Competitions & keeping the print

arigram · Mar 28, 2006

I was going to enter a local competition sponsored by the city but then I read in the details that they retain the winning photos for "non commercial" uses. I backed down. There is no cash prize or anything just a bit of fame but that could be importand for a new photographer like me. I just don't want to give away my photos, especially if they are going to be used for god-knows-what. Atleast they say non commercial and could be all innocent like displaying the photo on the local arts center, but that also limits a lot the photos I wouldn't mind being disposed like that. I mean, if you have some photos that you consider winners why would you want to give them away like that?

This is a yearly arts competition that includes many disciplines from literature to instrument making. And its the only city sponsored one, so its kinda importand here.

What do you think? Should I still do it by trying to find a photo or two that would hurt me less to give away or should I hold on to my work?

wfe · Mar 28, 2006

Ari,
I would suggest that you select a photo that you are willing to give away and enter the competition. The exposure could be beneficial.

Jerzy · Mar 28, 2006

Hi,
I would go for it. In most cases retaining photos by a competition body is to cut costs associated with packing, mailing and so on, sometimes just to have "proof of activity" to get government help. You can consider expense of one print as a support for people or city that makes effort to help artists getting exposure. I do not see anything wrong with this. I know one organization in Poland that helds annual juried competition for children art, they get more than 30,000 entries from all over the world each year. Could you imagine expense and amount of work associated with sending all this work back.
Jerzy Pawlowski

arigram · Mar 28, 2006

I will probably give them a couple prints. What the hell, I need the exposure.
As for shipping costs and returns, the competition is open only to Cretans so its not that
hard to return the work, considering that they won't have to deal with many entries. I will hand them the prints by hand.

blansky · Mar 28, 2006

Ari, don't fix the print properly. That way it will quickly deteriorate and they'll be left with a blank print.

or not.

Seriously, I'd bite the bullet and enter for the exposure.

MIchael

arigram · Mar 28, 2006

That's not a bad idea Michael! Someone should invent a toner that bleaches out your print after a certain amount of time has passed. Like a very slow acting sepia bleacher.
That would embarass many museum curators, gallery owners and collectors! The revenge of the rebellious photographer...

colrehogan · Mar 28, 2006

arigram said:
Someone should invent a toner that bleaches out your print after a certain amount of time has passed.
That would embarass many museum curators, gallery owners and collectors! The revenge of the rebellious photographer...

I thought they already did and it was called inkjet ink.

arigram · Mar 28, 2006

colrehogan said:
I thought they already did and it was called inkjet ink.

touche!

rbarker · Mar 28, 2006

colrehogan said:
I thought they already did and it was called inkjet ink.

Good one, Diane.

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 28, 2006

colrehogan said:
I thought they already did and it was called inkjet ink.

There's the analog equivalent of that... improperly fixed RC paper. That will silver out in a spectacularly ugly fashion, especially if you mount it on high-acid corrugated cardboard backing

WarEaglemtn · Apr 5, 2006

Don't enter and don't send them garbage either. If you can't in good conscience enter a proper print then don't do one at all. Instead write to the Mayor or town council and inform them of why you won't enter and why many others won't. It is a way to get free photos and it is their way of telling you they put no value on your photography, talent and skills.
Have you ever noticed they don't have contests asking contractors to build them free buildings for a prize?

firecracker · Apr 5, 2006

http://www.fujifilm.co.jp/fpsn/youkou.html

This above is an annual photo contest by Fuji in Japan. It's supposedly open for anyone aged under 35 with any nationality, but the information is only in Japanese, as far as I know.

The basic rule is to submit 10-30 prints with a theme from your portfollio and show the contest juries that you'll be able to do an exhibit if you win.

The top prize is a little less than 3,000 USD and 100 rolls of Fuji Chrome.

If you're interested, let me know and I'll translate it for you. Or I'll double- check with Fuji if they have something for non-Japanese speakers to to take a look at first.

arigram · Apr 25, 2006

As a little follow up to the story, I got my photos at the exhibition they are going to have in the summer (all eight of them) but I didn't get any awards. I would care less for the latter as I have mentioned the judges couldn't tell a good photograph even if it carried a hammer and hit them in the head with it but I am happy people will get to see my photos. I haven't seen the winning ones but in BW Open Category the first two are titled "The Walk" and "Wild Geese" and in the portrait section something with tears and stuff like that so I wouldn't be surprised to laugh my ass off when I get to finally see them.

roteague · Apr 25, 2006

You have to be really careful of photo contests. I recently got an email about one, co-sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines and the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. I considered entering, until I read the fine print - there were to retain rights to use the image as they please, in perpetuity, not revocable. Needless to say, I'm not giving those kind of rights on the off chance of winning a round trip to Los Angeles.

rbarker · Apr 25, 2006

roteague said:
. . . I considered entering, until I read the fine print - there were to retain rights to use the image as they please, in perpetuity, not revocable.

This seems to be the latest ploy in getting commercial-quality images without actually having to pay commercial rates for them.

You should start your own contest, inviting airlines to submit their on-time arrival records, and include wording in the fine print that the winner will also get to give you, your family, and your friends free air travel for life. Send it to the CEO, along with a copy of their aggregious contest rules with the nasty sections highlighted.

reggie · Apr 25, 2006

I entered a contest a long time ago at a local university. They offered 'purchase awards'. You got money for placing, but they kept the print for their collection. I won a small purchase award and I liked the idea of having my print as part of the University's collection.

-R

p krentz · May 4, 2006

TheFlyingCamera said:
There's the analog equivalent of that... improperly fixed RC paper. That will silver out in a spectacularly ugly fashion, especially if you mount it on high-acid corrugated cardboard backing

Boy, you guys are vicious. Sickum!! Pat

Competitions & keeping the print

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