Venture photography

[Mx_Stu]

Afternoon all,

OH wants a 'family' photo session for Christmas.

I have had a look round the local photographers and their portfolios are 'nice' but not very exciting. I wandered past a Venture and was impressed with what I saw. I have therefore taken them up their current offer of £25 for a 1 hour session and a 7"x5" free print.

I am well aware that they are going to hard sell and OH will try and twist my arm on a portrait or two. How much am I looking at? A quick internet search sees people quoting from hundreds to thousands?

Alternatively are their any photographers (amateur or pro's) around the Cambridge area who think they can do similar styles to Venture and fancy doing a shoot and then selling me the images on CD? If so drop me a PM

Stu

[tegwin]

There is another thread somewhere running about "venture"..... sound like ripoff merchants to me!

If you were closer I would offer to help out...

[MikeO996]

I wouldn't go near them on principle - don't like their business model - very hard sell. Would rather find a local photographer who could sell honestly on his own merits.

[JakeS]

We had a Venture family photo done a few years ago and it was excellent, The photographer was really good and was incredibly friendly. The session was good fun too. There was never any hard selling when we were at out local one. The guy simply told us what option for photos and things there were and let us choose as a family. My father is a photographer and was a little shocked and the prices they charge for the actual photo/pictures you get at the end as they are a little steep. But all in all it was worth it and now have a large picture with 9 photographs in the living room.

[R300_PM]

Venture were very good when my family and I went along, very professional and service with a smile. We didn't have the 'hard sell' at all, the pictures were expensive at approaching £1000 for a large family portrait but it is a classic example of you get what you pay for...

[pmanson]

How far are you from Bovingdon (Hemel Hempstead).

We had some pictures taken at the weekend by Kim at Buttercup Photography

She took our wedding pictures (in fact if you look at her wedding page you see a picture of my wife.

Prices were very reasonable and we're looking forward to seeing the results.

[rhinochopig]

My wife bought her parents and her sister the £25 offer a couple of Christmases ago. I think it cost us circa £200, her sister ~£1000 and her parents ~£1500.

Nice pics, but my bottom is still sore.

[Simpo Two]

I've heard you'll probably leave £400 lighter.

My rate is £75/hour inlcuding processing and you can take them away on disk, nothing else to pay. The style is me, I'm in Essex and the studio is only 12x10 feet so maximum group size is 5 adults. Any use?

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 8th December 14:18

[parakitaMol.]

Is this the identikit happy family throwing a ball and romping with bare feet pictures that I see on every desk, in every office that I visit?

[rhinochopig]

parakitaMol. said:

Is this the identikit happy family throwing a ball and romping with bare feet pictures that I see on every desk, in every office that I visit?

Well in ours I was wearing a leather hood with a pool ball strapped into my mouth, but yeah that sort of thing. As you say happy families.

[parakitaMol.]

rhinochopig said:

parakitaMol. said:

Is this the identikit happy family throwing a ball and romping with bare feet pictures that I see on every desk, in every office that I visit?

Well in ours I was wearing a leather hood with a pool ball strapped into my mouth, but yeah that sort of thing. As you say happy families.

That sounds interesting.

I think there is some good advice on the thread already.

This venture style is very formulaic and personality-less. Find a local photographer with a good reputation and you'll get a much better set of images.

[rhinochopig]

parakitaMol. said:

rhinochopig said:

parakitaMol. said:

Is this the identikit happy family throwing a ball and romping with bare feet pictures that I see on every desk, in every office that I visit?

Well in ours I was wearing a leather hood with a pool ball strapped into my mouth, but yeah that sort of thing. As you say happy families.

That sounds interesting.

I think there is some good advice on the thread already.

This venture style is very formulaic and personality-less. Find a local photographer with a good reputation and you'll get a much better set of images.

Joking apart they do tend to look like the press photos for a poor sitcom that was cancelled after the pilot.

[beano500]

Simpo Two said:

Stuff

Find the photographer you want, not the corporate sausage factory that wants you.


Plug for Bloke

[parakitaMol.]

rhinochopig said:

parakitaMol. said:

rhinochopig said:

parakitaMol. said:

Is this the identikit happy family throwing a ball and romping with bare feet pictures that I see on every desk, in every office that I visit?

Well in ours I was wearing a leather hood with a pool ball strapped into my mouth, but yeah that sort of thing. As you say happy families.

That sounds interesting.

I think there is some good advice on the thread already.

This venture style is very formulaic and personality-less. Find a local photographer with a good reputation and you'll get a much better set of images.

Joking apart they do tend to look like the press photos for a poor sitcom that was cancelled after the pilot.

They always look too contrived and staged. It's really apparent. There are some better photographers on here that you could choose, than going for that production-line tat!!

[dmitsi]

I know a venture photographer, and while the quality is good, she much prefers doing her own thing. She still works for them, but they've been cutting her pay so much she has joined another independent studio for a couple of days a week, and enjoys it much more.

I have used them, and there was no hard sell. I wouldn't use them again though, it was pricey and she'll do be a much better deal now through the new studio.

[Jag-D]

JakeS said:

We had a Venture family photo done a few years ago and it was excellent, The photographer was really good and was incredibly friendly. The session was good fun too. There was never any hard selling when we were at out local one. The guy simply told us what option for photos and things there were and let us choose as a family. My father is a photographer and was a little shocked and the prices they charge for the actual photo/pictures you get at the end as they are a little steep. But all in all it was worth it and now have a large picture with 9 photographs in the living room.

My sister & bil took my nephew along to a venture shoot a couple of years ago and the service was excellent.

Photographer was cracking and while I can replicate his shots without too much effort (if exposed to a studio and lighting) I couldn't beat the way he was with my family on the day. Friendly, professional and no hard sell what so ever....

In the end, my sister got the shoot, the time and consultation along with 5 fully framed prints around A3 in size (and trust me, they're gorgeous) for a shade under a grand

Bit pricey, but they have no complaints....not bad considering the bil is a tight arse

[MikeO996]

Maybe hard sell is the wrong term, but there's no doubt they suck you in with the offer of something for nothing - and once you've been seduced with a slideshow of photos of your nearest and dearest it actually doesn't take a lot of pressure to get you spending a lot more than you would have originally intended - or would if prior you had got some quotes from local rivals.

[parakitaMol.]

Jag-D said:

5 fully framed prints around A3 in size

As opposed to partially framed prints?

[Dogsey]

Jag-D said:

5 fully framed prints around A3 in size (and trust me, they're gorgeous) for a shade under a grand

5 A3 prints for £1000??




You do know that to print them costs about £1 each? And I've just bought 2 A3 oak frames for about £20 each. So that works out at £895 for the hour (I'm guessing) you were in the studio and a bit of processing time. Now compare that with Simpo's quote above! It's a no brainer for me!!

[stigmundfreud]

Mx_Stu said:

Afternoon all,

I have therefore taken them up their current offer of £25 for a 1 hour session and a 7"x5" free print.

stu that will very quickly raise to a 1000+ session! I am not scaremongering, it happens time and time again. You will not have experienced pressure selling until you've ventured into venture