On the copyright issue...
Before I start a war here, let me agree that for some, signing over
copyright would not be acceptable. Some either make money from their images,
or do not believe that it would be right to sign copyright over to someone
else. I certainly respect that and would not attempt to change your mind if
it is set. I saw the copyright transfer rule and started to put this section
in my original post, but thought it would be too much.
In MY individual case:
1. Yeah, I figure it will turn some pros and simi-pros away, but I
don't think that my relatives will become rich when my work is "discovered"
after I'm long gone.
2. I'm too lazy to try to sell my work now.
3. I would hope that the 6 photos I would enter in a contest would not
be my only money-makers in my life anyway.
4. I doubt that Olympus America is in the business of holding photo
contests so they can sell off the entries to a stock photo agency. (What?
The Stockholders are up in arms?!?!?! We need revenue!!! Quick! Hold another
contest and get "Rip-Off Stock Agency" on the phone!)
5. What? They want my talent for free advertising? Yep, it's a shame
that they can't afford professional photographers to fly anywhere in the
world to do their ad work.
My guess is that they:
1. Don't want to bother trying to return all the originals.
2. Don't want to worry about getting sued if they decide that your
print would be perfect for an ad and can't verify it's ownership.
3. Would (or might) give you photo credits. Even if they don't, as an
armature I would be very proud to have my photo judged to be good enough to
represent a camera I have loved for over 20 years. And you can bet that I
would point it out to all my family, friends and to this group. "*I* shot
that photo in the new ad!"
4. They probably use medium or large format cameras for any of their ad
work as it is anyway. (At least the "glamour" shots of the cameras and
lenses) The lion in Africa or exotic model walking on the beach in Tahiti
might (or might not) be an Olympus OM shot. Any pros out there who know the
ratio of 35mm to medium/large format ad work?
5. Unless I misunderstood, prints are usually not accepted for printed
(ads, magazine, etc) work -- original slides are demanded. Believe it is a
color saturation and resolution issue. (Again, any pros in advertising know
differently?)
Since the rules limit each person's entries to two per area for a total of
6, I don't feel too bad about tossing a max of 6 copyrights away. (Who does
their math anyway? They have 4 categories 2x4=6???)
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