Fresh when it gets here from
Julie Barrett
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The fine folks who brought us poetry.com now have picture.com. No, I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of links. It seems that all you have to do is submit a picture and you'll find out that you've been selected for the International Photographer's Hall of Fame. Or, you've won a special award. Of course, you have to pay a small fortune to get your award. Your picture may also be included in one of their anthologies, which run around $70.
You've seen me harp on about Yog's Law (Money Flows Toward the Writer). Much the same applies to photography. Never, NEVER pay to get an award or be published in an anthology. Some contests may have an entry fee, but the fee shouldn't be outrageous. If you MUST go to some far-flung convention in order to pick your award, your Spidey Senses should be tingling. (Heck, if you win a legitimate award, they'll mail it to you if you can't make it to the ceremony.)
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that there are plenty of good photography contests out there. I'd also be wrong not to mention that a fair number of photographers self-publish their work. But this is very different than the vanity model. Like any other self-publishing model, you have to know the risks and rewards in advance and be prepared to put a fair amount of money up-front. You must know that you'll be in charge of quality control and marketing and distribution. It can be very rewarding, but it isn't for the faint of heart.
Always investigate any contest before you enter. And if you've just shared a photo somewhere and suddenly discover that you've won an award, be wary. The groups that run legitimate contests won't mind you checking them out throughly. You'll save a lot of grief and, potentially, a lot of money.
Tags: Photography