When entering a photo contest, read the fine print
Before you enter a photography contest, be sure to read the fine print. More and more contests are grabbing sweeping rights to use the images that photographers enter into their competition. I’ve even seen contests where all rights to the entered photographs are transferred to the company running the contest.
Today I was going to enter a contest, until I read this:
USE OF ENTRY: By submitting an entry, entrant grants Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use the entry and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes in Sponsors’ online galleries, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law. In addition, each winner grants to the Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use and distribute the entry [(as submitted, or as cropped by Sponsors)], and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes, in any and all media now or hereafter known, including without limitation in magazine, for purposes of promotion of this Contest and other Sponsors contests and/or for purposes of advertising and promoting Sponsors and, except as otherwise stated herein, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
While I’m no lawyer, to me the last sentence says that the sponsors of the contest can use my photographs for advertising, forever. On top of that, you don’t get paid, or even a credit line.
I have no problem letting the contest sponsors use my photographs to promote the contest, or next years contest, but to promote the sponsors? For me, that goes too far.
As with any contract, be informed before entering, and be sure to protect your work and yourself.
Have Fun,
Jeff
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