Photo Contests?

Stangman98

Senior Member
Is anyone entering any lately? I am seeing a ton of them around. Outdoor Photographer always seems to have one listed. Would love to have people start threads with all the information of open photo contests and all the details so that members have an easier time entering the contests.
 

AntrimHills

Senior Member
Just to remind everyone / anyone interested, The Scottish Nature Photography Awards is still open until November 2012. All details are available HERE

Open to photographers worldwide.
 

fotojack

Senior Member
A lot of these so called "contests" charge a fee to enter. Not my idea of a contest. These places want your pictures for free! Think about that for a moment.
Also, a lot of these contests are for U.S citizens only.....not world wide. That limits the entrants, doesn't it!

Just be careful when entering anything that seems too good to be true, or uses slick language to get you to submit your photos. These companies make thousands of dollars on YOUR work...and you win what...a $100? A new camera or lens? Really?
 

Photowyzard

Senior Member
Just to add to what Jack said, READ THE FINE PRINT. National Geographic is the worst for taking your image rights. When you submit, you literally give them your photograph for life... you get a credit line. If the copyright issue isn't clear, or if they say they can take your photo and use it forever, DON'T ENTER. If it just a copyright grab.

To answer your question, NO, I don't enter ANY. Once I read the fine print, I shy away from most.
 

ideacipher

Senior Member
Are there any contests that offer prizes that do not grab copyrights? Also just posting your pictures on some sites could give up all rights. The fine print is a fickle mistress and sometimes there is so much legal speak it's hard to say where it's safe to post anything you want to retain rights to.
 

Photowyzard

Senior Member
I am not aware of any off the top of my head. You have to READ THE FINE PRINT on any contest you come across first before willy-nilly giving/sending them your image. Best I can tell you, I don't enter contests as a rule as 98% of the ones I have seen are all the same, a copyright grab.

National Geographic, believe it or not, is one of the worst for grabbing your images! You would never know it unless you read the fine print!
 

martenfisher

New member
Very poor standards if you ask me. unless you want to give your stuff away for credit I could see this being ok but for them to hope you don't read the fine print so they can have free rights is just cold. I would have not have read the fine print had I read these post.
 

Tami Jo

Senior Member
Wow I certainly wouldnt have thought they would do that either. Guess you really need to read the fine print. I hope the new one offered by Nikon isnt like that!

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2
 

PCN

New member
If you are going to read terms and conditions, its important to understand that copyright policies and usage right policies are two different things and should not be confused as being the same.

You can enter the vast majority of photo contests out there and still retain your copyright, but you do have to read the small print as some competitions do have unfair usage rights, where they can, if they so wish, use your photo for what ever they like for as long as they like, but each contest will have there own determining factors as to whether you should enter or not, even with what could be seen as unfair usage rights.

For example, if you win a $25,000 prize, I would think it very fair to let the contest organiser use the image, after all, if you was to sell your photo exclusively to them, how much would you get?, this is a choice for each individual photographer to determine the value of their work as it has been since the inception of the photographic industry.

But remember when entering a contest, you are entering in to a contract, so read the small print and pay particular attention to the copyright and usage right policies.
 
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Photowyzard

Senior Member
If you are going to read terms and conditions, its important to understand that copyright policies and usage right policies are two different things and should not be confused as being the same.

You can enter the vast majority of photo contests out there and still retain your copyright, but you do have to read the small print as some competitions do have unfair usage rights, where they can, if they so wish, use your photo for what ever they like for as long as they like, but each contest will have there own determining factors as to whether you should enter or not, even with what could be seen as unfair usage rights.

For example, if you win a $25,000 prize, I would think it very fair to let the contest organiser use the image, after all, if you was to sell your photo exclusively to them, how much would you get?, this is a choice for each individual photographer to determine the value of their work as it has been since the inception of the photographic industry.

But remember when entering a contest, you are entering in to a contract, so read the small print and pay particular attention to the copyright and usage right policies.

Please do not take offence to my language. It is my style of writing on occasion.

I have to say... RUBBISH.

Your chances of winning, say, $25,000 or even a mouse pad are SLIM TO NON. And, you are going to submit, most likely, your BEST PIC.

So, you are giving away your best work for nothing at all.

No thanks.

READ THE FINE PRINT. Any photo contest that USES YOUR PICTURES and asserts their right to do so for ever and for nothing (no remuneration to you) to suit their purpose should be avoided at ALL COSTS.

PERIOD!

You will get ZERO exposure, trust me. There is NOTHING IN THIS FOR YOU. DON'T GIVE AWAY YOUR WORK!

and, I see this is your first post. Welcome.
 

PCN

New member
Thank you for the welcome, it's much appreciated, and I don't mind people being blunt as long as they can take it in return.

You may as a photographer wish to give away all your rights to a photo even if you only win $100, that is the photographers choice and shouldn't be decided by a forum post, your view, or my view, it's up to the individual to value their work.

As for winning contests, people do, and that's a fact, but obviously we can't all win each contest as there would be no point in having a contest if that was the case.

You can not put all contests in to the same category and say the entrant will get zero exposure and there is nothing in it for them, unless you have the proof that all contests offer nothing to the entrant.

The only point I was trying to make in my original post was that the individual would first need to read the terms of the contest to evaluate if it is beneficial to them.
 

stmv

Senior Member
there are also a growing crop of Photo Gallery places that essentially hold theme contests in which people pay say 10 dollars to enter,, and yes, the photos are judged and fairly hard to get selected due to the sheer volume, and well world wide entries.

There is a local for profit gallery in town that I have entered/selected, and it is amazing, the photographs he receives from all around the world.

After a couple of times, the novelty wears off, and well, its mostly ego. I asked his sales lady how many photos the store has sold,, well, zero.. the whole model is this contest for cash entry model. The more entries into the contest, the more money the store makes.
 

harleridr

Senior Member
Hi
I am looking for contests in which only the photographers skill is involved, not how well he can use photoshop or any other program
 

RON_RIP

Senior Member
Hi
I am looking for contests in which only the photographers skill is involved, not how well he can use photoshop or any other program
I am a little confused here. Are you shooting in raw or jpeg? All raw images need some post processing and jpegs are being processed for you by that little Japanese fellow hiding inside of your D7000. Quite frankly, I do not trust him and prefer to process my way. Just sayin
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Hi
I am looking for contests in which only the photographers skill is involved, not how well he can use photoshop or any other program

Psssttt...gonna let you in on a little secret:

Image editing has always been part of the photographer's skill, even in the days of film.
 
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