Venture photography

macrosteg

I'd really advise against using Venture. They were terrible. Yes, fantastic pictures but way over priced and you can get the same from independents who are cheaper is you take an hour a two to have a look at their styles before committing.

The main reason I wouldn't go with Venture is customer services, they are disgusting to deal with. My fiance and I had to cancel our first viewing of our pictures due to a family bereavement, they told us that regardless we no longer qualified for the first view discount.

I was then called later in the year to see if I wanted a viewing, with full discount (maybe their sales figures were slacking). I went in, said I couldn't commit to a time, but booked one in and told me to confirm later in the day, especially as I told them I was going to spend £1000 on a surprise present for my fiance. I called later to rearrange as fiance had to work that day, they told me I'd lost full discount and would have to pay an additional £300 for what I wanted.

Obviously infuriated at being messed around, I wrote to the manager to complain and ask where I stood. They never bothered to reply, not with a simple apology or even where I stood.

Again recently I was called and asked to come in with the discount again!! My fiance was with me so we arranged there and then to come in (as I desperately wanted the pictures as a wedding present). The day before we were due to come in, we were left a message saying as that because just over a year had passed there was no complimentary picture and that no discount could be given.

They are a very confused company, that just aren't worth the bother, especially when you can get the same for less elsewhere.

loughnafooey

Have to say, i think their marketting and prices are disgraceful, they tempt u in with £25 studio session + small pic, then take lots of great pcis and wnat you to take out finace to pay them off, emotional blackmailers, avoid!

toria77

I went to Venture 2 years ago with my sister to get some pics done as a surprise for my parents 50th, we had a £25 voucher with a free print included. The pics were lovely but they did give us every hard sell sales trick possible and because the pics are nice you do want them, they offered finance deals, said we had a discount if we ordered in a certain time etc. My mum ended up paying about £800 for a photo about 10x8 in a frame. It is gorgeous and people comment on it but tis expensive!

I am an amateur photographer now and would echo what others have said, contact your local groups or photographers, hunt out people like myself and my pals who would probably be willing to do something for very little money. I dont have a studio and I dont make any profit from my photo taking (one day maybe!) but even I can produce some decent and "arty" pics, I have been doing shoots for friends to practice and to be approached by someone would be fantastic so I am sure any local amateur portrait photographer would feel the same. Please dont get into silly debts for photos!

I am in Norfolk, if anyone is interested in seeing my pics they are on my website (dont think I can post it here as it might be seen to be a sales plug but it is on my profile) or you can PM me and whilst perhaps they arent up to venture standards they would never cost that sort of cash!!

You could also try searching on flickr a photo social site for a local group or photographer.

lukes_2

:mad:Booked a Venture experience at one of their stands in my local supermarket but later decided we wanted to cancel, which we had seven days to do from the date we booked it. We had arranged for the payment to be taken on a Thursday. On Wednesday we rang our local venture studio and asked to cancel, I was told someone would ring me back but by 5.30 that day no one had so I rang them back and again said we wanted to cancel and after 5minutes of them trying to sell it to me they actually listened and agreed to cancel it for me and I told them not to charge my card which was due to be charged the next day (Thursday). 5 Mins after the call ended I was contacted by the sales man who I had just spoke to now offering me another deal!!! Which I didn't want and again after many minutes of saying no...no...no he finally listened, I then asked him to just clarify that my card wouldn't be charged tomorrow which he had just clarified during the first call, but he then said that it had already been charged that morning. Having sorted through my finances earlier that day and having spoke with my banks money manager I knew that was rubbish, my bank also offer a text message statement service which display timed transactions so I requested one and there it was a debit from venture timed just after the first call to them when I specifically told them I was cancelling and that I didn't want the payment taken. I then rang them back obviously very angry and spoke to the sales person again explaining how he had blantly just told me rubbish I was then passed to the studio manager who by the way was a waste of space and if that’s the sort of person who venture like to employee it doesn't say much for the company! She then tried telling me it wasn't done on purpose, which I am sorry but it obviously was as payment wasn't due to be collected until tomorrow but the minute I mention cancelling it, it was taken I am so angry at the way I have been treated by venture I am so so angry and I never get angry. The manager was rude, intimidating and insulting I was also laughed at by her, when asked for Head office contact details I was told she didn't know them so was put on hold for 5mins. I am going to report them to the Office of Fair Trade and see if the local papers fancy a story because I don't appreciate being told I am a liar and laughed at. I wonder how many more vulnerable customers have been abused in such away and done nothing about it and let them get away with it, but I am sorry you have meet your match as I will not be quiet about this until these ways of operating there business is stopped. If they actually let this be published on their website which I very much doubt as they probably edit it to suit their selves BEWARE DON'T BOTHER WITH THEM THEY ARE NOT WORTH THE HASSLE AND THE ABUSE, ME AND MY FAMILY WILL NEVER US THEM OR RECOMEND THEM TO ANYONE EVER. Don’t worry I will put this on as many forums and review websites as I can.

