  Making use of the hybrid Regge-plus-resonance model, we investigate the
process of kaon photoproduction off the proton target. We present a new model
whose free parameters were adjusted to data in and above the resonance region
and which provides an acceptable description of experimental data. The
overwhelming majority of nucleon resonances selected in this analysis overlaps
with those selected in our previous analyses and also with the Bayesian
analysis with the Regge-plus-resonance model, which we deem to be dependable. A
novel feature of our model consists in applying a different scheme for
gauge-invariance restoration, which results in a need for implementing a
contact current. As we further reveal, the choice of the gauge invariance
restoration scheme as well as the choice of either pseudoscalar or pseudovector
coupling in the strong vertex play a significant role for cross-section
predictions at forward angles where data are scarce.
