Appleby Photography (Southampton) Review

Good quality photos, very relaxed environment but the prices were outrageous! I got this as a voucher so I'm glad I didn't have to pay for the full experience!

As another reviewer commented the quality of the photos are of a good standard, but the prices are beyond outrageous!

We wanted to have a professional family photos done. So we went to Venture and they were friendly made out experience fun.

Great team, really professional. Brought out the best in us. We had an absolutely fantastic time - such a great laugh!

I had received a voucher for Venture when I purchased my car from Peter Cooper Volkswagen in Shirley, Southampton earlier this year. The photo shoot is normally held over two days. One is the photo shoot and the second day is when you come back and go over the amazing photos that were taken the previous time you were there. The photographers are very professional and they really know what they are doing. They don't make you feel awkward and make sure that it is an educational and also a fun environment. My first time coming to venture and we would recommend this store to our friends 100%. Photo shoots are expensive, these are professional photographers earning a living doing what they love best.

You have to respect that pictures will cost money, nothing is cheap when it takes time and experience to get the right shot. I do not have any pictures to share with you however, lets just say that the ones that my girlfriend and I selected were stunning and that's an understatement.

Had a great experience at our Newborn photo shoot, our photographer was brilliant, she gave us all the time we needed to settle the little one and got some amazing photos.

We've just received our photographs from our recent family photo shoot at Venture Photography and they are truly fantastic. This is actually our second visit with our first being five years ago, and we felt it well overdue to update the photographs now the children are that much older.

Mike the photographer was fantastic with the children and patiently managed to coax the best out of our boisterous 8 year old son and our 10 year old - going on moody teen - daughter.

We're really pleased we found Venture after originally getting a leaflet for a free photo session last time around. Of course even with a free session you have to pay for the package of photos you choose, but like everything in life you get what you pay for.

The quality of the photos is way beyond any professionally taken photos we've ever had done elsewhere and we were able to put together an excellent bespoke package with the owner Martin, including copies of photos for the grandparents and bundling in a digital set which we have running on a digital photoframe.

No doubt we will be back again for an update in another few years

Highly recommended.

I wouldn't waste your time!

Firstly had an awful experience during my photography session. Wanted pictures with my baby and being rushed to do this in an hour doesn't work! No patience or understanding at all just a big rush to get the next person in the door. Realistically they should allow for any delays that may crop up.

Secondly I've called asking to view my pictures over a zoom call due to the current pandemic and was told point blank, no! We are expected to come into the studio bearing in mind we are supposed to socially distance. The owner had no customer service skills whatsoever! I wished I went with a more professional team/photographer who would take the time out to offer a more welcoming service.

**"UPDATE***

For your information my friend and I were both late as we were dealing with newborn babies on a 2 hour journey to your studio!

Your reply is a blatant LIE. The person who went in behind me was my friend, whom I was speaking to directly! Not some random person waiting to go in after me, there was nobody else there but me and her. Further more it did not run into her time as your photographer told me the shoot was over. My friend had a full hour as I was waiting for her, outside the door.

Why would I be happy with a service, when I was made to feel as if we were a problem and had to hurry up and get out. No common courtesy at all, we also phoned to let you know we were running late! Think you need to check the facts before re posting someone else's version of events! Your attitude and manner on the phone was completely disgusting considering you are providing a service, unaccommodating and arrogant!

To the review below.

Did you seriously take a 2 month and 2 year old children out to a photography shoot in the evening?

Its no wonder you had issues your poor children should have been going to bed! They are photographers not babysitters.

I have been to a venture studios during the day time and it was a fantastic experience. We spoke to our photographer 3 days before our shoot and she was so bubbly and it came out during our time in the studio

I have used Venture every year to capture my growing family. They ve even photographed my dog! Can t recommend Martin and Michelle enough. Ignore any negative reviews on Google and try the Venture experience yourself. My kids loved the whole hour shoot and can t wait for next one

It was a good session however results were disappointing. The pictures they showed us were so badly treated me and the kids looked pale and my wife orange like she was with a fake tan, not the case btw. The prices they ask are delusional. More

Great photographer who knew how to get great photos and get you to have a good time. But the prices are absolutely ridiculous. I can't imagine why it costs so much. Thankfully we had a voucher.