bounderboy

Interesting reading guys and no surprises which is a shame cause its a horrible business model..

We received the poisoned chalice of a Gift Experience from a friend.. which although completely appreciated and the photos they have are absolutely beautiful they obviously cost a fortune and not sure how we are going to fair just getting our freebie.

The annoying thing is that the horrible pitch process has started already before we even have booked..

Wife registered the experience with them and now we get calls most nights warning us that it is going to expire and we must book soon.. Wife said we only want to have the children photographed - they said no you have been given a family portrait and thats what you must have.

Now to add insult to injury they are saying they need a 50quid deposit to make the booking which is non-refundable if we miss our appointment... some gift experience this is turning out to be..! I could understand if they said you forgo your gift experience if you fail to turn up.. but to say you lose your £50 as well is ridiculous.

I have done a search about venture and no one has mentioned this upfront cost at all ... the ploy is obvious spend 50quid up front and when you asked for a min 100quid on top it becomes only 50quid cause you have your deposit to use... ... its wrong in everyway to ask for that money and unjustifiable!!

I am gutted as it all feels so sleazy... and not an experience at all... am i over analysing!..

please help MSE'ers..

Money_Maker_Shaker

Go with your gut feel on this one bounderboy, you know you wouldn't enjoy your experience with venture and would just feel ripped off.

If you feel you can't tell your friends you don't want to have photos taken by Venture perhaps you could have a photo taken by a local phoographer you trust, you don't have to point out to your friends it wasn't from Venture.

bounderboy

Money_Maker_Shaker wrote: »

Go with your gut feel on this one bounderboy, you know you wouldn't enjoy your experience with venture and would just feel ripped off.

If you feel you can't tell your friends you don't want to have photos taken by Venture perhaps you could have a photo taken by a local phoographer you trust, you don't have to point out to your friends it wasn't from Venture.

Think you are right.. Just gutting to waste our Friends money as well.

I think they rest I could stomach but this £50 quid deposit seems a real cheek!! I have searched all over internet and no one else reported this practice.. wondered if anyone else has experienced this..

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Bounderboy - this is nonsense, sounds like you have a nasty sales person there - is there any way you can ring one of there other studios instead?. Tell them you are angry!!! I am not sure about the £50 but you are allowed to put whoever you like in the pic if it was a family portrait. Also if it is the same portrait pack i am thinking of you can just get the free pic if you want, you are not obliged to buy any further prints! You do have to be firm though!

steph123steph

I have been to Venture Liverpool. Have a brilliant masterpiece on my wall, me my daughter and my husband. We didnt think the photos would be much after the shoot, but when we went back to see they were magnificent. We bought a 9 piece photograph called a metro strata large, and it cost us £1600. They deffered the payment for 6 months, so we just split the payments up monthly into an account and then cleared the balance before any intrest was added. I adore the pucture, but when I have my next child, I will be shopping around for somewhere hald the price. Worth it if you have the cash though x

Doozergirl

Bit of a late reply bounderboy but we certainly didn't experience this charge when we went.

Also, when you have your shoot, you can have all sorts of combinations of the family so you will easily be able to pick out ones of just the kids if that is all you want.

When we had ours, there was no pressure to buy at all. We couldn't decide which ones we wanted so they just let us go. It was me that went back to them. I haggled as well on their 'offer' price on the set we wanted, so whilst it was still very expensive indeed, I got a extra fair whack off the price. Our pics are really cherished. H turned to me last night and said he thought we should have some more done!