The Blue Rooms Photographic Studios
Reviews and Complaints

I went for the photoshoot and was presured to make a decision at the end I tried to say I would think about whether I would go ahead but the lady turned to me and said dont you want your picture she looked visibly angry that I said I would think about it which made me really uncomfortable. I suffer from anxiety and this made me feel very uncomfortable and agreed do i could leave. As soon I left I broke down in tears and completely regretted my decision. I trued to call to dsy I want to cancel it but they have not listen to any of my concerns instead if they font get a payment they would call me everyday until they did. This has really effected me.

I attended 4yrs ago with my daughter for a photo shoot. I was forced to make a decision there and then which was a bit suspicious and unprofessional, since then I've correspondenced with them saying I will make payments but I didn't get a positive outcome. We've corresponded back and forth for 3yrs. Now they're sending the bailiffs round? I've not received any pictures which is even more suspicious that they want money and I've received nothing from them

My daughter and I set up a call with a member of staff (mawra)and arranged a session for last week in London.We live in Northern Ireland so had to get a flight etc booked so it was costly,

I found this page before we left and called them as not once did they say we had to pay for 'packages' they then said yes it would b 250 I was didappointed but flights already booked. Flight was delayed by 1.5 hours so we never got there. so Spent a 1/2 day in London! I

Now I find out they have taken 135 out of my bank account and its an ongoing payment. We necer signed anythign or seen a contract.

I cant get throught to the girl but Ill keep trying here This is ridiculous and the biggest scam thats legal in history

My grandson was asked in to discuss modelling, he was told he would need a port folio to start him off. He agreed and they took £2,000 from him. He was promised modelling work and was told they would give him a list of modelling agencies who would not charge him to be added to their list promising work. All the agencies wanted more money and a further photo shoot.

He has since shown his port folio to other agencies who has said that the photos are of poor quality, airbrushed and the wrong size.

They have shattered his dreams of becoming a model, robbed him of money he could ill afford and left him devastated.

This was July 2022 and he has not heard one word from them, this is one mighty scam to obtain money from kids who they let believe they are upcoming models to then have their dreams shattered.

Disgusting

Good afternoon,

I don't know where to start from!

On Sunday, on 25-th my daughter, had a photo shoot appointment @12:30h.

After, we have been called in to look at the pictures and to decide, whether we purchase a package or not. The lady that she dealt with us, only introduced to us these packages with the highest prices. I personally asked her for the cheapest option, and she recommended silver to me, saying that bronze is not as good as the others. Then I said no, because that's too expensive for my budget, and then she was trying to pursue me, saying that she will do a silver package for the price of 1,500 (including deposit).

Today, I was looking on the website, and there is an option of 10 images for the price of 499£, and she never introduced this one to me, and I even asked her for the cheapest option.

Not only that! - today, I just find out that that she was choosing the bronze package, instead of the silver one, as discussed and agreed.

Also, I have called few modeling agencies and they don't even accept these pictures, they prefer more natural pictures to be shown to them.

I have to say, that I feel really disappointed, frustrated and fooled!

I’d booked my 10 year old daughter into The Blue Rooms at the Birmingham studio, on the 17/06/2023, via The Models Kit, but I had to pay a deposit of £50. I had actually registered my details with The Models Kit myself.

On getting there, most of the staff were polite, apart from one women who was one of the make up/hair stylists, all she did was scowl at everyone and bark questions out to the parents who were accompanying their child. She even spoke to her colleagues like absolute rubbish, when she wasn’t busy, she just strutted around, listening to music and glaring at everyone, EVERYTHNG seemed like one big chore to her. Everything from there on inwards, was extremely rushed. My daughter had 4 outfit changes and had a few different hairstyles, no make up was applied, which I am glad about because she is a child but it was sold to me by Myla, from The Models Kit, that she would have her own hairstylist and makeup artist(in hind site, I’m thankful that Miss Charmer wasn’t applying makeup on my daughter because her own looked hideous).

On finishing the shoot(which was extremely rushed and quick)we waited around for over an hour to be ushered into ‘The Office’ where we were shown all my daughters photos. The images shown, although beautiful, were literally skimmed through so quickly, to then immediately, having a price list pushed under my nose. What I saw was truly laughable. No matter how much they spewed their nonsense out, about needing this and that, and do I want the best for my child, I wasn’t getting scammed. I stood my ground and said that I would take 8 photos at £50 each, the very package which was described to me by Myla from The Models Kit. Once I’d told them that this is all I was having, I was told that it was a very ‘basic’ package with no editing(why does a beautiful fresh faced, 10 year old, need editing?)and nothing more. I’m more than happy with this, so I wasn’t getting conned by a company who is out to fleece you from the moment we walked through The Blue Rooms doors. I also need to add, that if you don’t mention ‘the very basic package, to them, they won’t mention it but will proceed to shove their other extortionate packages under your nose.

