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What you think about paying to be part of an award
The Fine Art Photography Awards charges about 20 dollars to be part of their competition (https://fineartphotoawards.com/). What you think about that? Sep 08 17 09:00 am Link I'm not sure there are ANY photo competitions that are free to enter. Some comps are good, some suck ass. You have to look at who their judges are, if they really come through on their awards in years past, if they reach the audience you have an interest in, etc. Sep 08 17 09:19 am Link Know Idea wrote: Got it. Sep 08 17 10:11 am Link It's pretty important to do some due diligence on how much of your IP rights you're giving up by entering, too. Sep 09 17 12:19 pm Link According to what I read if you win you get a down loadable badge. Do you feel its worth it? Sep 09 17 01:24 pm Link Tony Lawrence wrote: Plus you can claim that you're "an award winning photographer". Perfect for a GWC! Sep 09 17 01:55 pm Link Just about all shows/competitions charge entry fees If its a competition I have heard of before I think it could be worth winning For example winning the IPA award and picking up statue in Lincoln Center Carnegie Hall would be worth the fee Sep 09 17 02:09 pm Link I'm reminded of this classic thread: https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/139318/1 synopsis: A photographer was bragging about winning a photography award from an organization that gives a photography award to anyone and everyone that responds. The company then tries to sell trophies to the gullible photographers to commemorate the win. The photographer was defending the practice while getting barbecued by photographers that know better. Sep 10 17 10:10 am Link Managing Light wrote: Thank you for remind me that. Tony Lawrence wrote: It says about a prize woth 5000 dollar about, and if I am not wrong some exhibition I don't know where. Instinct Images wrote: You are saying that join photography competition is not worth, or is a thing for GWC??? Sep 10 17 10:47 am Link Marcio Faustino wrote: Managing Light wrote: Thank you for remind me that. Tony Lawrence wrote: It says about a prize woth 5000 dollar about, and if I am not wrong some exhibition I don't know where. ITS NOT NECESSARY Sep 10 17 11:24 am Link I enjoy entering local competitions. It's great for bragging and bonding. I rarely win anything. Most are weekend warriors and many are quite talented. I also get to meet some people with knowledge of new techniques and new equipment. I don't know any competitions that are too expensive. Many of these competitions can also give critiques to help you get better. Sep 10 17 08:26 pm Link I've entered a lot of photo contests and shows for free. Hell, I've entered a lot of photo contests and shows - I aim for two a month. I've never once, EVER entered a single contest or juried show for free that was A) not put on by a magazine or website (and thus didn't try to steal IP rights) , and B) had any sort of serious cred, such as a noteworthy or accomplished juror panel. The closest I've ever come have been some "contests" where the "winners" have their prints purchased by the organization holding the event. I don't know if you want to call that a "contest", but you can put it on your CV ("Held in X collection") , and it didn't cost anything. $30-$40 seems like a pretty standard cost. If it's too much more, I ask questions. If it's less ... well, that's a month where I apply for an extra show. Sep 12 17 06:05 pm Link I’ve never really understood the deal with awards. I read about one bloke, who did seminars for Canon, who had so many awards that it must have been virtually one a month throughout his career. I must admit I had to Google him because I’d never heard of him. I won a British Press Award once but that was the only one. One as in singular. I didn’t enter it myself. I’ve never entered any. And, apart from now, have never mentioned the one I did get (other than to my wife). I can’t lie. I’d love to have won more awards. If they were proper and not just made up marketing stunts. I have a good friend who’s been shooting for about two years and she has already won several awards. Probably more than I’ll ever get. My career path just never seemed to go in that sort of direction. Sep 13 17 05:24 am Link it's a great gig for the contests organizers 1000 entries at 20 bucks per? beats working Sep 13 17 11:46 am Link I only have being on contests we do for fun such as photography forums in the internet, where you only win posts of people saying "congratulations". I friend of mine whi just started with photography won a contest and had her work exhibited in a gallery in London. And other contest she was published in a magazine with her photo on the cover. A part from that it doesn't seem she is making money selling prints or being hired, or being recognized among the industry. This is why I have being think if theses awards where they say you get published and exhibited is worth any €20. But I would try for free with no question, just for the fun. Sep 13 17 12:54 pm Link On the plus side, it is at least a form of recognition, even if you have to pay for it and remember the old show business maxim, "there's no such thing as bad press". On the other hand, if the award mills are the only places where you achieve recognition it'x likely to turn around and bite you if you do get a chance at some significant recognition. And we should keep in mind that real estate costs, whether it's in the pages of a magazine, wall space in a commercial gallery or just to keep the lights on for a local photography alliance. We have to ask ourselves if paying an occasional entrance fee is any more demeaning than sweltering through an August day at the local "Fine Art and Gardening Festival", hoping you can sell more artwork than you end up buying from the other exhibitors. All IMHO as always, of course. Sep 13 17 02:26 pm Link Paying an entry fee is very common in the arts world. Very few awards are given from organizations or publishing companies that don't require paid entries. Photographers, Artists, Writers, Sculptors, Poets, etc, enter paid competitions to benefit from the exposure by prestigious publishers. Sep 13 17 03:00 pm Link Managing Light wrote: Exactly. Sep 13 17 04:55 pm Link |