Free engagement session

More details are needed. Did you "win" this at a bridal show?

I've heard of free engagement sessions in two ways.

1. It's truly free and the photographer's hope is that you'll book them for your wedding.

2. It's a free session, but rights/access to the photos are not included, so if you want them, you have to pay to have them.

I've never met anyone that got #1. Most of my friends that "won" free sessions, always had a catch to their deal.

Huh?

If you "won" one, it may very well be that the free part was just the session fee. If you want your images, you may have to pay to get them. I don't like this particular arrangement, and it isn't one I use in my business. If you win a session from me, you will get the session and a certain number of images with that. I caution people to doublecheck with their photographer when a free engagement session is included in their package or they win one at a bridal showcase, and always read the fine print.

This is tricky. I won a free session last year. The session was free but i had to buy a package to get my photos. Usually you buy a package that includes the photographers time and session.

Our photos were gorgeous but we had issues with other things and found another photographer for our wedding

I was #1 in Jersey Jen's post. I won a session from a photography couple and got about 100 edited photos on a jump drive and 5 prints. All for free. We loved them so much we booked the couple for our wedding! So pleased. They weren't a major photographer studio, or a wedding photography company, they were just the two of them.

I would just clarify what's included: free session, session + prints, or session + images on CD...

The free session apparently is just the fee we get covered. We have to pay for the photos but they refuse to give us all the photos we like on a CD. It apparently has to be prints and my fiancé and I don't want that.

I won a free engagement session through the company we eventually ended up hiring. She was looking for couples who were willing to help build her associates' and assistants' portfolios. We had 90 minutes, could choose sunrise or sunset as a time. There was no outfit/location change, but did receive five free prints up to a an 8x10. It was legit, no catch, and we loved them! However we kind of got lucky because the assigned associate never got the confirmation email so the lead photographer decided to go ahead and do them for us anyway. Just read the fine print, or ask if in doubt! Edited for spelling

When I offer a free 90 min engagement session its free and my couples get all their images edited...