Gap Studios

I saw there advert on facebook for the who I am project for my child. I was contacted by them and told to secure my spot it was $75 with limited spots left. I asked if I had to pay for anything else they said no it was just to come in and the kids would get photos taken and you get a free photo with it this was to help with promoting anti - bulling for young people under the age 17, I have 2 teenagers who came to get photos done and it was fun for my girls and there confidence was shining through, my young girls have been through covid - 19 hard times watching mum and dad have to work so much to make ends meet and I thought this is about them today and to get them out of there shell and to shine plus it was for a great cause. Well so we thought... After the photo shoot we went into a room to be presented with a emotional presentation with myself my partner and my too girls the who I am project was about helping encourage young children to love who they are. So he made us choose the photos we loved. Until he then showed us the package prices, which was so expensive. This was presented in the room with the whole family including my young adults this was a on the spot manipulation, parents give there kids an experience and to only have it taken away due to this cost, this should of been addressed before we decided to go through this whole process, my girls-kids are 14 and 15 young impressionable young ladies and this is was a full on executed planed and manipulation scheme with no cooling off period and had to decide to pick there and then what photos we wanted or else they will delete. My young girls went through all of the photo shoot happy and confident to sitting in the room feeling bad about putting costs on there parents and we as parents felt like we couldnt say no even the cheapest package was too expensive. It was so much pressure, he kept telling us we need an answer hurry up. Gap studios was fast and they had contracts ready finance ready, very well prepared. Im so upset this company say they promote no bullying when they were the ones who were pushy and pressured parents by bullying tactics with emotional blackmail regarding pick now or else we delete. I mean is this legal? We now are in a contract to pay for this which we cannot afford this was such a high pressured situation to the point you didn't know what happened. My invoice price is more than what was shown to me. I will be reporting this.

I got photos done for my daughter a couple of months ago . They described the experience on Facebook as the "Who I am" project which was supposed to help teens with their self esteem. The deal was a free framed picture and that's all . I'm not working at the moment and I'm a single mum but I wanted to do something nice for my daughter .
I rang up to book the shoot and was told I had to put down an $80 deposit which was refundable on the picture day . I wasn't expecting to pay anything that day so I was hesitant and explained I was pretty broke at the moment and tried to book in for a session a few weeks later but was told there was none available. So even after the receptionist knowing how poor I was, she did not warn me how expensive their photo packages would be in that initial phone call .

On picture day we arrived at the studio and were offered drinks and everyone was extremely friendly. We had to provide our own props which I thought was a bit sad - they are professionals why don't they have spare props ?
Photo shoot went well, my daughter had fun as she had never done anything like this before . Afterwards My daughter and I went into a room to see the photos, The lady asked us lots of questions so I told her my situation and that I wasn't working etc. At no point did they take this into consideration.
She showed us all of the 30 odd photos and told us to pick some and the rest would be deleted !
We got it down to about 15 and then she started talking prices . I was absolutely mortified . She started with a package costing $2500 !
My "free" framed picture worth apparently $500 could come off the price .
She started talking payment plans and the whole thing was very confusing . She just wrote it down on a piece of paper .
I felt so scammed and tricked but didn't know how to tell my daughter I couldn't afford to get the photos so I got talked into a package costing $1500 . I got 9 photos and was supposed to recieve the digital copies as well but never recieved them .
When I drove away I was so upset . I felt so stupid ! I know lots of other photographers I could have gone to for photos and it would have been a hell of a lot cheaper !
Very unhappy customer! Wish I read the reviews before I booked my photos .:(

Date of incident 20th May 2021. My 15 year old daughter has some body image issues as do most teenagers in this day and age unfortunately. I saw an ad on Facebook for the "Who am I project" that claimed to do a photo shoot for free with a free portrait to help young people discover their worth and feel better about themselves. They claimed to include quotes written by family members and friends (done by compiling some surveys completed by us) which was done somewhat, only 4 quotes were chosen and the rest were not even shown or seen.

