Did I break the company photo contest?

lambertpix · Oct 1, 2014

astroNikon said:
lambertpix said:

... their winning photos in exchange for ... a year of free pizza.

Click to expand...

Can you please point me in the direction of contests that offer a year of free pizza.
Thanks

My bad. It was $500.

Dominos Launches Pizza Beauty Contest

astroNikon · Oct 1, 2014

lambertpix said:
My bad. It was $500.

Dominos Launches Pizza Beauty Contest

quote from link ..... Most companies employ professional food artists who use artificial techniques to make products look better than they do in real life. - See more at: Dominos Launches Pizza Beauty Contest

say it ain't so ....

SCraig · Oct 1, 2014

I think I've taken photographs that got used for marketing purposes at every company I've worked at for the past 30 years or so. If they get some benefit from using them then it helps the company which, in turn, helps me.

vintagesnaps · Oct 1, 2014

I don't know if you should ask about it now or give it some time for them to sort out what they're going to do.

You have the copyright of photos you take and they should license usage of photos. There should be a contract that states a specific purpose, amount of time it will be used, compensation, etc. - unless taking photos is part of your job duties (which I think gets into work for hire). Of course it's up to you since it's your employer if you want to allow them to use your photo without any further compensation.

Try ASMP for info. on contracts, licensing photos, etc. American Society of Media Photographers

Once you've given someone your photo I think it's out of your hands what they do with it unless you get something in writing. If you enter contests read all Terms & Conditions because many contests seem to be just photo rights 'grabs' (getting user submitted photos they can sell as stock photos etc. to make money).

480sparky · Oct 1, 2014

I just avoid contests altogether. This is one reason why.

The_Traveler · Oct 1, 2014

You could always follow up with another email like:

It looks like I inadvertently caused some concerns about the photo contest and that was certainly not my intent. I like this company and want to support it in any way - and that includes the use of my photos. I just wanted to be certain that I actually retain ownership of the copyright and can use the photos in my own portfolio.
If you do want to restart the contest, a statement like "By submitting your pictures to this contest, the photographer maintains the ownership of the picture(s) but agrees that, without compensation or notice, the company can use the picture for in-house decorations and display and in proposals prepared by this company for a period of five years" would satisfy me entirely.

pgriz · Oct 1, 2014

Lew, excellent suggestion!

astroNikon · Oct 1, 2014

And remember to not hand your camera to the monkeys in the back room ... :1398:

waday · Oct 1, 2014

The_Traveler said:
You could always follow up with another email like:

It looks like I inadvertently caused some concerns about the photo contest and that was certainly not my intent. I like this company and want to support it in any way - and that includes the use of my photos. I just wanted to be certain that I actually retain ownership of the copyright and can use the photos in my own portfolio.
If you do want to restart the contest, a statement like "By submitting your pictures to this contest, the photographer maintains the ownership of the picture(s) but agrees that, without compensation or notice, the company can use the picture for in-house decorations and display and in proposals prepared by this company for a period of five years" would satisfy me entirely.

This is a great suggestion! Thank you! I will try this.

The_Traveler · Oct 1, 2014

There are two effects of a note like this.
One, you might get the contest started and two, you will establish that you are a thoughtful person who cares about his own efforts but who has the company's interest in mind and is willing to contribute to its success.

Borad · Oct 1, 2014

"the winners would be hung on the walls...the photos could very well be used for proposals (which I read to mean commercial purposes)."

Then that's the contract. They don't get more than that. But what exactly that is I'm not sure. I guess there would be no profit sharing and you can do what you want the the photos as long as the company maintains the right to use the photos for proposals. I doubt a lawyer would be comfortable with such an undetailed contract, but I think it's binding, whatever a judge would say it means.

mishele · Oct 1, 2014

The_Traveler said:
There are two effects of a note like this.
One, you might get the contest started and two, you will establish that you are a thoughtful person who cares about his own efforts but who has the company's interest in mind and is willing to contribute to its success.

You're a wise man.

pgriz · Oct 1, 2014

Personally, if I had a winning photo, I'd be upset at being hung on a wall. But that's me.

lambertpix · Oct 1, 2014

pgriz said:
Personally, if I had a winning photo, I'd be upset at being hung on a wall. But that's me.

The grammar contest isn't until next month.

sm4him · Oct 1, 2014

If this were some little mom-and-pop local business, with 8 employees, then yeah, I'd say you pooped on their partay.

But this sounds like a BIG company; a HUGE company overall, but even for just your office, it's BIG. If they put something like this out there without even considering something like copyright, then I'd say they deserved to have it crumble around them with your one little question: Who gets the copyright?

Hey, at least you didn't wait until after you'd entered and won, and then they slap your winning image on something that makes them a mint and you come along for your share, because the contest never mentioned giving away copyright.

This is easily fixed, if they really WANT to run the contest. All they gotta do is actually have some written rules about how it works. I don't really think that's too much to ask.