Good surprise today

[tubaman2010]

Hey there,
It's been a while since I've posted...I've been really really busy lately with school and all. Anyways...I got home today and found a letter in the mail telling me that I got into the final round of a photo contest I entered. I totally forgot that I entered into it. I entered my picture of Union Station at Sunset...I posted it on here a while ago and everyone seemed to like it so I went ahead and decided to enter it. I also am going to be published in a photography book that the contest people publish...I'm so excited. Only 16 and I'm gettting a picture in a book...I was so shocked. I entered at www.picture.com and it looks like there are a lot of people who win stuff...but I don't care. I'm just so happy about being selected. I'm not trying to brag or nothing...I'm just and so excited about it, lol. Ok I guess I just wanted to thank everyone on here that commented on the photo and has given me great encouragment and comments. Thank you all. I love this site.
Sincerely,
The Guy with a Tuba

[Clicker]

WOW, congratulations! I share in your excitement, and think its really cool that you have taken an interest and pursued it to have a great outcome ! ( i'm sure you aren't done yet....)

Photo on !

[Lara]

Congratuations tubaman! I'm not surprised your photo received recognition. It's beautiful.

Hooray!

It deserves another look.

[Charles Hess]

It IS an excellent image, so congratulations to you. Your excitement is genuine and well-deserved ... but please be careful about online contests telling you that you are going to be published in a book. Soon you may get word about just how much money you are going to have to pay to get a copy of this book. Please keep us posted, as there are others here at PR who may have had similar experiences and could offer advice at each step of the process. Again, congrats on a super photo.

[tubaman2010]

Thanks all. Well it did say that the book is going to be like $70.00, but it doesn't cost anything to get my picture in the book...I just have to fill out a peice of paper that says I took the image myself and didn't steal it. Thanks for the heads up though Charles. If what I said about the book sounds a little fishy please let me know. I really don't want to be taken in and used. Thanks again everyone.

[opus]

Charles, you are a really great guy, you know that?

Tubaman, you're so excited that I hate to be at all negative, but at the same time you say you don't want to be taken in and used, so why don't you look at this link to check out and see if your contest is legit. This link is designed for poetry contests, but I think the same info would fit for a photography contest that might not be looking out for your best interests. So if you're so inclined, check out this list of "13 Warning Signs of a Bad Poetry Contest" and compare your contest to it. If your contest doesn't display these warning signs, then you can be pretty confident that it's legit. But if it does fit the warning signs, then you can be MAD! Because your image is very good and deserves to get more credit than it would in a bad contest.

Here's the link: http://www.winningwriters.com/warningsigns.htm

[Lara]

I found this in a forum...
http://www.acecam.com/cameras/20.html

>>hi, i was searchin for the book, "spirits in the night" i too, submitted a photo to international library of photography, they said i was to be published. and i can not find the book for sale anywhere but on their site, they said, they were going to be on book shelves at all book stores, is that a hoax? or what, i was readin some of the messages here. and couldn't really decipher if you guys agreed they were real or not. or trustworthy or not. please give me some info on this. thanks

think the opinion is pretty clear regarding the international library of photography, also known as picture.com - it's a vanity press which makes money selling books to amateur photographers who want to see their photo published. They use a perpetual photo contest and everyone who submits a photo is a finalist - and then the pitch comes to get your photo published in one of their books. Is it a scam? No, probably not because they deliver the books. Can you find your book in any bookstore. NO, because bookstores do not stock books published by vanity presses. Because the ILP books have ISBN numbers (anyone can get an ISBN number) a bookstore might be able to order the book from them - then again they might not be able to order the book. Are the marketing tactics transparent and totally above board? Not even close, in my opinion. My advice is NOT to enter the perpetual contest, and NOT to order the book.

Thank Charles and Kelly for alerting you! But don't let it discourage you from your craft. That photo is fantastic.

[shesells]

Your photo is georgous! I personally feel they should pay you to use your photo in their book! That picture.com seems like a total scam to me also. If you check it out and find it really is just write and tell them you do NOT give them permission to use it and will consult your lawyer if need be. Trust me, that picture would place very high in a legitimate contest. Even though I have never entered a contest, this thread has opened my eyes to the dangers. It infuriates me when I hear tubamans excitement and then think he may be a victim. Grrrrrrr! Something told you to come here and tell your story, so don't let it discourage you if it is a scam. It may be better that you learn this stuff early then you won't be used in the future. It does NOT mean that you're not really good. A 16 year old that can take a shot like this... now that is amazing!
~ Kit

[tubaman2010]

Thanks for everything. I've decided not to let them use my photo in the book. Thanks for letting me know about everything. It would be a lie to tell you I'm not a little dissapointed due to my earlier excitement. I take pictures for pure joy and this will not shinder me in anyway. Thanks again.

[ACArmstrong]

Hey - don't be disappointed. Your photo obviously deserves to be in a book. If you keep snappin' photos like that - you'll be published in magazines, books and whatever - and instead of you payin' them - they'll be payin' you (and you'll get your copy free).

Keep your chin up, and keep firin' away!

[Lara]

It's perfectly understandable to feel disappointed, but what is important is you have talent AND integrity. I, for one, am glad this incident will not discourage you. It's a lesson learned by a lot of us! Obviously, I had no knowledge of it until this thread. You can count on the members here to guide you in the right direction.

[opus]

and tubaman, I had done more research on the contest than what I posted, and hoped you would too. Because, from what I read, it might help you through your disappointment to see what other people said. I mean, as "scams" go this isn't the worst, as you DO get a book with your picture in it. If you'd be willing to pay 70 for that and it makes you happy, then go for it. But one comment that someone made, was that the contest made them feel filled with doubt about their own talent. That was the part that made me sad. I don't want that to happen to you. Keep shooting, keep reading, keep learning! You're young so you're in a great position to step into a career in photography if that's what you desire.

About those contests, here's another link to an article that discusses signs of a "good" contest: http://tinyurl.com/47vht

[Mig]

Hey tubaman,

It's perfectly natural to be disappointed and I'm glad to see that you're not going to let this hinder you. My niece submitted a poem to poetry.com which is their sister site a few years ago. She did indeed get a book, but like you noted it was $70. I didn't find out until after she had gotten the book and she showed it to me. It was very hard for me to have to explain to her what it was, because like you she was very excited, but I felt she deserved to know.

Your photo is great and you have every right to be proud of it - the best advice is your own - keep shooting!

Danielle