JerryPH
No longer a newbie, moving up!
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2007
- Messages
- 6,111
- Reaction score
- 15
- Location
- Montreal, QC, Canada
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos NOT OK to edit
I was reading in a flickr forum about how there are many new photography forums popping up, and that most of them have competitions. This part is ok, but the part that is not, is that to participate, one has to submit all one's rights to them.
In other words your pictures become THEIR property and if they make money off of them (which is their intention, trust me), they owe you nothing.
Well, I used to enjoy posting in several of them and went to check out one place that was not very big, nor very prominent as a photo forum, but they had a competition. I was curious about the rules and there it was. I was shocked not only that they would be doing this, but that they are OPENLY TELLING you that you are giving them all rights.
Here is a portion of the text... tell me what you think:
"Entrants agree, by virtue of their entry, to provide the (name removed of the site for now) with an unrestricted license to copy, display and otherwise use the image(s) for promotion. Entrants must have model releases, if appropriate, on file for all their images (model releases can be obtained from XYZ.) Entrants agree to submit a copy of the model release on request."
So you don't even need to agree to it. By the mere fact of participating, you stipulate that you agree to give them FULL rights to YOUR property. Heck they even HELP you to give it to them by providing model releases to you for the models to sign so THEY are covered!
Suffice to say, that I will not be participating in any competitions where rights to my property are taken away from me in this rather underhanded manner.
In other words your pictures become THEIR property and if they make money off of them (which is their intention, trust me), they owe you nothing.
Well, I used to enjoy posting in several of them and went to check out one place that was not very big, nor very prominent as a photo forum, but they had a competition. I was curious about the rules and there it was. I was shocked not only that they would be doing this, but that they are OPENLY TELLING you that you are giving them all rights.
Here is a portion of the text... tell me what you think:
"Entrants agree, by virtue of their entry, to provide the (name removed of the site for now) with an unrestricted license to copy, display and otherwise use the image(s) for promotion. Entrants must have model releases, if appropriate, on file for all their images (model releases can be obtained from XYZ.) Entrants agree to submit a copy of the model release on request."
So you don't even need to agree to it. By the mere fact of participating, you stipulate that you agree to give them FULL rights to YOUR property. Heck they even HELP you to give it to them by providing model releases to you for the models to sign so THEY are covered!
Suffice to say, that I will not be participating in any competitions where rights to my property are taken away from me in this rather underhanded manner.