We were also given a memory/USB stick with the 10 images, on it, which they had chosen. They also told me that they had given me 10 photos for the price of 8 but all they did was give me a bit of a discount and said that the stick would fit in any tablet/phone/laptop……….. it doesn’t at all, it only fits specific items, so until I get my prints posted, I can’t view the photos(please take note of this specifically because if you do not pay the full amount, for whatever package you buy, you do not get them until all monies owed are paid in full).

So, in short, avoid The Blue Rooms and The Models Kit with a wide birth. If you are looking for a portfolio, make your own and use a local photographer to take the photos, the portfolio cases can be bought cheaply on Amazon, and surely any modelling agency who could potentially take you on, would provide an ebook, once signed.

Absolutely disrespectful, condescending, arrogant and dishonest. Advertised as a photo session, felt pressured like many others who complained here to pay for photos that I could very well have acquired elsewhere at a much better quality.

The people there do not know what they're doing in terms of makeup nor service, have no manners nor any sense of responsibility, especially the onrs named Jonathan and Blaise/Blaze. Absolutely ridiculous. These are not professionals, but scammers who will pressure you into paying as much as £2500 of services they never fully deliver, pure and simple. I hope they go out of business and I will present this to the authorities, too.

I was ripped off at least £700 after being invited and pressured to acquire my photographs which was initially advertised as free to support models have a break into a modeling career. I was a foreign student then and I had a passion to get back into modeling after being a child model. They made me sign a contract and kept emailing me about payments/instalments. Even after full payment, I received no support! Avoid them!

We were invited to the studio to have photos for our daughter and after arriving we were constantly rushed from doing her hair, taking photos to getting us into a small room where the “pressured sale” started. We were told we need to sign the paper/make a payment on the spot otherwise we will lose our daughter’s portfolio. We did ask to take the paperwork home and think about it but they kept on telling us the photos will be deleted. So we end up paying.

From personal experience, it’s not worth it and it’s money lost.

We did contact the company to complaint and were offered £100 and re-shoot which we’ve refused.

On Friday 26/8/22, we did contact them again and their so called manager offered us the same (£100 and the reshot) and while we were trying to negotiate for a higher refund s as discussed talking about some website review he immediately withdrew the offer and said “don’t threaten me” which I replied I never and also said we are supposed to come to a kind of resolution e we he are you withdrawing the offer. He then said that he has nothing to add!

I was very disappointed by his ton and the way he talked to me.

VERY DISAPPOINTED CUSTOMER

Took my daughter to blue rooms in Manchester after registering interest through an advert for this on Facebook. Was told about a £50 deposit which is refundable if daughter doesn't enjoy the experience. No mention of the minimum package price. Expected to spend a couple of hundred on a few photos as was told £50 a photo.

My daughter loved the experience and the make-up, hair and photographer ladies were all lovely. The saleswoman however was really pressurising and made us feel really embarrassed and beneath her when we said we weren't expecting the prices and couldn't afford it. She was guilt tripping us and asking did we not want the best for our daughter? I eventually agreed to the minimum package of £500 for 10 un-air brushed photos. Then she started mentioning the e-book and that we would still need that at some point if we wanted her to get jobs. She reckoned she was doing us a deal and we ended up paying £850 for ten photos and an e-book (the e-book took a month to come despite paying the full amount!)

I have since research and checked loads of modelling agencies and the majority of them ask for a couple of natural, un-airbrushed not professional photos sending and they all want to do their own portfolio (e-book) if you go with them so we didn't even need an e-book. They are not a true genuine agency who are passionate about children modelling as they feed the same "lines" to everyone and never honestly say someone isn't suitable. Money making scammers

I saw this modelling advertisement on Face several times piping up on my page,having a handsome son I decided to give it a shot as it was written FREE REGISTRATION..

I gave my contacts and after a day I received a phone call from their studio in London I was given some information about their photo studios and they will help to assess my son if he has potential to become a model for free! However he said I need to put a £50 guaranteed refundable deposit just for them to be sure I will show up on my appointment so I did.

They sent me a catalogue on post describing what will happen and what to prapare .there was nowhere saying I must be prepared to pay for anything including the portfolio but on the phone call when I asked him he said maybe you might spend the deposit if you may want to buy some photos.

I shared this information with my partner and we decided to take our son to London from East Midlands for a photoshoot.

