Not saying the company isn't legit. I would just rather spend $300 for fuel rather then a picture.

I dont think it was so much the prices that people were badmouthing. It was the tactic of mailing pictures to your house after getting your address from an unknown source (boat registration numbers?), then telling you to either buy the picture or mail it back at your own expense.

They may have stopped doing that, but that woudl certainly be enough for me to give them the bird.

I think they changed. They caught me on the water last July. I thought it was great until I went to the website. I was uncomfortable with the same thing (the whole mailing pictures, buy or mail back). Then here this past month, I got an email out of the blue with all the shots they took of me (low quality of course). Now at least I know the pictures exist, can pick and choose without all the mailing B.S. This makes me comfortable enough to give them a try.

I've bought pictures from them and was completely happy. If you contact them they will send you "thumbnails" with a watermark on them to see. Price is also very negotiable. ;) They would rather get something from you than nothing! :cool:

I would much rather buy pictures from a legitimate business than from .......!

I've heard a lot of guys complain about their protocol on here but my experience with them was good. I actually contacted them to find out when and where they would be, they told me name the time and place. It was like my own private photo shoot. They followed me out of Jones Inet for about 15 minutes. Took over 100 pics then emailed low res with water marks. I bought quite a few and they are great. It would have cost me quite a bit to rent a chopper, photographer and do what they did........

So, is there a better way to protect their work/property from those that would steal from them? And consider the costs, all on spec. Granted, there are no thieves on this sport.........................

I believe a cheap bare bones R22 bird is in the 200 an hour range to operate.

Then you still need to pay for the pilot, the photog, the photog equipment.

Then find the owner of the boat, let them know you have some pix, and would they want to buy them.

Maybe somebody here can come up with a better way to handle the business?

I also bought pictures from boat pix last summer and was very happy with the picture i received.I figured for the price you have to spend where else can i get a picture from a helicopter.

I suggest you give the NJPPC Poker Runs a try being as you are local.
For several years we have had a chopper at minimum once a year and a few times twice a year where we had the chopper for our Barnegat Bay Run.

I then offer the images on my website for previewing starting at $9.99 on up. No obligation to buy and not included in any part of the registration fee for the Poker Run. (This way you are not paying for images you may not actually want.)

I shoot on spec. If someone wants to visit the site and make a purchase that is entirely up to them.
It has been working fine for me over the years...

I would never print before a person buys and expect them to pay to ship images back or be held for the total charges if they do not.

You will never find me printing images on location and placing them in the participants hands with my hand out expecting to get paid. That too is putting people "ON THE SPOT" for something they may not have ordered in the first place.

All my images are printed in a PROFESSIONAL LAB where they meet the strictest of quality standards and printed on photo paper.

I was also contracted to do an event last year on the Hudson where the organizer collected $50 from each boat to cover the expense of the Chopper. That too worked out great for everyone...

I have no personal experience with Boatpics to speak of, which is why I suggested the starter of this thread to do a search as this subject as it has come up a few times...

You could always get your buddy with a sport fisher to take a picture from his tuna tower. Haha

If they did that to you I don't think you would have to worry about them. You don't have a contract with them to take or pay for any services. If they take pics of your boat and mail them to you, keep them unless they pay for postage to return them. You tell them you don't want their product that you never asked for or contracted and if they want the pics back you would be happy to return them on their dime since you never asked for them. I like to see them to try to sue you.