The BBC reported that a couple Marc and Sylvia Day have sued and won their case against a dodgy wedding photographer. Understandably, the couple where so upset that they decided to take legal action against the photographer for breach of contract over the £1,450 photo and video package.
They only liked 22 of the 400 pictures and claimed that Mr Gareth Bowers missed some important moments such as the cutting of the cake, instead capturing the backs of guests dancing.
The courts ordered Mr Bowers to pay back £500 plus a further £720 in damages.
So how difficult is it to photograph a wedding? After seeing the photos, I can see why they won…it is want I would call an open and shut case. The photos are so bad that even the worst amateur could deliver something better.
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To read the full story visit: BBC.co.uk
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My goodness, I makes us photographers look like cowboy builders. How can this so called “pro” do such a bad job of someone’s great day. Anyone can point and shoot, but not everyone can be able to tackle a wedding – It is a VERY demanding job and this person should not ever set foot at anyone’s special day, I wouldn’t use him to take my holiday pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing that a touch of Photoshop could fix, just kidding. This has to be one of the biggest stories that has gone national. I just hope that it will make brides and grooms more cautious when booking a Professional Wedding Photographer.
Nothing that a touch of Photoshop couldn’t fix, just kidding. This has to be one of the biggest stories that has gone National. I just hope that it will make brides and grooms more cautious when booking a Professional Wedding Photographer.
If he was a “doggy wedding photographer” (sic), then perhaps they should have got one who specialised in weddings of homo sapiens?
Oh my goodness! We always advise brides to shop around and look at photographers’ portfolios. There are many excellent professional photographers out there.
The irony of all this is that someone is actually making a fortune syndicating the photos and they are being used in all the nationals. According to one press report Bowers turned up to discus requirements but another photographer turned up to ruin the wedding photographs. It was worrying that there are numerous wedding photographer directories to which he and his company are affiliated. His “company ” website is no longer accessible- either he has ceased trading or has already sold all rights to the highest bidder. I also fail to understand why Bowers wasn’t ordered to pay back the full amount and pay damages on top of that and also be forced to fund a full reshoot done by a proper professional.
Good points John, yes I see that he has his links on the SWPP, which again brings down the reputation of a professional body, i.e., how did he manage to get a listing.
Quote from Phil Jones of the SWPP
“After reviewing the members file it has become apparent that he has broken our Code of Conduct and his membership has therefore been terminated.”
Good to know as the SWPP are a great organization and provide fantastic help for professional photographers. I guess there will always be the odd one that slips through the net.
I agree that the photographer did an inadequate job but my question is why was one man doing both the videography and the photography? Doing both is impossible if you want quality shots. I am a young photographer just starting out and when I get my first wedding shoot to be responsible for I intend to have 1 or 2 back up photographers with me to make sure no important moments get missed. Like the bride said, the photographs are the 2nd most important thing at the wedding.
I know the guy in question from about 7 years ago. Believe me, he is in no way ‘a professional’; he’s the kind of cretin who thinks just buying a camera and saying you’re a photographer is enough to start a business. Don’t take it as a black mark on photographers, just on idiots (who get a bad rep anyway).
This guy is still listed on the swpp website which does not suprise me, I am a pro photographer myself and have never sought to be affiliated to such organisations. This is mainly due to the fact that they are money making businesses and if you pay your dues your in. I work full time as a photographer and its my only source of income. Digital has meant that there are too many cowboys around, and as weddings are on a weekend and do not affeect the weekly 9 to 5 its the easiest part of the industry to break into. People like this give real pros a bad name and its bad for the industrey in general, especially when they get the backing of such organisations. Take my advice always view a full range of your photographers work and better still go by a recomendation or make sure you choose a full time profesional, and not a part timer who is not soley reliant on the proceeds as an income.
With over 30 years in TV production (ITV trained and several awards to my name), 23 years running my own production company and nearly a decade as a part time lecturer in TV and Video production at a legitimate academic institution I’m unsurprised to read this tale of woe…
If you think the pictures this guy supplied were bad you should see the video (“The Sun” have part of it on their site).
The fact that certain trade organisations (both in video and stills) basically ‘sell’ pseudo-qualifications to clowns like this calls the whole industry into disrepute as the public can’t tell the difference between genuine pros who will have spent literally thousands of hours gaining proper qualifications from those who spent a few hundred quid to go through some sham ‘assessment’ process….
2400+ hours study over two years to get an HND, nearly 5000 and four years for a honours degree… Or £100 from some sham ‘institute’ or ‘association’ Guess which way the cowboys go?
… High time this practice was made illegal!
If someone has put letters after their name that indicate anything other than a University degree, and/or association with an organisation that demands anything less than a legitimate academic qualification then they’re a charlatan… Why else would anyone seek to cynically ape the academic achievements of those who HAVE spent years learning their craft?
