I hardly ever enter photo contests, but for a while now I've been careful to read the rights the contest organizers would claim for the entries. I didn't realize it had gotten this bad. I do wonder why their doing it, however. It doesn't seem to be in the best interest of the companies even to give the impression of ripping people off. And what is there for them to gain? It's hardly difficult or expensive these days to gain access to great images--you can buy a microstock image for just a few dollars and use it almost any way you please. And paying a photographer fairly for some photos doesn't seem like a burdensome expense for a large company. So the issue is disturbing and confusing at the same time.
All too comon these days I'm afraid. There are perhaps two ways to deal with a competition like this:-
You can either ignore it and don't enter.........
OR
We could all inundate them with really, really bad images that should never, ever see the light of day. Shouldn't be too difficult, I'm sure we've all got a few on our hard drives.
I like that idea. It's a bit like sending back the reply-paid envelopes that come with all that junk mail you don't want with nothing in them.
In the UK it's better/more awkward to stuff the envelope with enough rubbish (pizza/curry house adverts are ideal) to push the item into a higher weight bracket so there's a chance that it will attract extra postage. Election times provide even more suitable insets! I'm glad it's not just me in the awkward brigade!
I do wonder why their doing it, however. It doesn't seem to be in the best interest of the companies even to give the impression of ripping people off. And what is there for them to gain?
- Hal -
Very, very few people ever bother to read any of the rules except those detailing how to enter. Those are generally also detailed in an area away from the "rules" thereby "helping" contestants to not read the long listing of rules.
And for the price of a couple of Lowepro bags, that are probably manufactured for pennies on the dollar to the sales price, they "purchase" maybe tens of thousand images. What are the odds that there will be many more outstanding images than there are prizes?
Jeff
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Ian's Tata
Forgive me my nonsense as I also forgive the nonsense of those who think they talk sense.
—Robert Frost
In the US the laws regarding contests vary from state to state and would be in addition to federal law. These laws usually state that contest rules can't be written in a way to circumvent and the state law applies even if the contestant agrees otherwise. They would apply to anyone entering from that state regardless of where the contest was being held. Some contests will go around those laws by stating that residents of those states may not enter.
Before everthing was done electronically contest rules would almost always state that entries become the property of the company owning the contest and couldn't be returned. Is Lowepro's rule any different? With Lowepros extensive explaination they seem to be trying to cover their butt by fully explaining what is meant by the old rules in this era of modern technology. It sounds much more frightening this way. And with technology as it is now the old rules do become much more ominous.
Jeff
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Ian's Tata
Forgive me my nonsense as I also forgive the nonsense of those who think they talk sense.
—Robert Frost
I entered a photograph only once, when I was an amateur many years ago. Got my photo published, which thrilled me to no end. There it was, for millions to see. After that, it wasn't 'mine' anymore, just had my name on it.
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