Photographers: anyone participated in online photo contests?

[gwendolyn]

Just wondering if there''s anything shady about them. Looked for fine print, didn''t find any, and it''s free to submit, so I take it everything should be ok and that they won''t say they now own my photograph or anything? I don''t have it copyrighted because I''ve never done this before but want to start.

If anyone has any insights, please share. Thanks!

 

[strmrdr]

most of them are scams
They make you give them the resale rights too the photos then they shop them around.
There are a few legit ones around usualy ran by the camera companies but most of them are scams.

 

[strmrdr]

btw the instant you take the photo it is copyrighted too you unless it is work for hire then it is copyrighted too your employer.
All that registering does is allows you too seek higher damages if you sue someone over using them.
http://www.copyright.gov/register/visual.html
For the $45 fee you may register as many images at 800x600 or higher resolution in jpg use jpg quality level 6 giving file sizes of around 200k or so at min.
Since it is time sensitive most people do an export at the largest size that will fit all the images on a cd.
This helps if just part of an image is infringed on.
submit 2 copies of the cd clearly labeled.

 

[VegasAngel]

I have entered photo contests on Snapfish. They are legit.

 

[Pandora II]

FI enters a lot here in the UK - but they are established ones, like the Royal Horticultural Society, BP plc etc

If you buy a copy of the Artists & Writers Yearbook 2008 (available in all UK bookshops and on Amazon) it will give details of almost all the competitions. I use it all the time.

It''s also really helpful on things like copyright - I had some of my textile designs ripped off without payment and their advice helped to resolve it.