"Free" engagement shoot

Do you really want to add $500 to the assuming $3400 you will already be paying them if you are already having issues?

Is the engagement shoot listed in the contract? If so, what does that say?

Your paying $3400.00 for them and the engagement session isn't included and is costing you $500.00 sounds fishy to me

@bellamae It's Elegant Imagery Photography and yeah it's a required purchase amount you have to meet you get a "free" 2-4 hour session but you have to purchase their disc or buy $500 worth of merchandise ( prints key chains etc) I just got done texting my contact can't even get them on the frigging phone

Definitely cancel! Way over priced and sounds like a scam!

I live in florida. All the engagement photographers I have looked up are about $150 total no extra fee for the cd . Don't do it!

My photographer charges $200 for an engagement session.

I'm sorry! I just looked them up- they are out of Orlando. That's where I am too. We LOVE our photographer...we got over 100 photos from our e pics that came in our package and she's so talented. If you decide to change its Lauren k downing photography.

That seems high and like BS. I would say around $200 and that's with photos

Hi Justine,

I'm very sorry to read about this unfortunate and, in my view, unethical behavior. It's vendors like these who give us photographers a bad name. I offer engagement sessions as part of my higher packages and these include digital images with print rights. If your contract has an exit clause, you should consider invoking that. The entire experience leaves a bad taste in the mouth, so to speak and can potentially cause undue tension during the wedding day, which is the last thing you'd want!

See if he can do at least a partial refund of your 1700 deposit and then you guys can just walk away and find an honest and ethical photographer. If there is no way out of it, see if you can come to an amicable agreement and resolve it.

Once again, I'm very sorry for this bad experience! I assure you, there are still a few of us who treat this passion with the respect it deserves. All the best!

Mark

Hi Justine. I came right to posting/not reading others' posts.

This style of marketing aggravates me. Yes, the "session" is free but ... but who knows what else is in the small print.

Just my opinion ... if a company (of any kind) is willing to lure you in with an incentive only to blindside you with additional costs ... how reliable/ethical are they?

The words I chose to describe this style of marketing was on purpose. As a consumer, I do feel lured in, blindsided, and pressured when approached this way. I get defensive. Not my style. It sounds like it's not yours either.

I would pass on any promotional opportunities they give you.

Oh ... you asked about pricing ...

I am competitively priced here in MN. I charge $400 (+tax) for an engagement session, 4x6 color proofs, a USB containing edited high resolution files of those proofs and a reprint release. Photographers may have on line viewing available. I do not, hence the 4x6 color proofs.

My engagement package was $150 for 1 hour and one outift change. We got the rights and files of all photos taken

@bellamae thank you I'll look them up

My engagement photos were included with my fair priced photography package. She sent me a link to 75 edited photos, plus all 75 is B&W. Sounds scammy..

That's so wrong. It's fine for them to offer this deal, but they should have been up front with you about the terms. I'd also say $500 is steep for engagement photos, and I'm a fan of high quality photography. If you decide to cancel the shoot make sure you guys go do something fun before heading home so you get worth out of your trip. Good luck!

$3400 and they can't even give you an engagement shoot? To hell with that! Most photographers here will include an engagement shoot so you take better pictures at the wedding. I was close to contracting with someone until I looked around more and saw that him charging me $300 more on top of $4000 was just ludicrous.

That's SHADY! I smell a scam!

Cancel. Nothing in life is truly free but $500 is to much and you have to travel. Bad business to me

Our photographer included a "mini" session and that's what it was. One outfit, 30 minutes tops. Prints were an additional cost. Is there any fine print you didn't read? I'm sorry OP, that's a bum deal.

I'm paying $500 for 2 hours, 2 outfit changes and up to 2 locations. That should be a factor on pricing. It includes high resolution images on a CD, no prints.

It does sound like a bait and switch, can you get out of this photographer?