So I spend a whole week buying clothes as the say to prepare 5-7 outfits of which summer,winter,spring and some casual and smart outfits which I ended up using just 3?!

One the day of the shoot we went with my partner,our son who is 3yrs old and a less than six months infants.,it was a long journey and a lot of pressure as we had to use subway to old brook street studio they booked us to be.we did the pho shoot which was so difficult for my son because of the studio lights and most of his pictures came out his eyes half closed..so if they were professional they would know he is not ready for that job..

After the shoot we waited about an hour to see a consultant where the nightmare’s began.our son was already bored with the whole process so he started to move here and there and not to cooperate anymore but the consultant was continuing to speak and to rush while we are trying to settle the children down so we ddnt review the photos and she jumped on the payment plan ..we were so shocked to see the packages stating from £4999 down to£2999 I think..mi mind stop processing I then just wanted to leave I was so disappointed as I told my partner it was free I felt like a huge liar!

I stop talking and because the infant was really crying so my husband continued to listern to the lady and she then gave a so called discount of £1000 and to be paid immediately.

She dragged all the photos immediately saved them on the stick and sent us to the door.

When we got home and saw the photos how unprofessional they were we decided to cancel the payment and inform the credit card the situation and the consumer rights!

I’m so shocked to see all the complaints here I wish I saw before I put my family in such a terrible situation,this affects me personally as mum and wife .I am so shocked why this company is left to keep doing the same scam to parents since 2018 as I can see the complains.

I don’t know how they manage to hide their bad reviews as i checked before I went to the photoshoot.

I know there are many people out there reading this,we can all work together to help bring this studios down as they are targeting parents please leave me a note together we can do it.

Same happen to me. I read their advert and registered my son. they called me and gave me appointment. I paid the deposit of £50 and they said I will get it back if I will not sign up. So we went there and my son had a photoshoot. After the photoshoot, they said my son has a great potential of becoming a model. and then they gave me the packages prices which was not the same amount they told me when they called me for the appointment schedule. they told me the package starts at £500 and I can spread the cost. But, after the photoshoot they told me the minimum package is £1600. They did not give me time to think, they said I only have that instance to decide. And when I looked at my son, he was very excited to see the photos. I told them if I can decide the next day because I need to speak to my son's dad. But they said no, you only have now to decide. and If I will decide the next day, the offer is gone. I felt like I have no choice and I signed. The next day I called them and ask them to cancel my order, and they said they can't cancel the order, I have to finish the payment. I told them they can keep my deposit, I just can't pay £125 for 10 months, but still they said it's not an option. then I said what if I will cancel my payments, and they said they will take legal action. Now I am paying monthly until October.

Introductory letter stated to bring a minimum of 5 and max 7 outfits. It said although individual photos were not sold, a portfolio would be built for you at £50 per photo and the more you purchase the less it costs. An estimated time of 3 hours was communicated for the shoot. The shoot venue was Unit 2, 16 John Dalton Street, Manchester. M2 6HY

We travelled from Penkridge West Midlands, 1 hour and a half with my 13yr old daughter. When we arrived, staff was rude and dismissive, we were attended to by a photographer and a make up person, both seemed disengaged from the whole process who hurried through 4 changes of clothes.

The shoot itself took approximately 15 mins or less, then we waited a further hour for our "consultation" / photo review.

We were led to into a room by a consultant, and she quickly flicked through the pictures commenting here and there, saying "that's cute"... I wasn't at all impressed with the pictures to be honest but my daughter was was excited about the photos as of course, we were led to believe that she had been chosen to attend the shoot after they reviewed her photo I submitted and I'd also sold the whole modelling idea to her.

The consultant then showed us a pricelist. But I felt sick when I looked at the prices.

Bronze, silver and gold I think.

Starter pack was some £400+, Bronze was £1500+, silver was £2599 - not sure of the cost of the Gold.

I told the consultant that we just could not afford any of the packages and asked if we could just use our £50 that we paid on booking for a single photo as this is what I was told on booking, that if we didn't want the portfolio, we could choose 1 photo. She said that this was not the case and that if we didn't/couldn't take a package that the photos would be deleted.

I asked if we could think about it and let her know the next day, she then said that it was a one day only deal and that if we can't make the payment, the pictures would be deleted that day.

She then said that she could help us with a monthly payment plan over the course of 12 months, after an initial deposit of £150, added to the £50 holding fee would make a £200 payment to the portfolio. (Approx £66.00 per month)

I made the payment of the £150 on my credit card, and once paid, she handed us a catalogue in a bag. I then asked about the pictures and she said that we would only receive them once the full payment was made. So I said, after 12 months of payments? She said yes, so I said but by that time my daughter is a year older and the pictures would be of no use! She then said, we can pay it off sooner if we want and ushered us out the door. This was not told to me upfront.

