Photo contests

[n8]

mjs1973's post about winning a photo contest got me realizing that these are good opportunities to get my amateur work out and noticed, so I googled what was around my area. I found that a local camera shop was holding one currently, and then saw that there was a pretty hefty fee attached to submissions: $35 for the first, $25 for the second, and $10 for every shot after. That's got me thinking no dice on that one. Do most contests require payment for submissions? Seems to be a good way to turn people off. Also, and I'd imagine this to be a yes, is it recommended practice to include a signature/watermark on submissions?

[jetrim]

Most charge something, but those numbers seem high compared to what many of the bigger contests charge (usually $10-25 for the first, from what I've seen)

[n8]

I suppose it's a good way to weed out non contenders...and to pay for the prizes.

[mjs1973]

It's pretty common for contests to charge an entry fee. Like you said, it helps weed out the non contenders and helps pay for the prizes. It can also help to pay for the judges time. The contest I entered normally charges $20 to enter, but this year they waved the fee in celebration of the magazines 50th anniversary.

Before entering a contest be sure to read the fine print. Many contest you find online have language in the fine print that basically says they have the right to do whatever they want with the submitted photos.

There are also contests out there where they will offer to print your photo in a book, which you can then buy a copy of. I would avoid these as well.

The bottom line is, read the fine print before you send your photos off to a contest.

[WesternGuy]

I would like to second what mjs1973 has said. Our City's Department of Parks and Recreation currently has a contest centred around pictures of the City parks and divided into various categories - activities, wildlife, nature, etc., but when you read the fine print, you find that if you enter an image, for which they want $10.00 each for up to 3 images, you are also basically giving them the right, in perpetuity, to do anything thay want with the photos you submit whether you win a prize or not and they don't necessarily have to give you credit. This is definitely one I will not be entering any time soon.

So as mjs1973 has said "read the fine print before you send your photos off to a contest". At least so you understand what you are or are not giving away.

Regards,

WesternGuy