Posted by Eric Peterson on November 27, 2007 at 4:02 PM
Does anyone know of a centralized location that lists various "reputable" photo contests? It seems I always find out about contests just after the submission deadline and most of the time I never realized the organization, business, etc... even had a contest.
Posted by Lon Overacker on November 27, 2007 at 4:41 PM
Eric,
I don't know of any such resource, but I would caution you to read the very fine print for any contest you're considering. Many, many contests are simply marketing methods by companies to get images for free. And not only that, you may also give up your rights to the images you submit - even if you don't win anything.
I recently heard that flickr.com has the rights to any photos you post there as well...is there any truth to this?
Posted by Dan Borzynski on November 27, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Kyle, Flickr I believe is owned, or run, or something like that, by Yahoo. Buried in the user agreement is this:
"CONTENT SUBMITTED OR MADE AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION ON THE SERVICE
Yahoo! does not claim ownership of Content you submit or make available for inclusion on the Service. However, with respect to Content you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Service, you grant Yahoo! the following worldwide, royalty-free and non-exclusive license(s), as applicable:
With respect to Content you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of Yahoo! Groups, the license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purposes of providing and promoting the specific Yahoo! Group to which such Content was submitted or made available. This license exists only for as long as you elect to continue to include such Content on the Service and will terminate at the time you remove or Yahoo! removes such Content from the Service.
With respect to photos, graphics, audio or video you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Service other than Yahoo! Groups, the license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted or made available. This license exists only for as long as you elect to continue to include such Content on the Service and will terminate at the time you remove or Yahoo! removes such Content from the Service."
In short, I believe this says that while you own the copyright to images posted, they can use it to promote the forum on which it was posted, for as long as it remains there.
Someone asked me about this recently, so it was pretty easy to relocate.
Eric, I don't of any specific resource for your question. Popular Photography, Shutterbug and a few of the British publications will list contests, but it is up to you to read the rules.
I don't know of a contest list that is published, but a couple good ones to look at are the Banff Mountain Film festival, Capture the Wild, and The annual Photo District News contest. Maybe we can all recommend a favorite contest that protects photographer's rights and use this post as a reference for those contests.
I have a list of approx. 20 contests worldwide with (relatively) fair rules. (after all, they ALL (ab-)use your images in some way and make business with it, gotta face that!)
But if I name the contests, some of you are not aware of, you might enter and my chances of winning anything are getting even smaller...
Georg
Good question Eric! Thanks for posting and thanks to all responders for their fair warning and for the resources.
I would like to add Art Wolfe's Environmental Photography Invitational, EPI, which is a great competition held annually and is open to all photographers in the US. Google Art Wolfe or the contest name for details.
Posted by Eric Peterson on November 28, 2007 at 9:53 PM
Thanks everyone. I think it's very good for all of us to be able to have access to these contests. If more people get involved then the quality will no doubt improve and hopefully it will inspire other organizations to have them as well as inspire more people to enter. Thanks again!
Discussion
10 repliesI don't know of any such resource, but I would caution you to read the very fine print for any contest you're considering. Many, many contests are simply marketing methods by companies to get images for free. And not only that, you may also give up your rights to the images you submit - even if you don't win anything.
Lon
"CONTENT SUBMITTED OR MADE AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION ON THE SERVICE
Yahoo! does not claim ownership of Content you submit or make available for inclusion on the Service. However, with respect to Content you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Service, you grant Yahoo! the following worldwide, royalty-free and non-exclusive license(s), as applicable:
With respect to Content you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of Yahoo! Groups, the license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purposes of providing and promoting the specific Yahoo! Group to which such Content was submitted or made available. This license exists only for as long as you elect to continue to include such Content on the Service and will terminate at the time you remove or Yahoo! removes such Content from the Service.
With respect to photos, graphics, audio or video you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Service other than Yahoo! Groups, the license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted or made available. This license exists only for as long as you elect to continue to include such Content on the Service and will terminate at the time you remove or Yahoo! removes such Content from the Service."
In short, I believe this says that while you own the copyright to images posted, they can use it to promote the forum on which it was posted, for as long as it remains there.
Someone asked me about this recently, so it was pretty easy to relocate.
Eric, I don't of any specific resource for your question. Popular Photography, Shutterbug and a few of the British publications will list contests, but it is up to you to read the rules.
-Mike
But if I name the contests, some of you are not aware of, you might enter and my chances of winning anything are getting even smaller...
Georg
This site covers all forms of art. They list competitions and a direct link to the source as well as other info.
http://www.photocompete.com/
http://proofpositive.com/contests/photocontests.php
http://www.spenational.org/opportunities/submissions.html
And like already mentioned, read all the small prints before entering.
Hope this helps a bit.
Wim
The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO also has competitions on a regular basis.
I would like to add Art Wolfe's Environmental Photography Invitational, EPI, which is a great competition held annually and is open to all photographers in the US. Google Art Wolfe or the contest name for details.