Request for Interior Design Photography: Scam...?

[Mary88]

Here's a weird one. I was recently contacted by someone who said she wanted to book the house to take photographs for an interior design project. She said she wanted to "curate" our house. I wrote back asking for clarification and she gave some vague response about how lucky I would be to be photographed. She then said she didn't need to actually book our house, she just wanted to come and photograph....I never responded, but I wonder if this is a scam?

Thanks for any insights!

Mary

New delhi

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

If it walks like a scam, smells like a scam and talks like a scam then it probably is one...

At best it's some minsguided interior design student scrabbling around for a project to complete their course. Not sure you really need that!

[Mary88]

Thanks for the advice :-). I feel like I am walking through an Airbnb minefield doing this in India, its been one weird thing after another.

[Sandra126]

Don't do it! ''Curating the house'' means moving things around. If a magazine wants to do a spot, they will have credentials in place and it will be a different story than vague enquiries.

I imagine India will be an interesting place to run a business in, but you will no doubt have many great guests over time as long as you weed out the no-so-good ones.

[Ysa0]

Mary - Sounds like a photographer was looking to add images to hers and the interior designers portfolio. By "curating", she meant "staging" as in re-arranging (or temporaily replacig) existing furniture, draperies, etc. in your home during the photo shoot. 

Long story short, sounds like she went about things the wrong way. She definitely shoould have offered compensation or a trade arrangement where you get to use a few of the images she photographed for your own marketing. Not necessarily a scam, just a predictably awkward way of approaching a home owner.