Maidstone Wedding Photography Model Release Scam

If you are choosing a wedding photographer in Maidstone, then watch out - make sure you know what you're doing when you sign a model release form.

What is a model release form?

By law, if a photographer, or anyone else, wishes to make photos public, for sale or promotion, then any people who are recognisable in them must give their consent in writing.

This is common practise for working models, who are being paid to be in the pictures, after all. But if you are looking for a wedding photographer, you are paying them for their time, not the other way round.

Why do I need to be careful?

If you sign a model release form as part of your contract, you're giving the photographer the right to display and print your photos for whatever they want, including money.

What can I do?

As a paying customer, you are not obliged to give your consent - so check the contract carefully, and if you don't want to sign away any your rights, make sure they cross out the model release section,

Otherwise you could see your photos used anywhere, for example on a blooper site, or making money in a brochure and you not seeing a penny.

The Kent Wedding Photographer Digital Copyright Scam

Beware! The Kent Wedding Photographer wants to keep your copyright!

The Kent Wedding Photographer (aka Andy James of Photo 3 Solutions) promotes himself as a specialist in digital storybook wedding photos in Kent. But there's something in the small print he doesn't want you to see...

What is copyright?

Copyright determines who 'owns' the rights to use photographs. That's not the prints themselves, but the creative property. Whoever has the copyright is allowed to use the images however they wish, and anybody who doesn't have the copyright has no rights to access, print or make digital copies of the photos.

Why do I care if the Kent Wedding Photographer wants to keep my copyright?

Firstly, because it means you don't have any rights when it comes to accessing your photos, and secondly because The Kent Wedding Photographer can do whatever he wants with them.

Let's take the first problem - you not having access to your photos. If a photographer turned up for free, took photos off his own back in the hopes that you might like some of them and pay for them afterwards, then it would be fair for them to own the copyright (although they would still need you and all your guests to sign a model release if he wanted to use them for anything). But in the case of most wedding photographers - including the Kent Wedding Photographer - you pay for their time. If you are paying for someone's time, then you are entitles to whatever they produce within that time. If you pay for their time and then have to pay extra for copyright, you're paying twice.

The second problem is slightly more sinister. As The Kent Wedding Photographer owns your photographs (and if you check the contract you'll find you've signed a model release as well), it means he can use them however he wishes. This may simply be to use as promotional material on his website and brochures, but is he wishes he can also sell the photos, use them on stock photo libraries, or even add the unflattering ones to blooper sites. And there's nothing you can do to stop it.

So, before you sign a contract with the Kent Wedding Photographer - or any wedding photographer for that matter - check carefully who owns the copyright, and also look out for a model release. You are not obliged to sign it - you can get them to cross it off.

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

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

Medway Wedding Photographer Reviews

Need a wedding photographer in Medway?

Here are some reviews based on the websites, prices and packages on offer:

Ian Booth Photography
http://www.ianboothphotography.co.uk/
Prices: £325 - £1485
Image Quality: The photographs are good quality, with strong, crisp colours and good balance.
Photography range: There is a good range of images, from profiles, to storybook style shots, elegant close ups of periperhals (such as shoes and the bouquet), posed and natural photographs.
Post production: Post production is minimal - most of the photos appear to be displayed as natural.
Digital images and rights included as standard: Yes
Professional appearance: the website, layout and content gives a very calm, professional appearance. There is all the information you'd expect, laid out clearly and concisely.
Summary: All in all, looks like a professional outfit, with very reasonable rates.

Gary Smith Photography
http://www.garysmithphotography.co.uk/
Prices: £595 - £2200
Image Quality: Quite good quality, though some images could be sharper and some images suffer from balance blow outs.
Photography range: Nice range of images, and some nice ideas for original compositions, anbd use of depth-of-field.
Post production: Confident use of post production, including black and white and colour balance manipulation.
Digital images and rights included as standard: Yes

Professional appearance: The website looks good at first glance, but after a bit of use proves to be difficult to navigate, and flashiness seems to have been prioritised over ease of use. Also, the social media is not regularly updated and the website is not cross-browser compatible.
Summary: This photographers edge is definitely on coming up with original looking photos, which are of good quality.

Photo 3 Solutions
http://www.photo3.co.uk
Prices: £999 - £1999
Image Quality: The images on the site do not look like very good quality. Very small examples given only, amateur looking shadows from flashes, grainy, black and white blow outs and dull colours.
Photography range: Range is okay, traditional shots, clos-ups of certain elements, but nothing particularly original.
Post Production: Post production seems to be limited to converting to black and white or sepia, and applying cheesy 80s soft lighting effects.
Digital images and rights included as standard: No
Professional appearance: The website looks completely homemade, the gallery is difficult and clunky to view, typesetting and layout is shoddy. A very unprofessional impression.
Summary: Definitely not up to the standard of some of the other wedding photographers in Medway, falling down in pretty much every area, from image quality to post production, to withholding image rights and digital versions.

