Pet Portraits Melbourne

2.9
based on 26 reviews

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26 reviews about Pet Portraits Melbourne

verified email - 03 Sep 2017

we purchased a family package as a Xmas present for my wife.
For various reasons getting everyone together was challenging so we tried to book a session in September.
It appears he has read all the other reviews and is now out of business, no web site, no address, no hope of getting our money back.

verified email - 03 Jul 2017

I got my father-in-law a "family portrait" for his 60th birthday in February 17 but I never got an email confirming the purchase and didn't have a number to call him either so that's when I decided to check his reviews here and surprise surprise! stupid me that didn't check before. After all the bad reviews he has plus 3 days without hearing from him, I sent him an email requesting for a confirmation and for us to book the session (fingers crossed I thought). He efficiently replied the same day telling me how to book the session so I did for Sunday 26th of February at 11.30am (peww lucky me). On the session day he sent me a text at 8.53am asking me if I could reschedule because he needed to take his wife to the doctor. I thought well these things happen, let's give him the benefit of the doubt... I don't have any issues with postpone it. He also, as a way of make it up to us, offered to upgrade the package we got. Anyway, we rescheduled for the 19th of March (fingers crossed one more time). Finally had the session. I have to be honest, he was very professional and friendly. He made feel my parents-in-law very comfortable. I was also very surprised that immediately after the session finished he gave us a USB with all the pics he took and asked us to pick 3 photos for him to retouch (I thought how lucky I was). I got back home excited to check the photos with the fam but the computer didn't recognise the USB. I tried with different computers... nothing worked so I sent him an email explaining the issue and one more time he was very efficient with his reply. He uploaded them in Dropbox so I could download them from there so did. The photos were very cool, they show how easy we felt in the session. HOWEVER, the photos have stains/dark dots like if the camera lens were dirty or something like that. In other words, the photos have to be fixed in order to be worthy. Anyway, I sent him an email in the time frame he asked me to (March 27th) with the 3 photos I wanted him to fix. He never came back to me. I sent him another email on April 10th asking him if he got the last email (as a reminder to be honest) but he never replied either. I called him a few times as well with no luck. It is July 3rd and I haven't heard from him anymore. Never got the retouched photos so I haven't been able to print any and my father-in-law keeps asking me for them. you made me look like an idiot for 2 things: 1. not reading your business reviews before my purchase and 2. for believing in you after I read the reviews. Bravo!!!

Sooo to summarise, I DO NOT recommend him as a company who provides an excellent service. I wouldn't doubt of his skills as a photographer, but as a entrepreneur/customer service his skills are very poor... you cannot do half of the job good and not do the other half.

He should do photography as a hobby and not as a business.

My overall customer experience was poor.

verified email - 04 May 2017

I received the photoshoot voucher as a birthday gift. He was great on the day but we have not heard from him in regards to receiving our retouched proofs. I have sent him numerous follow ups via e-mail, but to no avail. It's very disappointing and now after reading that he has done this to so many other people, I'm horrified. And I find it very worrying that his mobile phone number is not taking incoming calls. I would not trust him under these circumstances and therefore would not be recommending him to anybody else, as I don't want this to happen to them as well.

verified email - 16 Apr 2017

Please don't use this photographer. Wish I had come across these reviews before purchasing a package! He doesn't have amazing Photoshop skills so please don't waste your money by ordering additional photos for him to enhance or touch up!

View all 4 comments
melissal513 16 Apr 2017

So I received this reply from David which came through my email but oddly enough is not showing below - not sure what is up with that. Anyway, just so everyone knows - I DID NOT RECEIVE A REFUND AFTER INSISTING ON ONE ON MORE THAN ONE OCASSION (AND HAVE THE EMAILS TO PROVE IT) NOR DID I BOOK 2 SESSIONS WITH HIM - 1 WAS BAD ENOUGH. Anyway, here is his response...
"Hi Melissa, You weren't happy with the retouching so a refund was provided, what are you not happy with now? you can take your images else where as I provide the digitals. Not sure really what your not happy with, is it because I gave you a refund as you weren't happy? if you are after certain style of retouching that does not suit my work I prefer to give your money back so you can pay a retoucher to do it. After all... you've come to two portrait sessions, once for your newborn portraits and few months ago for a family portrait, ( clearly you were happy, just not with my retouching) my photoshop skills can't fix everyone's problems."

I understand Photoshop can't fix everyone's problems - however ours was merging of 2 images together which if you ask any Photoshop novice, is simple enough - if you claim to be experienced with Photoshop that is. Which I still believe David IS NOT! So again, please don't use him. The images he takes require a lot of Photoshop to fix - and he ain't good at either!

