Tuesday 31 July 2012

Photo 3 Solutions wedding photographer website analysis

What does a wedding photographer's website say about them?

As with any business, the professionalism of a photographer's website reflects how professional that photographer is.

And it's pretty clear that Photo 3 Solutions take a DIY attitude to most things.

Photo 3 Solutions have several websites out there, as well as a blog, all with spidering layers of hundreds of pages, clearly built for search engines and not human visitors - who can spend hours going round in circles trying to find the information they're looking for.

It's also obvious that the website is home made, considering the poor, busy layout and lack of decent typesetting.

The final serious issue of all Photo 3 Solutions websites is the most damning. The complete lack of high quality photos in a portfolio. And that means high quality from two angles - firstly the skill of the photographer, secondly the resolution and quality of the image itself.

All professional photographers should have at least one clear portfolio, which showcases their work. The Photo 3 Solutions showcase is a cluster of badly lit, badly composed images with tacky, amateur post-production that usualyl consists of a cheesy soft lighting effect.

And Photo 3 Solutions appear to realise the poor quality of the wedding and portrait photographs on offer, because all of the images are so small, you can barely see them anyway.

If you're looking for a storybook digital wedding photographer in Kent, find someone better than Photo 3 Solutions!

Monday 30 July 2012

Photo 3 Solutions - Rainham Wedding Photographer in Kent

If you're looking for a wedding photographer in Rainham, Kent - don't just pick the first one you see, especially if it's Photo 3 Solutions. Photo 3 Solutions have a monstrous sprawling website filled with lots of location based pages that exist simply to come up for small locations, but they are all about quantity, not quality.

There are much cheaper, better quality wedding photographers in Kent, if you just look around and compare prices and packages - not to mention looking at the portfoilios to see the quality of work.

Things to look for in a Rainham wedding photographer in Kent:

Cost - obviously when planning a wedding, cost is an important factor, so make sure you shop around to see what's available. Package can start from £300. Photo 3 Solutions most basic wedding package starts at £999 for only 20 prints and no digital copies. Pricey!

What's included - does the time start during the preparation, or only at the venue? Does it include pictures during the meal? Also, how many prints are included? If they're not included in the package, you may find yourself paying through the nose if you want to just add a few more at the end.

Who holds the copyright - it's your wedding, with you and your guests as the 'models'. The photographer should give you full copyright to the images. If they don't (as Photo 3 solutions don't), you have no rights as to what happens to those pictures. They can be used for advertising or sold on without your consent. Nor do you have teh right to make copies (ditigal or prints) without asking for permission first.

Watch our for cowboy photographers like Photo 3 Solutions, and don't let them ruin your wedding day!

Monday 23 July 2012

Quality analysis of storybook photographers in Kent

What makes a good wedding photo? Part Two

Comparing the work of two wedding photographers based in Kent - David Fenwick and Photo 3 Solutions (also goes by The Kent Wedding Photographer)

Subtle post-production


Post-production includes cropping to optimise the composition, adjusting colour balance, selection of image, and any filters of special effects that might be applied. Almost all professional photos will have some level of post-production applied to them, even if you don't notice it, otherwise they just look like snapshots. However, amatuer photographers can get over-excited about the power of modern photo manipulation tools and create tacky results.

Example of good storybook wedding photo post-production (David Fenwick Wedding Photographer, Kent)


 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2583313762480&set=a.2583249240867.91929.1843576163&type=3&l=bc846e87c3&theater

Nice of centre crop, strong blacks and whites without blowing out, lots of interesting detail and nice timeless atmosphere created with black and white


Example of bad storybook wedding photo post-production (Photo 3 Solutions, Kent)

http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk/images/portfolio_bw/IMG_3452a.JPG



Bad crop, leaving distracting detail in bottom left corner, too much contrast, not enough detail for black and white


Capturing the moment

Possibly the most important element of wedding photography, is capturing the moment, the atmosphere of the day. Anybpdy can line people up like dolls, order then to smile, then click a button. But a truly talented wedding photographer will be able to sneak around unnoticed, captuing genuine moments of emotion.



