My picture is going to be published!

drdan · Apr 27, 2004

Well, kinda, maybe. I submitted a photo to some online "contest". It's the one of the yucca pod at the bottom of this thread. http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5738

I just received something in the mail with an "artists proof" saying "The International Library of Photography" was going to publish my picture in their high end coffee table book. It included a "proof" of the picture about 1 1/2 inches wide on low quality postcard paper that I had to sign and send back. They even generously offered to sell me one of the upcoming books for 69.95 which is $20 off (because I'm special). If I want an artists profile included it's $25 more (book buyers only).

I am assuming this is either a semi scam with a low quality book or a full out scam and the book tragically will never actually be printed (due to circumstances beyond their control no doubt). They don't even request a higher resolution copy than the small online version I submitted to that contest.

Anyone know anything about this?

markc · Apr 27, 2004

If they aren't paying you, run far, far away.

link 1
link 2

You might want to check up on the rules you agreed to when you submitted the image. You may have lost the copyright to it. I hope not. These kind of people suck.

Big Mike · Apr 27, 2004

I had the same offer...they publish a few thousand small pictures and try to sucker the artists into buying their coffee table book for $80...or some such nonsense.

They make it seem like yours is the best photo and could win a lot of prizes...I'm betting that everyone gets the same sales pitch.

No offence to your photo, I'm sure it's pretty good...but don't fall for this one.

jack · Apr 27, 2004

hey drdan !

well done for getting this far anyway.
its a sickner when theres always some catch lol

so... its kind of a directory that you pay to have a listing in?

if its poor quality paper stock then thats a shame. and as you say,
if it doesnt get made...... :0(

BUT if it DOES get made, and it is ok stock - $80 to be 'published'
maybe is worth more than is immediately apparent.

the jury's out lol

ksmattfish · Apr 27, 2004

Big Mike said:
I had the same offer...they publish a few thousand small pictures and try to sucker the artists into buying their coffee table book for $80...or some such nonsense.

They make it seem like yours is the best photo and could win a lot of prizes...I'm betting that everyone gets the same sales pitch.

No offence to your photo, I'm sure it's pretty good...but don't fall for this one.

They do the same thing for aspiring poets, painters, writers, etc...

They make their money getting you to buy the book and attend the "awards convention".

metroshane · Apr 27, 2004

Yes, I got suckered by Poetry.com many years ago. At least 4 yrs ago...and I still get offers to buy the upcoming book where my poem will be published again.

It's a vanity press and doesn't count for doodoo.

danalec99 · Apr 27, 2004

drdan said:
They even generously offered to sell me one of the upcoming books for 69.95 which is $20 off (because I'm special).

ksmattfish · Apr 27, 2004

One of my photos is in one of these fancy coffee table books. It sounds like you did the same deal. They advertised big cash prizes and the photographer retains all copyrights. As soon as I started getting the awards convention and coffee table book mail I knew that it was one of these deals. I let them put my pic in their book, but I'm not buying one. I got a bunch of letters talking about how my photo was in the final running for the super, grand prize along with the book/trip offers, but I'm still waiting on that big cash prize. :wink:

steve817 · Apr 28, 2004

ksmattfish said:
One of my photos is in one of these fancy coffee table books. It sounds like you did the same deal. They advertised big cash prizes and the photographer retains all copyrights. As soon as I started getting the awards convention and coffee table book mail I knew that it was one of these deals. I let them put my pic in their book, but I'm not buying one. I got a bunch of letters talking about how my photo was in the final running for the super, grand prize along with the book/trip offers, but I'm still waiting on that big cash prize.

Same here. It wans't even a good picture that I sent in.

Steve

joseph · Apr 28, 2004

This is an old scam, but actually it is selling "ego." Who's Who started it years ago, we all received our student or professional bios for "proofing" and then the "privilege" of buying the Who's Who book for a discount. I thought it was a brilliant marketing scheme for selling egos to people who had none.

ksmattfish · Apr 28, 2004

steve817 said:
ksmattfish said:

One of my photos is in one of these fancy coffee table books. It sounds like you did the same deal. They advertised big cash prizes and the photographer retains all copyrights. As soon as I started getting the awards convention and coffee table book mail I knew that it was one of these deals. I let them put my pic in their book, but I'm not buying one. I got a bunch of letters talking about how my photo was in the final running for the super, grand prize along with the book/trip offers, but I'm still waiting on that big cash prize.

Click to expand...

Same here. It wans't even a good picture that I sent in.

Steve

Now that I think about it, the only copy of my photo they have is the 74 dpi file I sent them. No way is it going to reflect the quality of an actual print. It was shot on 4x5.