Hi Melissa, I just sent you proof of refund, so clearly your writing here to defame. My images are straight out of the camera as I mention on my website, or are you blind? sorry I state everything clearly.
I'm so happy I'm tackling all un happy customers and providing things they need, your not a client I will recommend to any photographer... you came back for cheap prices.

Unlike clients who had a bad experience with me, I've turned things around to make sure they get more gorgeous photos, your not a client I want back.

melissal513 17 Apr 2017

Oh my goodness David, grow up! What proof of refund? This is getting ridiculous now. I have every right to leave my honest opinion of my experience with you so just take it on the chin and learn from it. I honestly hope people who read this are smart enough to make their own decision - based on not only my review but the MANY reviews of others. Luckily I am only a consumer so your threat to me won't cost me a cent. By they way, this is the email you sent me... so this is you "turning things around"? Good luck with that. Maybe a person with a bit of decency would have mentioned that the images would not work well together with Photoshop before taking other people's money - and returning an image which can't even be used!

Hi Melissa,

This fee is not refundable, yes you did paid for the service but because you don't like that the images you chose to this on don't work the best its not justifiable for a refund. in fact it only looks odd as you know it's two seperate images, ask someone who does not know and they would not notice.

Kind regards,

David

verified email - 18 Jan 2017

Do not use this photographer!!! I would give no stars if I could.

[redacted name] was very strange on the day. Didn't ask our names. Gave our toddler a grotty Elmo to hold in the photos. His only interaction with the kids was fake fart noises and calling them "monkey". He gave us a USB of photos to take home and select which ones we wanted retouched. I was horrified when I looked at them. Most of them were unusable - half our heads cut off, strange angles, the grotty Elmo in all the photos. None were usable without significant retouching.

We sent [redacted name] our list of photos to retouch by the date he said was necessary to get them done pre-Christmas. He didn't respond. We sent another email, which he also failed to respond to. He finally responded when we threatened to lodge a paypal dispute. But the photos he sent are washed out, blurry and one even has us all on a strange angle. None are any good for framing.

DO NOT USE THIS PHOTOGRAPHER!!!

verified email - 29 Dec 2016

We never received the retouched photos he was meant to provide. We contacted Consumer Affairs Victoria and they had no luck convincing him to provide the photos either. Our photos were family photos with our child as a baby, the window of time is now missed.

Not sure how it's possible for someone to operate in this day and age with such shonky practices - constant "50% off ends soon" campaigns to entice customers and then operating a business with no incoming phone service and providing no response when it suits him.

Stay away if you don't want to be disappointed.

verified email - 18 Dec 2016

Worst photographer. Very unprofessional. He lost our maternity photos and never compensated us even after contacting the ombudsman. Not that one can replace priceless photos that can't be reproduced. He never returned emails or phone calls until the ombudsman was involved. Our newborn photos were blurry, dark, and poorly positioned. Nothing like his website portfolio. Don't be sucked in by the affordable prices!

Approximate cost: $300

verified email - 11 Oct 2016

ATTENTION ALL CUSTOMERS OF DAVID CARTIER: we were recently affected by the failure of David to complete the job we paid him to do. If you are also affected you can claim through PayPal for your loss. They will assess your circumstances and may refund you what they deem reasonable.

ec61 13 Oct 2016

It's so wrong isn't it
He does lovely photos but to rip everyone off what an ass
not good for his business

ashley-mitcham195 18 Dec 2016

I wish we could. Where he failed us was the "bonus" maternity session. As it was a bonus we can't be compensated for his failure to provide those photos from the sesssion. Although after receiving the newborn shots its doubtful they were any good anyway!

verified email - 07 Oct 2016

Beautiful photos shame he accepts your money but doesn't post the photos he 'misplaced 'my photos so has to send USB promising to send them out and a bonus
back to him week later still nothing not replying to emails
Still waiting after a month

verified email - 19 Aug 2016

Same as everyone else who have posted...DO NOT BUY HIS PACKAGES!!! We had our photo shoot in February and the session ans photos were ok, but I paid extra $50 to get a photo retouched, emailed him the photos and still haven't heard back from him even after numerous phone calls and emails. He doesn't answer his phone and has blocked I'm coming calls. I believe he is a scammer and hope no one else gets deceived by him again!!

Approximate cost: $250

32c83c34 02 Dec 2016

were you able to get them at the end? I just bought a package as a gift for someone and since seeing these reviews I wanted to get my money back and find somewhere else to go but wasn't able to because 'change of mind' wasn't a valid reason. I wish I read all this before buying it..

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