"Wedding Photo" Scam

[thaibeachlovers]

If anyone's TGF comes home and says they have been offered a really good deal on "wedding photos" at one of those photography places, be warned, it's possibly a scam.

My TGF dragged me off to one of those places recently- 3,200 baht with 3 changes of clothes ( claims the usual price is 17,000 ). Went through the whole thing- nearly 4 hours.

After the shoot I could hear them pressuring her to pay extra to have photos in ( very ) expensive frames, but she refused, saying we had paid the agreed price, and couldn't afford more.

Went back a few days later and picked the ones we liked best to be printed. Upshot- she received 5 photos in a cheap cardboard frame, and 2 enlargements. According to her, they then offered to put the rest of the photos ( at least 50 ) on a CD and give her one more photo for 1,000 baht. All she got was a CD with the 8 photos and the extra photo. They then said it was 1,000 baht for EACH extra photo, and would not put any more on the CD.

Needless to say I was not pleased, but TIT, so didn't go and confront them, for obvious reasons.

My best revenge will be if this post stops even one person getting suckered, and them losing money.

[Thaifan2]

Congrats on the Wedding .A trip to Lampoon is on the cards to meet her family then .(dont forget to bring the photos ;-)

[eXplosief]

My GF came back from the Lotus with the same. Going for only some groceries, she was talked into exactly the same proposal and into making a downpayment of 1.000 Bht. The only relation with wedding pictures was that only thing on the papers & envelope that wasn't in Thai (unreadible to me) was "Wedding Studio"

The proposal was for a professional photo shoot, including 3 changes of clothes, make-up/hair, accessories and 3 smaller and 2 larger (20"x24") prints and "all" (that we would order??) on CD.

In our case the shoot took, including cloth changes & makeup, around 2.5 hours. They took somewhere between 35 and 40 pictures. I must say the shoot was, in my laymens view, professional. The make-up was okay, 2 assistence to the photographer for (professional) lighting, decor etc..

In our case the "scam" only unfolded 2 days later when we had to come back to view the shoot and to select the pictures we wanted to be printed. In all honesty out of the maybe 40 images, 35 where of such good quality that it was hard to say no to them and to make only a select 5 out of them. Lol i hate pictures of myself (some where only girl), but i liked a lot of them.

The trick is that they will try to make you order more then the initially agreed 5 pictures. For those extra pic's you will pay 1.000 each, regardless if printed or only as file on CD. They will try to make you decide at the spot telling you that all images not ordered will be deleted from their harddrive, so no changes of mind at a later stage. I was also "pressured" by making a 1-time offer of 22.000Bht for a total of 33 pictures (the ones we liked). I decided on taking 2 extra pictures (2.000) and let them do whatever they wanted with the rest.

I would not really call it a scam though. Try to have a professional shoot, complete with studio, make-up etc, back home. You wouldnt even get passed make-up for this amount. Also don't forget that all pictures are photoshopped to perfection, so any extra iamges do take more work for them. They try to make you part with more money then you intended to, but a scam..... Sorry no, i got what was bargained for at the agreed price.

Edited December 4, 2010 by eXplosief

[ozsamurai]

In contrast we had some done in MBK, same deal, 7,000 package, they were wonderful, 2 huge posters, the lot, enough for the relies and got the CD with all the originals. So you see it's a case of shopping around perhaps.

oz

[pipo1000]

I would not really call it a scam though. Try to have a professional shoot, complete with studio, make-up etc, back home. You wouldnt even get passed make-up for this amount.

But we are not back home,isn't it?

Edited December 4, 2010 by pipo1000

[dantilley]

didn't go and confront them, for obvious reasons.

What obvious reasons?

[salty]

The posse are never far away and you are not one of them.

[bobo42]

I wouldn't call it a scam, just a pretty cutthroat photographer. This is the exact model that every studio photographer back in the US uses, at least the ones that I have used before.

They get you in on an introductory offer, on which they either lose money, or just break even. They then proceed to do the best job they can do, so you'll be tempted to spend crazy money when you see the results. They then show you what - for most people - are the best photos they've ever seen of their wife/kids/selves/etc. Then they try to sell you their luxury "packages" once you've seen their work, hoping that you can't pass it up.

Never seen it work any other way. As long as they delivered what was promised for the agreed fee, then its not really a scam, no matter how exorbitant their other packages seem. When dealing with a photographer, you should know that this is the way it works, and always get all the pricing details and package options beforehand.

[canuckamuck]

As a former wedding photographer, I can confirm that this is nothing new. The photographers get together in clubs and teach each other how to manipulate the clients into spending big bucks. I never did it, I had my packages and I did what I promised.

