In terms of image quality, I have seen very high standards from amateurs and some very low standards from professionals.

thanks for your reply to my comments. I draw your attention to the relevant terms and conditions of the competition:

Entrants will retain copyright for their photos. However, by submitting a photo to the competition entrants are granting a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence for their entries to be edited, published, reproduced and used by Fight for Sight and Park Plaza London hotels for any purpose, free of charge. They are also agreeing to their name, geographic location, photo and photo description being published in the My View of London online gallery and, if shortlisted, to be exhibited as part of the My View of London photo exhibition at the Park Plaza Victoria London. All prints of photos so exhibited will remain the property of Fight for Sight and Park Plaza London hotels.

If you’re involved in this competition, your response isn’t an honest one. if you’d like to see terms and conditions of competitions that don’t steal other peoples’ creative rights – check out the Wildlife Photographer of the year competition the next time it’s on. Your current terms allow you and the hoteliers to use the images for any purpose. Are you telling me that the hoteliers will pass by opportunities to use these images for their own commercial and/or marketting purposes?

The point of my objection is that competitions like these have a direct affect on the trade of photography as they harvest decent images from enthusiasts for no cost.

If the competition was genuine with regards to its aims re the images – it would have stated that the images would only be used in conjunction with advertising the competition next year and that entrants would be compensated for any commercial usage.

The fact that the competition is open to amateurs only is irrelevant. It still has a direct knock on effect on the livliehoods of photographers that are trying to earn an honest day’s pay.

Competitions like these generate huge collections of images that form image banks for the companies involved. They need to be stopped. I have no problem with amateurs getting income from these competitions…but I have a huge problem with those that exploit the rights of creative people.

If this competition is genuine, it needs to alter its Terms and Conditions.

Wolf

We ask for the rights so we can display the shortlisted entrants at the end of the competition and have the option to use some of the entries to help promote the competition again next year – we will of course credit all the photographers. If you were to ask last year’s entrants they would say we did not misuse the rights and there were no issues.

This is an amateur competition and unfortunately not open to professionals and so won’t affect freelance income

Entrants will retain copyright for their photos. However, by submitting a photo to the competition entrants are granting a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence for their entries to be edited, published, reproduced and used by Fight for Sight and Park Plaza London hotels for any purpose, free of charge. They are also agreeing to their name, geographic location, photo and photo description being published in the My View of London online gallery and, if shortlisted, to be exhibited as part of the My View of London photo exhibition at the Park Plaza Victoria London. All prints of photos so exhibited will remain the property of Fight for Sight and Park Plaza London hotels.

In plain english – this means that you’re giving them your images for nothing so that they don’t have to pay photographers for thier work.

Support freelance photographers … DO NOT take part in competitions like this and never give your images away for free. Always read the small print. These styles of competitions collate free images and build up image banks. Think smart – say ‘No!’

Wolf