do you find entering photographic competitions useful?

[Jill H]

Hi everyone, just wondering do you enter photographic competitions, and do you find them useful to enter? I also have "read" that for some competitions you actually sign away your "rights" to the copyright for that photo. Do you know anything about this?

Thanks everyone. I look forward to your thoughts.

[PowerPix]

I won a Kodak P&S from one. It was completely free to do, but of course they sent a refurbed camera. I gave the camera to my sister and it actually works perfectly. I'd be careful as to which ones you do and read through their terms at least more than once.

[candleman]

i enter often... but i never enter those where they take copyright.
they should say something like "photographr retains copyright"

personally won a few.. some nice prizes too.

the best part is seeing your pic printed full page in a nation wide magazine




yes its "useful".... it helps you to try put your best in..

[AndCity]

I haven't entered any national competitions - only the local club competitions where a judge comes round and offers criticism/praise of your image which you can either take notice of or completely ignore.

[Jim Bryant]

Most of the competitions want you to pay to enter and are also rights grabbers. So read the fine print.

[jdepould]

I enter the big ones (CPOY/POYi, World Press, etc.), but for the most part they aren't worth the time.

[douglas]

I don't think I can answer your question as to the usefulness of competitions. One thing I have found is that you often have to search the web site to find "conditions" and the rules concerning copyright, are often in with lots of other stuff, so it's easy to miss.,and sometimes hard to understand...or at least for me!!

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by jdepould

I enter the big ones (CPOY/POYi, World Press, etc.), but for the most part they aren't worth the time.

How so true! I'll be working at the POYi this year

[RustySterling]

The only things I enter are generally through a photo shop that is nearby and county fairs. The photo shop has juried competitions with a panel that I know and respect, so it is fair and the comments are worthwhile. As for county fairs, they don't have you sign your rights away and I've found the few I enter to be fair (no pun intended). While there isn't much in the way of feedback, I get a lot out of what does well and what doesn't, particularly when comparing shots from other photographers in the exhibit.

Beyond that, I'm not too into contests these days.

[Jim Bryant]

Here's one of my first threads about photographic competitions when I joined DPS. Are Photo competitions important?