I could have made more money short term, but I had a loyal following and I was still being pressured to do weddings 10 years after I had quit. In fact I shot a wedding yesterday, but I did it for free (a good friend).

[H2oDunc]

NOT a scam, same in Ubon a few years back. Now l have learned IF l do it again ( hope not ) to get it in writing. Our photographer, l noticed had a new Mercedes.

Haven't you realised yet that where a Farang is involved with paying money to a Thai then it is always, always a scam.

[frenchfarangjomtien]

For this price buy your own camera and costumes :-)

[craigt3365]

In contrast we had some done in MBK, same deal, 7,000 package, they were wonderful, 2 huge posters, the lot, enough for the relies and got the CD with all the originals. So you see it's a case of shopping around perhaps.

oz

that's what we paid also...quite a few years ago and also at MBK. Fantastic photos, one in a huge frame for the MIL, and many others in smaller frames. Makeup on wifey was fantastic. Well worth the money...

Sorry to hear the scam that is going on...but thanks for passing along the info!

[raro]

I had a loyal following

how to create that as a wedding photographer?

[tropo]

I recommend "Sinderella Wedding".

No surprises. Everything is explained in detail by the owner who speaks reasonable English. They have a great team and do fantastic work. It's no coincidence they are the busiest wedding studio in town.

Edited December 5, 2010 by tropo

[canuckamuck]

I had a loyal following

how to create that as a wedding photographer?

Because after you do the wedding you do the family reunions, and the sisters wedding and the cousin's wedding, and then the baby pics, and so on...

[FarangBuddha]

In contrast we had some done in MBK, same deal, 7,000 package, they were wonderful, 2 huge posters, the lot, enough for the relies and got the CD with all the originals. So you see it's a case of shopping around perhaps.

oz

No. Since the op probably doesn't speak or read Thai so didn't understand the product/service he was buying, and chose to be lead around by the nose by his GF instead, it's automatically a "scam."

[jonnyscot]

In contrast we had some done in MBK, same deal, 7,000 package, they were wonderful, 2 huge posters, the lot, enough for the relies and got the CD with all the originals. So you see it's a case of shopping around perhaps.

oz

that's what we paid also...quite a few years ago and also at MBK. Fantastic photos, one in a huge frame for the MIL, and many others in smaller frames. Makeup on wifey was fantastic. Well worth the money...

Sorry to hear the scam that is going on...but thanks for passing along the info!

We had family photos done a couple months back,, 1 - approx 36' x 24' nice looking frame, 1 - poster about same size, 5 photos in a gold coloured stand alone card and CD of all the photos,, including hair and make up for wife and daughter, clothes were there to use if we wanted ,,,, total cost 6000,, I thought reasonable price

[Ohio]

Is this a case of a 'Scam" only being in the eyes of the beholder.????

[tropo]

No. Since the op probably doesn't speak or read Thai so didn't understand the product/service he was buying, and chose to be lead around by the nose by his GF instead, it's automatically a "scam."

Exactly right. I had to shop around to find a place where they could speak English. You can't call something a scam if you cannot understand what's going on.

[thaibeachlovers]

In contrast we had some done in MBK, same deal, 7,000 package, they were wonderful, 2 huge posters, the lot, enough for the relies and got the CD with all the originals. So you see it's a case of shopping around perhaps.

oz

No. Since the op probably doesn't speak or read Thai so didn't understand the product/service he was buying, and chose to be lead around by the nose by his GF instead, it's automatically a "scam."

Actually, it was her that got scammed, not me. I had nothing to do with it other than turn up and pose.

[thaibeachlovers]

I wouldn't call it a scam, just a pretty cutthroat photographer. This is the exact model that every studio photographer back in the US uses, at least the ones that I have used before.

They get you in on an introductory offer, on which they either lose money, or just break even. They then proceed to do the best job they can do, so you'll be tempted to spend crazy money when you see the results. They then show you what - for most people - are the best photos they've ever seen of their wife/kids/selves/etc. Then they try to sell you their luxury "packages" once you've seen their work, hoping that you can't pass it up.

Never seen it work any other way. As long as they delivered what was promised for the agreed fee, then its not really a scam, no matter how exorbitant their other packages seem. When dealing with a photographer, you should know that this is the way it works, and always get all the pricing details and package options beforehand.

It is a scam if they tell you one thing to get your money, then don't deliver.

So far as I know, my TGF did all that. I had nothing to do with it other than dressing up and smiling when the photographer told me to.