The wedding video trade has been ruined by these ‘types’ to the point that very few legitimate pros will touch weddings! In fact to do so often gets people ‘blackballed’ for more lucrative broadcast and corporate work. Looks like the stills trade is heading down the same sorry path…
If only my sister had seen this article before booking this GARETH BOWERS…She got married 26th September 2009 the photographer failed to turn up at chuech completely, she paid xxx amount for a complete service and has received nothing … he sent a side kick and we received a phone call from the side kick 10 minutes before my sister was leaving for church to say the photographer was stuck in traffic due to road works …these phone calls continued until the service in church was over…the sidekick photographer turned up at the reception venue and took photos of the wedding cake and then proceeded to order all the guests about to get them into family groups of which he took about 15 photos by which time it was 5pm now taking into conideration that the wedding was at 3pm and there should have been a photographer at the church at 1:50pm for the arrival of guests ..if this is what thye call service then its disguting and my ister still has not heard from this guy after leaving numerous messages for him…we will sue him he leaves us no choice..
she is the youngest of the family and having no parent present due to them pasing away the whole family had got together to make sure she had a lovely day well she hasn’t got one photo to look back on now becaue of this cowboy !!!!!!!
I know of another couple who booked Gareth Bowers, paid his deposit and never heard from him again! No contract, no refund, no show! Disgusting.
Just to make people aware that Gareth Bowers is still operating as a wedding photographer and trading under the name ‘JumpPhoto’
Take care!!
Thanks for letting our readers know about the latest from Gareth Bowers
That is awful!
With what can be such an expensive day, apart from gifts, a handful of items of clothing and fantastic memories (which unfortunately fade over time) … you really only have your photos and any film footage as a reminder in the future.
When we thought about it this way we realised it was incredibley important to get a good photographer … but with these hard times there is obviously a need to be savy about the cost of all aspects of a wedding.
But it wasn’t even like this couple were trying to save money – £1500!!! So that makes it all the more worse … but at least they got most of their money back.
I suppose the lesson here is to take the time and look around as good photographers will stand out. We looked for ages and reviewed 7 or 8 and although price was a strong driver, we didn’t want to sacrifice quality, so we eventually settled upon Visionista Photography – an easy choice in the end, and we couldn’t have been happier with the results.
What with going prepared with your questions and a bit of bartering hopefully other couples can avoid what must have been a very upsetting and disappointing episode … they could always rehire clothing and do a portrait shoot to try and make up for … not perfect, but better than nothing.
Thanks for your comments, this story can run and run. It is amazing how much this awful photography story has taken the worlds interest.
Hello Theresa and Andy, We are the couple that used gareth bowers..We are chasing him down,(again) as he did not pay the courts the money that he owed us at the moment but we will get him…He is up and running again from what we have heard but I have people looking out for him at different wedding fairs and in places where they think he is settting up new studios…..Wer are trying to get alll the couple he has swindled together..You are not the only ones…If you would likke to get in touch with us our house number is …01924 897125, or speak to Sylvia…07831517141…Marc & Sylvia
we have had the same problem with this guy,took our money and no pics,we got wed in july this year and still nothing,,its about time we got together and brought this guy down,do we have a photo of him that we can put on the net and shame him,,,this guy wants a prison sentence,he is utter scum!!!
and just for the record he is trading under a different name—jump photography or jump photo ,,and he has a mobile number 07772419243
hi im just leaving this comment just so your all aware gareth bowers now operates under a new name its jump photo as we recieved a letter about two weeks before our wedding saying that he had changed from fresh images, and the wedding theresa was talking about was mine, i was and am still so disappointed by the service i paid for. i just now hope no one else falls for the rubbish that so many of us did
to add to our comments ,i also have his address,what car he drives and a pic of him coming so we can all find out who and where he is,,,he can run but he cant hide
Hello
There are many thousands of excellent professional photographers – I have worked with them and they produce superb photographs capturing the couple at their best. At http://www.readscreations.co.uk we can use your favourite photograph on the lid of a wooden wedding keepsake box together with your names and the date of the you wedding to produce a beautiful wedding gift.
Not a wedding comment, i realise, but Jump Photo hosted a cute baby contest at Spenborough swimming pool 6 weeks ago, we paid for photos and have not recieved anything, we have had numerous excuses. The Spenborough Guardian who are hosting the contest have been made aware of the poor service, we are still pursuing, but will lodge official complaints with the paper.
His new website is http://www.jumpphoto.co.uk/
ive rung this number and i get a woman saying that shes never heard of anyone calles gareth,im now on the hunt for this gareth and i dread to think what im going to do to him ,but i will let you all know,apparently his address is 12 gleneagles court in normanton
An update on Gareth Bowers….Just had a phome call from a videographer….He was at a wedding last weekend…Now who is going to be the first on this website to guess who the wedding photographer was????….Marc & Sylvia
we have gareths new mobile number if anyone wants it,its 07817930282
I do not blame the photographer??? at all.
Anyone who books that idiot after looking on his website deserves what they get. The pics on there are as bad as the ones shown on skynews.
Oh and it is nice to see the lounge lizards promoting their own business on the back of this. Muppets.
OMG.
i hope this wouldn’t be happened in my country.
OMG OMG OMG
does he draft or plan to shoot on the actual day? the bride n groom must left the tentative of the event.
we have found him if you want to get in touch ,we have relaunched the story .marc&sylvia day