Volunteered...

[SwissJon]

My Director has "volunteered" me to run a photographic competition for the charitable foundation our company supports. They run many good works working with children in poverty stricken areas in a number of third world countries. We're looking to draw attention to this, and the problems faced by many children around the world.

I've no idea what I'm doing with competitions like this, I rarely enter them, let alone run them, so I'd like some tips from you if possible. I have a board meeting in two days where they want me to present an initial proposal

So far I have an idea that I would make it a world wide competition, open to everyone. We will advertise the competition in our shops and on line, and I'll advertise it in this forum and a few others.

The entry fee would be $10 for five photos. This is intended to cover the cost of running the competition and prizes. Any further money made would be put directly into the charity. The tight photo limit is designed to prevent people flooding us with photos. This competition is being run by volunteers.

The first prize is going to be a return trip to Malawi from anywhere in the world, where we work with some of the most impoverished children in one of Africas poorest countries. There, you would be accomodated and we would like you to take photos of the children and the work that is happening, to tell the story of how thee childrens lives are being changed. We would expect the photographer to work for a week on the various projects, recording the lives of those that are there.. And for the second week, you would be provided with a driver and taken on safari and to see some of the most beautiful landscapes.. This is in stark contrast to the work being carried out. The photos taken in the two weeks would remain your copyright, but the foundation would be given unlimited access to copy and distribute these photos, retaining the name of the photographer with each photo.

I have no idea about second and third prizes.

The company I work for is Bata Shoes, the foundation is Bata Childrens Foundation.

Any ideas on how to manage this would be great.. We're hoping to get about 2000 entries to cover our costs, after that, as I said, the money goes toward the work being carried out. This is entirely not for profit. Please don't send me ideas like "don't do it" unless you can also tell my boss!

If you are interested in helping me with this project, drop me a PM. Unfortunately, like myself, volunteers will not be allowed to enter the competition.

Hopefully this will raise a bit of interest. As with all multinationals, this will take some time to get going, so don't expect any updates for a while.. I'm not advertising the competition, so Mods, please don't move this thread.. Pretty please.. I'm just looking for some helpful ideas.

[gturner]

Good for you. I grew up with Bata Toughies on my feet and I will happily

Check out this which I mate of mine runs: https://www.bobsforgoodfoundation.org/

The simple concept of a pair of shoes for poor kids is a massive thing.

[mshockley]

Jon it seems as though you have a good start. I love your first place idea! This is an intriguing take on the idea of a prize for your winner and still getting further revenue--in the form of many images--for your charity foundation. Good thinking.

Worldwide is surely the way to go also as it's your best chance to generate some serious money.

I think it's going to come down to how to really pack a powerful promotion of this competition.....

[dvtldav]

Sounds like a great idea and a wonderful Grand Prize. Maybe you could contact some of the photo equipment manufactures or major distributors for donations like camera bags/backpacks, tripods, cameras/lenses, etc. for other prizes.

Dave

[SwissJon]

Thanks Michelle..

Dave.. That's a brilliant idea.. I hadn't thought of that.. Given that we are a shoe company, I think it might also be a good idea to give all of our prize winners a top of the range pair of trekking boots.. You know... We're talking about tough country in Malawi, so putting the shoes on the feet of our photographers is going to be rather welcome!

[mosgood]

What an awesome idea! I especially like the grand prize furthering the cause...very well thought out. Jon, I think you'll do just fine. :-)

Good luck with the meeting!

Interesting. Are you going to have a general theme, or are you expecting 10,000 random photos for the judges to say "Yep, that's my favorite!"

Actually, it's kind of a strange concept. From one point of view its "Yay! Win a photography vacation!"...from another is "You want me to pay to enter a competition where the prize is a trip to do unpaid photography work in a poverty stricken town?"

Personally, I love the thought, and support your cause. However, I would never pay $10 for the 1 in 2,000 chance of doing free photography work.

So lets for the moment assume that you do get entries...who will they be from? Pros? Most likely you'd get lots of photos from amateurs...amateurs with very basic equipment. What happens when you pick a photographer with Canon Rebel and kit lens? No experience in shooting low light (which I'm guessing, most of these homes are) and no telephoto gear for safari. They're going to need 5-10K in gear just to make this trip worth-while.

Again...love the thought, and your heart is in the right place...but you have to think it through.

[SwissJon]

We're planning on a general theme.. Probably something along "Childhood and poverty" and since this is being managed and sponsored by the Shoe firm, we wanted to give special credit for the most creative use of shoes in the picture.

LoL.. I'd agree with your point of view, but then, when else in your life will you be given such an opportunity? I guess the idea is to give someone who is a real photographer the chance to photograph some aspects of life that they'd never have a chance to themselves. The idea of allowing someone to go on safari for the second week is suppose to increase the attraction..

What we're not after is professional photos.. We have access to professional photographers. We can do that.. The reason for wanting to retain rights to the photos is so that we can use them to appeal to the next years competition. Amateur photos will actually enhance the appeal of the foundation.. If you think about it, who wants to give money to a charity that spends its time disconnected from real world.. The foundation is about the children.. We want to highlight that work.. If we have high amateur level photographs then we will end up with something that appeals to the real world.

If you don't want to spend $10 for a 1/2000 chance to have a trip of a lifetime, that's fine, maybe you're not our target audience, we haven't decided who that is yet, but so long as there's enough interest to make it worthwhile, we have to accept that we can't accomodate everyone.. Maybe at some point in the future this will grow, but at the moment we need to make sure we're driving the competition for the right reasons.. We don't want to make money, we want to draw attention to the foundation, and the advertising for the competition will do just that. This is about the kids, not the photographer.

However I take on board your comments.. it's early days, we'll consider all things while we try to put some meat on the bones.. That's exactly why I put this thread up here.

[faeriegodess612]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

Actually, it's kind of a strange concept. From one point of view its "Yay! Win a photography vacation!"...from another is "You want me to pay to enter a competition where the prize is a trip to do unpaid photography work in a poverty stricken town?"

Personally, I love the thought, and support your cause. However, I would never pay $10 for the 1 in 2,000 chance of doing free photography work.

It's not about the money or the credit, it's about the experience and helping to raise money for something bigger than you. Just because you wouldnt pay $10 for the chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity and to simply donate, doesnt mean that others wont.

I like dvtldav's idea of contacting companies and asking for a donation of prizes. Manfrotto, Lowepro, Nikon, Canon, as well as others. You could also maybe contact computer companies. Dell, HP, Gateway, Sony, etc,..for maybe something like a laptop as a prize. Put together a kit of things? Camera, tripod, external flash, and lens? Throw in a pair of your shoes with every prize package. Contact someone like Kelby's company and see about something like a free lesson (or a few free lessons) with him himself and some of his books. Maybe contact Adobe about CS5 as a prize. Anything that could appeal to a photographer would be great prizes. Think of what would you like thats photography related as a prize?

[Ambrosia76]

I think it is a fantastic idea, I would love the opportunity to do it. Heck I would pay $20. My question would be this though, since it will be an international contest and you would have to fly someone in from another country(also that part is a little confusing it sounds like you will give them a ticket to get there and they have to find their own way home), but what I am wondering is will the entrants have to already have a valid passport/visa to enter the contest. I have never actually had one but I have heard others here say it took them 10 mths or more to get one and was rather expensive.