I'm making no assumptions - what I know is that you havent read the competition entry terms and conditions.
And a small but relevant reminder of what you said:
No, photo competitions aren't all bad - I've never said that - but I do know what are and what aren't, and because I check a huge number every year (because people send them to me and ask), I know what competitions are based on a photo entries and what aren't. So I will repeat what I said earlier - I don't believe a word of what you said (again with the offer I gave before which you have failed to take up)
And I'll just repeat that I simply do not believe that you have entered 10 competitions with just 10 images, and won 4 prizes. When you say that your giving away the rights to a "a couple of comps was a reference rather then an exact number"; (- hello ? what does that mean in your language then ? that's hilarious if it wasn't so misleading
) I am then absolutely convinced that this is the biggest pile of misleading rubbish that I've read for some time.
Am I sounding harsh - yes because a) I don't appreciate being thought of an idiot, and b) I think others should be more motivated to please read the terms and conditions of ANY COMPETITION, as opposed to your fascinating theory that you don't care about your photography and don't care that some competitions insist that you cant even use it in your own portfolio in the future; that's if it is based on a photograph being entered, which is what you said in your first piece (that's the only assumption I'm making here - because this is a photography forum and its because that's what the OPs topic was all about), then there is without question going to be a term that covers the intellectual property, and c) if I wanted to read some adult fiction I would go to a writers forum. Quite simply, again I don't believe a word of what you call "in defence of competitions", and I find it a great shame that people feel that to prove a point that they can offer something so completely misleading.
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Apart from my inability to defy common sense and believe your original claim, you persist in arguing about something that you simply have no idea about.
Aimed at amateurs - so does that really matter who its aimed for - take of your blinkers for a moment! So does that mean because you absolutely zero - and I mean zero about what you're opening yourself up to, that I should take advantage of you, and offer you (and this is what it is ), a business practice that in the business world would be held up in State and Federal Laws as unconscionable conduct ?
While you persist with your "well I dont care attitude", be aware that when a fourth or fifth party who uses one of those images that you "dont care" about of say Uncle Bob with his niece walking down the beach that you entered into the Queensland Family of the Year Photo Comp, gets used in the next Paedophilia Awareness Campaign, dont come running to me asking for help, because I'll be pointing to that term where you can be held liable - here is one I quote earlier (very common BTW):
Your Uncle Bob might be a tad naffed off, and the family ties might unravel ver quickly, and when the legal sharks with the NO WIN NO FEE get hold of you, then you might like to open your mind to what I'm telling you, instead of offering fiction.
And to continue so where do you gain your information from that only 5-10% of images entered into competitions are used - lucky guess again ? I don't think so. Sadly those in the know, those who bother to understand this know that a VAST number of images are used and passed on, and SOLD - yes SOLD - its a commodity. I cant believe you can be so naive about this I'm afraid. There is one thing that I patiently explain to people to be aware, and to be careful, that what they're dealing with and giving away for free is a COMMODITY. And peoples images are used, sold on, and traded.
Fortunately one particular gov has I believe just axed their substantial image bank that has been solely filled from images that have been entered into government departments photo competitions - 100% filled with images from those competitions. Sorry Mission Man - but you have no understanding of how prolific this is.
One competition about 15 years ago made me motivated. The competition was substantial - "world class" - and images were sought from both Amateurs and Pros - with prizes for the top sections of both - the books, the greetings cards, the images for sale, produce a multi million dollar profit for that company - they had a number of incredibly popular books that just sold and sold - and to this day I"m still seeing some of mine, and my colleagues and friends work being sold on and turning up on greetings cards, brochures etc. Fortunately that business went into receivership, and those individuals lost their business.
Would anyone like to guess what the receiver found to be the most valuable commodity left in the financial ruins of that disgraceful company ? Yep, the images !!
And Mission Man; we also clearly have different interpretations what the meaning of competition is - competition does not , or should not include a way of getting people to give you something for free - (if you can find me any similar analogy I would welcome it) - it means the act of competing where a winner or winners are chosen from those who have entered; or the act of competing.
Nope I looked really carefully, and I cant find anything that describes it as a way of gathering intellectual property for free, and in some cases persuade the entrants to also pay to have the right to have their intellectual property taken from them and then to be held legally liable for infinity (again don't think I'm joking, I'm quoting one of the terms of liability from a photo competition I reviewed this week).
What you're also failing to understand when you talk about Terms and Conditions and that no one reads them - well actually I do; but the main reason is that few read them, is that they are in general protected by state and federal law on the issue of unfair business - or its covered under unconscionable conduct - the sad part is that Photo Competitions are in a state of a legal loop hole, and while I have no doubts that I could personally rip apart the contract by any of these competition organisers, the reality is that there is no legal protection, and that the gov don't want to offer legal protection as they are some of the worst offenders in this case.
Having said all of that, its a huge bonus when competition organisers accept my suggestions and offers of assistance, and that they then produce photographically based competitions that are fair to both themselves and the entrants. FYI I work closely with Nikon, Canon, Epson, Fuji, NSW State Gov, Brisbane City Council, Tourism Australia and many other companies and organisations.