Photo 3 Kent Photography scam

Photo 3, the Kent photographer is becoming synonymous with the word 'scam'.

Photo 3 Solutions Scam #1

Offering digital storybook wedding photography services, but charging extortionate rates for digital rights. Most wedding photographers are paid for their time, and the client receives the ownership of their photos. Not so with Photo 3. Not only must you pay hundreds, or thousands, of pounds for a few hours work, but then you must pay again for the privelige of using the resulting photos for something as simple as a computer desktop background.

Photo 3 Solutions Scam #2

Offering Model Agency services. Photo 3 has another name: Model 3, which claims to be a legitimate modelling agency. However, there is no evidence that Model 3 finds the models on its 'books' any work or does anything except encourage young girls to get portfolio photos taken from - you guessed it - Photo 3.

Photo 3 Solutions Scam #3

Offering 'impartial advice'. One the one hand Photo 3 will tell you that if a competitor photographer is charging LESS than them, then it must be a SCAM, because it's simply not possible to offer those kinds of services so cheaply. On the other hand, and with no sense of irony, Photo 3 says that if competitors are charging MORE then them, then it must be a SCAM, because those prices are artificially high.

In actuality, different people will charge different prices based on their skill and equipment level. The only thing that's obvious to anyone with any exprience of amateur or professional photography is that Photo 3 is extremely overpriced and poor quality.

Photo 3 Solutions Modelling Portfolio Scam

Modelling Portfolios Scam

If you're an aspiring model and you've come across Photo 3 Solutions or Models 3 then be very, very careful, don't get sucked into a scam that could cost you hundreds of pounds and not help at all in your modelling career.

If you want to join Models 3, you'll probably be told that to make it as a model, you need a modelling portfolio - which is of course, correct - but hey! How convenient, here's someone who can do it for you.

However, the owner of the 'modelling agency' Models 3, and the photographer at Photo 3 Solutions who will sell you your 'professional' modelling portfolio photos are one and the same person.

Of course, you may be told that you can use any professional photographer, but it's clear that you'll have the best chances if you use him, because he's got so much experience, the studio - the whole deal.

The only problem is, the photos will be of such poor quality, that while they'll surely get you into Models 3 - which is only a part time company anyway, and doesn't seem to have much luck in actually placing models - there's no way they'll ever be able to be used in a proper professional modelling portfolio if you do manage to break into modelling by some other route.

So, don't waste your money with Photo 3 Solutions! Stick to genuine modelling agencies, not half-cut, part-time sidelines, and get a photographer who understands things like lighting and composition.

 

Photo 3 Solutions Whistleblower Scam

Is Photo 3 Solutions a scam?

The company appears to have multiple websites, which do everything from offer studio photography to model photography, to being a model agency, to storybook wedding services, to blogging expert on all kinds of subjects.

Despite its many faces, Photo 3 Solutions appears to be run by a single person, who on his blog claims to be a whistleblower of fake modelling agency sites.

However, it only takes a little digging to find he offer his own modelling agency services, under the guise of Models 3. Is it possible that Photo 3 Solutions makes such a big noise about other modelling companies because he doesn't want people to look too closely at his own? Or perhaps he's just hoping to get more attention that way...

Photo 3 Solutions - scam artist?

Photo 3 Solutions is a photographer in Kent, specialising in portraits.

Or is that weddings? If you follow links to wedding services, it takes you to a complete different website, which claims Photo 3 is an expert in digital storybook wedding photography. However, there's no evidence of storybook expertise, and the packages don't include digital version of the photographs, even when you've forked out £1000. Misleading.

Then again, it appears Photo 3 Solutions is a modelling agency as well. That's right! They run their own modelling agency at the same time as 'specialising in storybook wedding photography' and also portraits.

But the talents of Photo 3 Solutions don't stop there - they also manage to fit in some glamour / boudior / lingerie sessions. Well, who wouldn't?

As if that wasn't enough, Photo 3 Solutions can also find you a make-up artist and a venue for your wedding. They really are busy!

You'd probably assume that a company that has time to become an expert wedding photographer, learn how to get the most out of intimate portraits, spend time gathering up-to-date details of professional stylists and venues, and also run a modelling agency, must have a lot of staff.

But the surprising (or not) answer, is that no. Photo 3 Solutions is a one man outfit. Andy James must get up very early in the morning to be able to provide so many different services that are usually served by professionals that take each one a little more seriously.

One more thing - busy Mr James still has time to slander photography shops, photographic equipment, competitor's modelling agencies and modelling stylists and consultants, in fact anyone who might offer any competition.

Photo 3 Scam - withholding copyright

Be careful if you're thinking about hiring Photo 3 Solutions for your wedding or portfolio photographic need, make sure you've done your research and found out who's really behind the company.

Photo 3 have been associated with a number of scams, from overpriced wedding packages to dodgy modelling agencies to withholding copyright from paying customers.

Photo 3 won't tell you outright, but if you hire them to take photographs for you, you won't end up owning the copyright to your pictures. If questioned, they'll tell you that this is perfectly normal behavious for a photographer, but this is absolutely not the case.

If you pay a photographer to take photographs for you, then you are paying for their time and the fruits of their labour - in other words, the photos they take.

So what does it mean when Photo 3 refuses to hand over copyright?

Firstly, it means he can use YOUR photographs wherever he wishes, for life. That means for promotion, to sell them - he could print them and use them on posters or sell a CD full of your pictures to anyone he wishes.

Secondly, it means you don't have the right to use YOUR OWN PICTURES. That means that if you want copies of them - as prints, or digital, he can make you pay through the nose - and will.

So be careful if you're thinking of using Photo 3 to take your photographs and make sure you read the small print.

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!