked there next weekend (won it through raffle at Christmas Fair) and I just wondered what I should expect! Reading the stories on here, makes me think I should prepare myself for the hard sell!!

FluffyMummy123 · 31/01/2007 14:19

Message withdrawn

FluffyMummy123 · 31/01/2007 14:19

Message withdrawn

SleepIsForTheWeak · 31/01/2007 14:22

oh, sorry
I guess if you are prepared to pay that amount before you arrive, it would feel ok.
I hate the fact that they delete the files if you dont buy then and there!!! Plain nasty!

Original poster

berrycherry · 31/01/2007 14:31

we were told the photos would remain on file, before we had even purchased anything...she also got price wrong, and agreed to honour the first price she gave us, maybe we were lucky not to get a hard sell, and maybe some studios have different tactics. I would certainly sugest anyone who takes up an offer of a discounted photoshoot is very aware of what the prices are, and some of the advice I got on this thread certainly prepared me for it! To me it was a good experience, I woulod rreccommend it but I would make sure I explained how expensive they are. I think that makes me normal not born again!

OP posts:

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