Photo firm criticised for ‘slim’ snaps

A PHOTOGRAPHY firm has been criticised for offering a package to “slim down” students in their graduation pictures.

Success Photography has been offering both “digital gown slimming” as well as “digital complexion and smile enhancement” to students.

The firm is the official graduation photographer at the University of South Wales this year.

The university, which has campuses in Treforest, Cardiff, Newport, Caerleon and Glyntaff, hired the firm externally so graduates could opt to have professional photos taken on their special day.

But the university, which is staging several graduation ceremonies in July in Cardiff, Treforest and Caerleon, has confirmed it has held discussions with Success Photography and the two packages would not be offered to students.

A University of South Wales spokesman said: “The university contracts its graduation photography to an external company who offer optional photographic packages.

“After discussion with the supplier, the two packages mentioned won’t be offered to students.”

After students took to social media to complain, the company said it would offer it to universities and let them choose if it would be an option.

It was a University of York student who raised concerns, saying: “How is that supposed to make me feel confident?”

As reported in The Mir- ror, a spokesperson for the national company said: “We have been asked for it and we are offering it as an option to universities who want it.

“If your university doesn’t want it, you won’t be able to have it. We don’t want anyone to be damaged by photograph.

“It comes down to whether or not you should have a choice. We enable people to have a choice.”

The spokesperson added: “I think it was always called digital gown slimming.

“Gowns were designed for men in the time of monks, they are not flattering for girls. All it does is make them appear less bulky.

“It’s not my decision to make, it’s the decision of the university. It’s a fuss about nothing.”