Comments on: Canada Dry rights grab http://www.warrentoda.com/toronto-photographer/2009/canada-dry-rights-grab/ The business side of photography Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:26:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Scott http://www.warrentoda.com/toronto-photographer/2009/canada-dry-rights-grab/#comment-6 Scott Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:05:06 +0000 http://www.warrentoda.com/toronto-photographer/?p=934#comment-6 I like to call out companies that put on these sorts of "contests". The most common excuses are "people like it", "it's good expsosure" and "there's a chance of winning prizes, how can you say there isn't proper compenstation?" I think the best ever I've received was from a liquor company that has the word "Iceberg" in their name, asking people to submit their best iceberg images. Their VP of marketing told me they often have children asking them for images of icebergs to use for school projects, and why should they let a little thing like photographers' rights get in the way of helping kids get an A+ on their fourth-grade project. (Why kids would think to ask a liquor company for help on their school project is beyond me.) The underlying truth to almost all these I've come to realize is that they just get their lawyer to write them something is guaranteed not to get them sued. In the end, everyone loses because no photographer worth his/her salt would (should) contribute images to such contests. I like to call out companies that put on these sorts of “contests”. The most common excuses are “people like it”, “it’s good expsosure” and “there’s a chance of winning prizes, how can you say there isn’t proper compenstation?”

I think the best ever I’ve received was from a liquor company that has the word “Iceberg” in their name, asking people to submit their best iceberg images. Their VP of marketing told me they often have children asking them for images of icebergs to use for school projects, and why should they let a little thing like photographers’ rights get in the way of helping kids get an A+ on their fourth-grade project.

(Why kids would think to ask a liquor company for help on their school project is beyond me.)

The underlying truth to almost all these I’ve come to realize is that they just get their lawyer to write them something is guaranteed not to get them sued. In the end, everyone loses because no photographer worth his/her salt would (should) contribute images to such contests.

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