Anyway, she had her photo shoot the photographer was lovely, although my daughter did say she felt like she treated her like she was 5, most of the photos did turn out lovely and seeing herself in those pics did help her self confidence for a brief moment I believe.

Then it came to the sales pitch. Now I know that was being a little naïve to think it would have all been for free and there would be no further obligation. But it was advertised that the shoot was free (a refundable deposit of $75 was required) but a free 8x10 print photo only was part of the deal. Then the guy started going through the prices of the packages, I could feel my daughter sitting beside me sink into the couch with disappointment. Then when I said no thanks her face dropped even further. At first I thought it was because I had disappointed her not wanting to pay money for these beautiful photos of my daughter but it was simply that I could not justify the crazy amount they were asking and her having a concept of money also felt this way and that's why she was upset but nevertheless it made the whole experience not nice to walk away from.

Although we have the money to purchase these photos, I could not believe the overpriced images and did not pay anything and advised my daughter I would do something for her as equally as special. Because I did not hand over any money as such I am not asking for anything to be done, but would like to put it out there so other people know what they are walking into. It was very misleading and felt like there was a lot of pressure on me as a mum to make my daughter happy at a very expensive price.

I don't think it is very ethical at all and I have since found another photographer who will do a similar arrangement for a fraction of the price. Please make people aware, this project did not help me achieve what it was intended for at all, I don't want it to happen to other families, as I can see it has to some already.

I won a free $800 gift card photo shoot and 11x14 image, the shoot went well but when I got to choose my free photo for my baby the man didn't talk about my free photo until I mentioned that, (that's why I came to get that to match my boys photos). he quickly went to that size for a second and then said it wouldn't be a good enough size then quickly flicked to the 20x24 and pressured / manipulated me it to that .I said I wish my husband was here I need his opinion, the man said that's why we say all decisions makers must attend. And didn't give me a chance to even call my husband, I wasn't not told that, if I was my husband would of attended! I chose a photo with fame when choosing that, he said it wouldnt last as long as the platinum, he picked up a white flame and I said no I want black he made me feel worthless and all our photos at home had black frame I felt so pressured overwhelmed and manipulated into quickly choosing a floating floating platinum that doesn't Match anything in my house and he pressed me into picking digital artwork then at the very end say they are going to be delete straight after this (again giving me not time to proses thoughts or talk to my husband
At the Whacked me with a $150 session fee, I was told it was free !
I either want a refund please or the free 11x 14 image
The worsen experience I've ever had and I haven't slept well since the shoot and have lost my appetite, I can't afford what I was pressured into and the floating picture doesn't match the rest of the house, the man said he was an Int Designer all he was, was a pressuring manipulative bully that made me feel worthless, please help me ! I do not recommend gap Studios

I saw the Gap studios "Who I Am " project advertising that they offer a free shoot and picture with the intension of promoting positive self image for teenagers. We drove 4 hours to get there. The shoot was beautiful and then the viewing was with the big salesman who spoke on and on about following your dreams and if you want something in life you go for it. He then played the video of all the beautiful shoots overplayed with positive affirmations from friends and family. Very emotional. Then comes the sales hit. Totally unexpected. Which ended in my daughter and I just feeling depressed that we can't afford to pay $2000 for the photos. Emotional blackmail sales technique which was horrible. Do not fall for it. There intention is definitely NOT about promoting positive teen self image. It's about making money. Shameful.

I took my daughter along for The Who I Am Project. Such a cool concept for a pre-teen.
The session was lovely and they did a great job of ensuring she felt loved and special.
The package was to include one print.

Towards the end of the viewing of the slideshow, which was clearly thrown together just so we could see the photos, the sales pitch started. But only after we heard the life story of the salesman
Then the sales pitch started. It was obvious I was uncomfortable.
I can not afford thousands of dollars on prints. I was sold an experience for my daughter, to help her self-esteem.
I felt pressured and extremely uncomfortable. In front of my daughter he said "you mean you can't even afford $21 per week"?
No. I can't.
I felt sick and embarrassed in front of my daughter.
Please don't do this in front of pre-teens, it completely contradicts the point of this project.