The Kent Wedding Photographer Review

The Kent Wedding Photographer is another name for the company Photo 3 Solutions, which is another name for Andy James who also runs Model 3. Phew! That's a lot of names for one guy!

If you're choosing a wedding photographer you probably have two main sides to your considerations - price and quality.

How does The Kent Wedding Photographer perform on price?

The cheapest package is just under £1000, and for that you will get 20 photographs in an album - but no rights to the rest of your photos, and no access to digitsl versions.

By comparison, David Fenwick's (http://www.davidfenwick.co.uk/) prices start at £500, and you always get high resolution digital versions and full rights to all your photographs.

The Other Day Photography (http://www.theotherday.co.uk) offer wedding photography in Kent starting at £950, but for that you get eight hours of photography, a 30 page album AND all your photographs in digital format.

How does the Kent Wedding Photographer perform on quality?

Obviously, with art such as photography, there is a certain amount of subjectiveness and personal preference involved, however, even an intrained eye can usually tell the difference between a poor photo, an okay one, a good one, and a great one.

The Kent Wedding Photographers images are mostly 'OK'. You could say this is fine 0 after all, they're not poor! However, when you're paying the kind of fees The Wedding Photographer Kent charges, you really would expect the results to be at least 'good' if not 'great'.

If you want your wedding photographs to be good, or even great - then we suggest trying one of tyhe following professional photographers instead:

http://www.davidfenwick.co.uk/
http://www.theotherday.co.uk/
http://www.helenbattphotography.com/
http://www.davidleeimages.co.uk/

Storybook Wedding Photographers in Kent - Reviews

Storybook wedding photography is becoming increasingly popular as an interesting way to preserve the memories.

What is storybook wedding photography?
Storybook wedding photography is when you have a series of pictures - usually starting with the bride and groom getting ready in separate rooms, that follows the days events - you've guessed it - telling a story.

What Kent photographer should you choose for you storybook wedding.
In a word? A specialist. Or does that count as two words? Either way, if you're looking at a storybook wedding, you obviously want something special, so you need to be careful not to hire the wrong person and end up with something disappointing.

A storybook wedding photographer has to have a range of skills, including good planning, understanding the key moments, fast reactions, top quality equipment, excellent editing skills.

So it's best to go for someone who specialises in Storybook wedding photography, rather than a general photographer whose work spans a variety of things.

Here are some recommendations:

http://www.davidleeimages.co.uk/ RECOMMENDED. Beautiful example shots on the website and information that clearly shows he knows what's involved in making the perfect storybook wedding album.

http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk NOT RECOMMENDED. This is actually a sister site for Photo 3 Solutions, who photograph everything from portraits, to weddings, to model portfolios to glamour shots. You probably don't want someone who specialises in photographing topless girls taking the pictures at your special day!

Digital Wedding Photographers in Kent - The Kent Wedding Photographer Review

If you're looking for a digital wedding photographer in Kent, presumably that's because you'd like to have digital versions of your photos, so that you can upload them on Facebook, or create your own albums, use them as backgrounds on your computer, create slideshows, that kind of thing.

The problem is that some wedding photographers don't actually give you access to your own photos - and they'll make sure that you don't even own the rights to them!

So, when you're choosing a wedding photographer, make sure that a full set of high resolution images are included in the package - not just a handful of prints.

The photographer may give you a CD of the images 'for selection purposes' but the images will be low resolution (poor quality) and will be branded with the photographers gaudy logo.

Also, be careful of photographers that claim they own the rights to the photos or your event - rather than you owning it - even though you paid them to be there! Not only does it mean that you won't get access to your photos, but it means the photographer can use them however he pleases, whether you like it or not.

Make sure you ask who will own the rights to the images, and make sure you don't sign anything giving the photographer rights to use the images on whatever website, brochure or wherever else he wants.

How 'digital' friendly are the top Google ranking 'digital wedding photographers in Kent'?

http://www.davidleeimages.co.uk/ - Cheapest package £300, includes 200 photos on DVD, and full licence to print photos however you please.

http://www.timstubbings.co.uk - packages start at £995, and high resolution disc is included as standard

http://the-kent-wedding-photographer.co.uk - prices start at £999, zero digital images provided, and rights to images retained by photographer. Even for around £2000, all you get all low resolution digital images and still no rights.

REMEMBER - They are YOUR photographs, that you paid for! Demand the rights to them!