I have emailed them asking to cancel the payment arrangement and refund my money. I will be taking further action if needs be.

Photoshoot was on 09-Jul-2022.

Introductory letter stated to bring a minimum of 5 and max 7 outfits. It said although individual photos were not sold, a portfolio would be built for you at £50 per photo and the more you purchase the less it costs. An estimated time of 3 hours was communicated for the shoot. The shoot venue was Purespace Studio in central London, Titchfields street.

Travelled from Birchington with my 9yr old dragging along a suitcase through 3 train rides to the Studio. was attended to by a photographer that seemed disengaged from the whole process who hurried through 4 change of clothes and that was it.

4 outfits were used when I prepared 7 and the whole shoot if you add the time it took us to change (and we were hurried) some 30mins while the shoot itself probably 15 mins or less. It was a daze.

It was hot, I did everything for my daughter, including styling her hair and touching her up. The whole experience was whirlwind and energy consuming. Then came the photo reviews after the shoot.

We were led into a dark room by a consultant whom I will call D. When D asked how the experience was and I gave my honest opinion, 'it was unlike my expectation or what was communicated in the emails' she literally took offense. She told me that was not true, the email said to bring at least 5 and so bringing 7 was my bad. she told me how shed been working in the industry for 15yrs and the emails were reviewed by her so she knew ad verbatim what was written on it. I tried to stop arguing because my daughter was sat right there next to me and I am very particular what I allow and how I behave around my daughter not to cause her any distress. so i let it go. Then it came to review.

She's good D said. I thought some of the pictures were nice but frankly I had seen better and I felt my daughter was always lovely in photos. then she asks if we'd like to take it further into modelling catalogues and I said yes . She gave us some 5mins to converse and then she was back. Then she whips out the pricelist. By this time I was knackered, uncomfortable and really just wanted to leave. but I had sold the modelling idea to my daughter and dragged her all the way, I thought worst case scenario I would cough out a few hundreds for the portfolio. I was wrong.

Bronze, silver and gold I think. There was also a starter pack price but she didn't even go there I had to ask about it. starter pack was some £400+, Bronze was £1500+, silver was £2599(I remember because that is my dilema now) and gold was such an amount that my mind just shut down completely. If we weren;t interested the pictures would be deleted. We couldn't go think about it and get back to them. When i said I would prefer the offers on the silver package but I did not have the money, D suggested I use my credit card (lol). I couldn't even calculate the monthly breakdown at this point and I told her my brain was no longer working. literally. D proceeded to use the calculator to inform me how much I would pay over the course of 9 months after an initial deposit of £650) the £50 holding fee being part of it. This was not told to me upfront until it came to making payment.

After paying then she told me we would het nothing until full payment was made. NOTHING for 9 months and we would cough out £2599 during that period. I sit back now and wonder how I could have be so foolish giving in to the pressure. I read the terms and condition but did not realise I could claim consumer rights because of the 'bespoke' nature of the goods. Bespoke nature yes. But what goods? Goods stated on contract that would no be made until full payment is received after which 20 days later you will be sent...sent, not receive, the goods. That was when it dawned on me that I had been legally scammed. and this was not on Saturday. This was Monday afyetr I had tiem to sit and reflect.

I have written them I will be taking actions. I intend to make noise as I have started researching into them and seen articles from 2018 about their tricks. There are lots of parents out there that are taken advantage of because of their misleading adverts and pressure of 'decide now or lose all your effort' tactics.

if there is anyone reading this and you would like to have a joint action taken against them, please leave me a note. I am researching and will use all means possible not just to get my money back but to also expose their unfair practice.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, this happened to us as well on 01.07.2022. I wish I got here before we went to studio. We were never told how much the actual portfolio may cost, just the cost of piece of picture price (50£) was mentioned. It was my husband who went to the appointment with my daughter, he hardly speaks English. We thought it would be just a trial. But when the shoot was done, he was placed to separate room and asked to sign immediately otherwise all the pictures would be deleted and the child won't have a carrier. He said that he doesn't really understand how it works and was under the impression he would get the pictures after the first payment. He called me and said he would pay 400£ total to get portfolio. This didn't happened and they divided payment for 10 months (total 2000£). He couldn't understand what he signed for. And now we have lost 400£ and upcoming loan 160£ each month. I really don't know what to do. Anybody managed to solve this problem?