Hugely hugely expensive for the picture products after the initial photoshoot.

Despite not wanting my picture taken at all (only wanting my husband & son in the pics) was forced into being in the shots and made to feel incredibly awkward about it especially afterwards. Not a good experience for me.

We bought a voucher in a haskins store where the photograph was great making contact with our daughter. We drove 1h to go to the studio but there the photograph vlearly didn't want to do it, was not interested in working with kids. She wanted our 2months old and 2years old to pose not capturing the moment. She was not offering other option or pose she was just staying on the one she wanted to do even though it was not working and left the room instead of trying something else. Not happy and would not recommend it. We end up with no picture even though we had one included in the voucher as she wanted to reschedule but let's be honest I am not driving again 2h (if you count the way back home) to live the same experience.

Very professional and warm welcome upon arrival, first photography session with Natasha was second to none. Great patience and persistence when dealing with baby.

Again, when we went back to view the pictures and to see what and how they had been edited was amazing, the quality, the time and effort that had been put it was exquisite. Nothing was forced and you were giving time to make decisions.

The owner Martin is very accommodating to your personal and financial circumstances and will do his upmost to help where possible, like he did for me.

Ignore the reviews about this being a scam it s a professional firm that take pride in what they do. The prices are not expensive your paying for the quality of service and boy doesn t it exceed standards.

Can t wait to collect the USB and free framed print that comes with the package.

There is on street parking both sides of the road right outside.

Thank you

Really enjoyed our experience here, have not had a professional photography session before but very relaxed atmosphere. Best to take some props, the more you put into it the more you get out of it. We chose a large clear view frame with various shots and the results are stunning!! Highly recommended, thanks to all involved at Venture.

Amazing photos, lovely space, and really good staff. Mike was amazing! Would definitely return. Prices fair and extremely good value for such amazing photos.

Had a wonderful experience with Natasha, who made the photo shoot a pleasant one - even with a crying baby! The results were totally unexpected (due to crying baby!) and my husband and I were overwhelmed with the final images. Thank you for a great experience - can't wait to receive our order and put the pictures on the wall!

Very good at maintaining covid restriction, beautiful photos and no hard sell!

It was an amazing experience with Venture photography Southampton. That was first photography with my husband and I loved it. The photographer was so friendly and comfortable environment and pictures are amazing. Looking forward for beautiful frames. I will definitely visit again for my baby photography :-)

Great session Natasha the photographer was excellent and photos are amazing

Great atmosphere and very Friendly staff. Lovely experience and great photos!

It was a 4 hour round trip for us to do a photo shoot on behalf of Brain Tumour Research and also a family shoot at the same time. It was completely worth it. My 4 year old boy who has selective mutism quickly relaxed and came out of his shell with the photographer. She was absolutely brilliant. The results are also amazing. Yes the prices are on the high side but as with everything in life you get what you pay for. If you want a bargain take a selfie and visit vistaprint. If you want something to take pride of place on your living room wall then this is the place.

The 1 star review is clearly just a complete tool

We went because of a voucher given as a gift for Christmas for a family photograph and it would appear from a very generous gift it has turned into abit of a scam. The voucher consisted of just one 10 x 8 photo for a massive amount of money and if we require our full set of prints it would be 1000"s of pounds. Certainly wouldn't gift anybody this con.