Example of good storybook wedding photo capturing the moment (David Fenwick Wedding Photographer, Kent)

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2709041585597&set=a.2709006744726.94954.1843576163&type=3&l=2b3c3934b7&theater

A genuine moment of closeness between the couple, shown in both facial expression and body language


Example of bad storybook wedding photo capturing the moment (Photo 3 Solutions, Kent)


http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk/images/portfolio_colour/archbishops_palace_maidstone.JPG

Looks uncomfortable, bride and groom look stiff and posed, the lauch forced


Tuesday 17 July 2012

Quality analysis of storybook wedding photographers in Kent

What make a good wedding photo? Part One

Good composition

A good wedding photographer will have a good 'eye' for a photo. Composition is about what's included in the image - and often more importantly, what's not. It includes where the main subject is located in the image (central, to the side or corner - all give different effects), the angle the subject is taken from, whether there are natural lines that lead towards the main focus of the photo.

Example of good storybook wedding photography composition:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2464976084112&set=a.2464972204015.88945.1843576163&type=3&l=941d1191b1&theater 


Nice subtle symmetry, close angle makes us feel part of it, clear view of the action

 

Example of bad wedding photography composition:

http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk/images/portfolio_bw/IMG_4350.JPG

Dull angle, lots of distraction in the background, can't see the detail of what's happening

Good colour balance

Colour plays a critical role in how a picture comes across. Obviously when it comes to portrait and wedding photography, black and white and sepis options are popular, but skillde colour manipulation is about much more than simply clicking 'convert to black and white'. There are many shades of black and whote, sometimes with hints or elements of colour. Some shades give a vintage feel, others drama or glossiness. If using full colour, balancing warmth, tints, vibrancy and saturation can make the difference between a dull or jarring colour balance and a fresh image that really 'pops'.

 

Example of good storybook wedding photography colour balance:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2583262641202&set=a.2583249240867.91929.1843576163&type=3&l=bc846e87c3&theater

Warm, rich colours without being glary, detail in white and black areas, no blow-outs

 

Example of bad wedding photography colour balance:

http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk/images/portfolio_colour/kent_wedding_photo_2.JPG

White completely blown out, black areas completely lost, generally glary

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Photo 3 Solutions - digital wedding photographers in Kent - Scam Advice

Photo 3 Solutions claims to be one of the leading whistle-blowers of UK modelling scams.


He lists companies that he claims are model agency scams and says he has named and shamed many fake model agencies over the years.

However, there are a few facts that might make a visitor wonder exactly what Andy James (the sole trader who runs the Photo 3 Solutions website) is really all about.

Expensive Modelling Portfolios


Despite proclaiming that expensive modelling portfolios are not necessary for aspiring models, Andy James (with apparently no sense of irony), offers Model Portfolio Test shoots for a fee of £300. Why is he offering modelling portfolios if they are a scam?


Photo 3 Solutions Fake Modelling Agency?


Andy James also 'names and shames' fake model agencies. But a quick search, and even a link from the bottom of his page, goes to 'Models 3 - UK Model Register'. The website is very obviously run by Andy James as well, and is not registered with the Association of Modelling Agencies. Perhaps the reason Mr James is so aware of fake modelling agencies is because he's running one himself?

His 'modelling agency' website also includes 'useful links' that don't exist, or are completely irrelevant, such as suppliers of safety signs! Not very professional...

The many faces of Photo 3 Solutions / Model 3 / The Kent Wedding Photographer


Andy James seems to have a finger in every pie, and a different face for every customer.  So far we've found three different websites, including a blog that claims expertise on a wide range of subjects, his 'modelling agency', his main photography site, and his 'specialist' storybook wedding photography site for Kent.

Genuine professionals usually specialise in one area; even photographers specialise in fashion, weddings, or commercial, for example. Someone who spreads himself so thin is likely to be a jack of all trades and master of none at best, or scam artist trying to throw the scent off his own dodgy businesses at worst.

Before you believe everything Andy James says, think again about what he's got to gain.