Litle dilemma - help!

[Catalyst]

So I have a litle dilemma.
Some days ago I entered a like contest on FB. If x many ppl liked they would draw one name and the person would win a photoshoot.
Well last night I was checking fb and saw (almost missing it) that I WON!!!!
I didnt think I would but entered the contest anyway!

The thing is that these things do not come cheep and this one seems to be very good. It is suppose to be children and familyl photoshoot. I have a 2 year old so It would be nice to have professional pics of him.

I contacted the photographer and asked if there was a time limit, thinking it would be awsom if we could come after the baby was born and have pics taken of all 4.
But the answer was (and I truly understand) that it has the time limit untill Xmas and when there is a lottery thing going on they need to do it soon so ppl wont think they dont pay out the winnings.

Then comes the dilemma part. I live in a small town here (Iceland) and the photographer is in Reykjavík witch is the capital. It is about hour flight after an hour drive but it takes about 9 hours to drive. Flight here is so expencive, it might even cost us same or more than the worth of the photoshoot and money is kind of tight at the moment but will be better in a month or so. But I am not sure if we should fly as it would cost more than driving (and even if it takes less time it cost so mutch more). The drive I might live with if My boy was better at being in cars for so long trips and also because I have started having SPD.

So what would you do? I dont think I can sell it to someone els but I might be able to give it to someone I know in Reykjavík. Or should I drive? Or should I just order flight? Or just dont do anything?
And if I would go how far along would you go if you had to go before xmas?

 

[java]

Not to sound negative, but before you do anything, make sure you know the 'fine print' of anything you win ... I won a photo shoot once; turned out to be the 'sitting fee' plus one lousy pic, then I had to go back and 'preview' all the good pics that weren't included in the win.

 

[addie140910]

Be really careful with this. With all the money you are spending or will be spending (With the driving or the plane ticket for you, your SO and your kiddo,) not to mention the cost of food, hotels, and gas to drive. :/ With all of the money you are spending you can go and get a photoshoot somewhere else.

 

[Sam182]

Yeah often you win the shoot but not any prints - you normally have to pay for them! It's a bit of a con! x

 

[Jims_Girl]

These things are normally an advertising scam.... Most people win....
All they need to do is get you through the doors... Most people end up spending a fortune on photos that they can't resist saying no to....
Happened to me.... I travelled an hour... When the finished photos came out the really pressured me saying that the photos would be destroyed once I left etc...

I would say thanks but no thanks.... If you want photos then find your own local photographer with prices to suit you.....

I'll never enter those competitions again....

 

[Catalyst]

I have been sendin him emails because I wanted to know exactly what I had won to see if it was worth the travel
He has a list of packages like "kids photo, graduationphoto and such with these prints in this size. You get all the pics and each in three variations." something like that. So I asked him what was the winning and he said it was the most expencive one.
1 20x30cm
5 15x21cm
12 10x15 cm
And all pics on a cd and all in 3 variations.

He is coming under a name and Iceland is not that big so if he was conning it would be hard to keep on going but thank you all for the warning! It is a good reminder!

About the hotel thing I would not have to stay on a hotel. I could stay over at my fathers sister or some friends. But I am 24w pg and time is ticking so I would be even more pg if we decide to go and when we go. I checked out flights for us (so damn expencive here!) and the cheapest I got (and there were loads that cost more!) was more expencive than the shoot. Driving will be cheaper but takes lot more time.

Argh.. dont know what to do!

 

[Bumpywilliams]

I 'won' something similar in the UK and after finding out I would need to pay for the pictures I didn't go.

It seems crazy to travel all that way or pay for a flight when you could turn up there and they could easily go back on their word and ask for some kind of payment.

I know that this would be a lovely thing for you and your family but I honestly don't think it's worth the risk, paying to travel all that way. If you get there and find out things are not as they should be you will be really upset.

Ifit was in your hometown then maybe but not all that way.

Sorry to sound pessimistic, just don't want you to be dissapointed xx

 

[Catalyst]

hehehe I know. But I know a photographer who might know this guy so I could check out if he is good to his word.
But then again I might just give this to someone I know that lives there.

I will give this a good tought before I decide. If i was not pg I might just go for it, just drive on friday and sunday there and back and do Xmas shopping in the way (not that mutch variety here where I live. 1500ppl town hehehe). So I am just pondering over this right now.