PCA International Ripoff Unethical evil selling practice Matthews North Carolina

I worked for PCA for almost 3 years. I love, love, love photography! I also love working with children. Although, after some time I hated going to work everyday. Where do I start...The first pose accepted is the ad pack. I could explain this till I was blue in the face. I found that most of the time, the first pic is the best to begin with. The parents would be so picky, I would take 8 pictures just to get one good one?! I am a good photographer. Period. I have seen not so good photographers in Wal-Mart Studios. I couldn't understand why the parents don't see the same cute smile? The company tells us the first pose accepted, or if the customer request another pose. Does that make sense? Lets work really hard on one pose and then let the customer change if requested. Most of the time that is all they buy anyway. Everything contradicted itself. Don't get me wrong...I love photography and I love good pictures. I feel that I worked hard for that company and the customers made me feel unappreciated. Also, when I became a studio manager, I was not given a raise. When I requested some compensation for more work load I was given a .15 raise. Months later I was still waiting to recieve my raise. In the end, the Reginal Manager said she never told me I had a raise. So instead of back pay, I was given a $1 raise. Just so I wouldn't leave. About the rugs, I agree they were not washed enough. But, after everyone takes advantage of you who wants to take home a rug to ruin your washing machine? I believe the District Managers should wash the rugs. They are the ones who can claim expenses. I bought props for the studios and never saw a dime of it. I spent $20 on supplies and the administration office said I need to spend another $5 before they willl write me a check...AAAHHHH!!!! Not to mention, Yes You are not allowed to take a vacation during holiday season. But if you dont use it you lose it. By the time I earned my 32 hours of vacation time it was holiday season. So I didn't get paid. The district manager agreed to pay me and I never saw a dime! The only thing I would go to Wal-Mart for is T.P. If they are lucky. Not to mention the Wal-Mart Managers were rude to Portrait Studio Employees because we rent the space from them. I worked in two different stores and one manager compared us to horse manuer. I honestly couldn't take it anymore. Please parents, if you go to Wal-Mart Portrait Studios realize that if you are too picky on the first pic, your child may not make it through the other poses. It is their job to take a full session of 7. Any other photographer is going to charge a sitting fee, they don't care how many they take, they already got your $. Customers constantly took advantage of my good photography by just simply complaining about anything. I waited too long...They are just kids. Be patient. Expect a wait. And you get what you pay for.

I have worked for PCA for a while now. I really like the company and I have been going to them to have portraits taken for even longer than I've worked there. They do not "rip" you off. It is a business, and like alot of business' they make money on sales. Yes, It is policy to take all 7 poses, that's our job. Considering the company actually loses money on the advertized special, they have to give the option to buy more. If you don't want to buy them, you don't have to, it's as easy as that. I have yet to see a photography company that only takes one picture. Everyone you go to will take more and try to get you to buy more. That's called a business. Atleast their portraits are affordable. If you have a problem with the company that's okay, but atleast have a problem that is actually a real problem.