Great photo experience would have given 5 stars but location for parking let it down

We went to Venture for a family photoshoot as we got a voucher from JohnLewis and trusted it was a good studio (you would think that based on their prices). Our appointment was just after lockdown and the girl that booked us in was very friendly, they sent us a questionnaire prior to the shoot - all indicating to a professional service and great value for money. The photoshoot itself went ok, not great and don't be fooled by an hour slot, they actually only take pictures for 30 minutes or so. The cinematic viewing (that's charged additionally, but included in the voucher!) was a complete waste of time. The photographer completely photoshopped our baby, making her face spotless and expressionless - she didn't look like herself at all! Also, all our family photos were taken at random while we were still setting up our baby and it looked really bad. We were thinking to get the album, although a bit pricey, but couldn't even find 2 photos that we loved. Ended up getting the free gift and booking another family photoshoot with a different studio. We now have to make another trip to collect our photo (we don't live in Southampton). A complete waste of time and money on fuel and parking. I wouldn't recommend nor go back to this place.

We had a good photo shoot session, even though the photographer didn't have many original ideas of her own.

When the collage turned up, it was very good quality, but the fixings were missing. When we picked up the collage (yes, we had to go there for a 3rd time, to pick it up), we got given our memory stick of the pictures (edited, even though we were promised the unedited versions).
When we came to look at them on the computer, and to print them off in Jessops, we found that they were of a very bad resolution and not even printing to 6x4 size! We phoned up and complained, and they sent us higher resolution pictures. Now, when we want the unedited pictures, they claim that they have "lost them". How can you 'lose' a customer's pictures, when your whole business revolves around selling your pictures?
Therefore, I am recommending this to my friends and family as a place NOT to waste money on!

I picked up a voucher to give to my parents as a Christmas present & even though we travelled all the way from Dorchester we had a great time doing the shoot & the photographer Natasha was so patient with my little boy (he's 18m) we took some posed shots & when he wouldn't settle she captured him doing his own thing (playing with his ball etc) she interacted with him & even took the time to chase/play with him. We all loved it, and got some beautiful pictures & even kindly had them sent to us to save us traveling back to collect them. Yes the pictures are a little pricey but there worth every penny to have those moments captured. Would definitely go back here in the future!

My 3 girls and me went to Venture in Southampton a little while back and we just picked up our images! Absolutely stunning, can't wait to get it up on the wall.

From beginning until the end everything was absolutely amazing. My 3 girls (5, 8 and 9) had the time of their life. They did not want to leave, our photographer was just amazing with the girls. We did loads of games and I couldn't wait to come back to see the images!

There is a second appointment where you will see all the images taken on the day beautifully edited. Trust me, it was such a hard decision to make, so I ended up going for a USB and a nice big collage of images of my girls!

If the venue would have their own parking, I would have given this 5 stars. I'm not from the area, so own parking would have been desirable.
Other than that, everything was brilliant!

It is a bit of a scam. You can't buy individual photos, only packages that are horribly expensive - for the quality that is provided of photos and frames. Photographer doesn't really think about the shots. Studio is tiny and they spend More

Venture is always a favourite. Fantastic results every time. Studio floor was a bit greasy and slippery, but it was still fun. Prices are still a but steep but they are quality photos. None the less, I would highly recommend them.

A great experience had by the whole family, with the result being amazing portraits of us all to cherish forever! I understand why some people reviewing may feel Venture is expensive, in my experience though, you get what you pay for. We have beautiful photos of us taken by an award winning photographer and quality products for our home. Thank you to everyone at Venture Southampton who looked after us.

I have been to Venture Photography in Southampton recently and my photographer was amazing! Super relaxed and environment, I have felt so comfortable! I got such brilliant quality images, you definitely pay a bit more for them but it is worth every single penny! Had an amazing experience and have some beautiful wall art pieces on my wall now! Will definitely update my images again here in a few years. :)

We got a voucher as a gift and the pictures taken were beautiful but we were completely stunned by the prices (little booklet given afterwards). When we came back to see the pictures, we only chose one that was paid for with the voucher. As More

Terrible mistake taking my bump to baby photos here. Wish I read the review before buying the scam vouchers at mothercare. It's all aspect of do not patronize. From inexperienced photographers to rude, arrogant and defensive Manager (Mike) to overly priced products and ugly images. Your phone might do a better job
Please please do not purchase their digital product as it's been restricted to print 10X8 photos only. So you can go back to them if you want a bigger size.
Rubbish company have ever been involved with.