An attendee from GenCon, where I set up a last-minute booth to sell my photos, suggested that I check out Worth 1000, a daily photography contest website. They also have daily contests for 3D rendering (for some reason labeled “Photoshop”), Illustration, graphic design, and writing.

Unfortunately, the site doesn’t allow image merging or collaging, so it doesn’t have a strong appeal to me right now. While the advanced photo contests allow for a wide range of image manipulation skills, and their copyright usage rules seem reasonable, the entries I’ve seen for the non-photo contests seem fairly slipshod. Many of the photos are very impressive, but are almost wholly tabletop photography, given the nature of the contests. Still, for those who need that extra push to practice their art-making skills.

Certainly, I’m now thinking about buying some cheap tabletop lighting equipment suggested to me by Daniel Aubry and taking a crack at these, just for the sake of motivation and tabletop work.

In addition to having a booth in the art show at Dragon Con this year, I will also be teaching two classes:

Saturday, 7:00pm
“Photographic Truth, Myth of”

Not “How To Photoshop,” but Why to do so. This workshop begins with a method to critique images, then uses this to explore common photographic cliches. Using principles of color theory and composition, we will seek alternatives to these overused methods.

Monday, 11:30am
(Unnamed) Photography Panel

Details forthcoming, this will be a round table discussion on the nature and definition of photography in the modern age.

I’ll be exhibiting my photography at DragonCon this year, in the Art Gallery and with unlimited 8x10s for sale in the print shop. I’m still on the waiting list for a table in the bazaar.

Additionally, I’m talking to their Art Track Programming Directors about offering a class on Art Theory, Art History, and their application to Fantasy/Sci-Fi art. I’ve also been put on the list for potential presenters to join a series of roundtables they are coordinating!

If you are thinking of entering a Competition but concerned that your rights might be infringed by doing so, these peole will take a look for you FREE if you use the form that you’ll find at Pro Imaging – International support for professional image creators – Competitions.

As many of you are hopefully aware, intellectual property rights have been under fierce assault for a while now. In many cases, these rights are being stripped unwittingly, by organizations who are only seeking to protect themselves as best they can. In doing so, they rob creative professionals of a means to make a livelihood.

How important is intellectual property rights? Well, let me put it to you this way: They’re part of the US Constitution. Not the Bill of Rights, but the original document itself. In other words, the Founding Fathers thought that owning what you made was more important than Freedom of Speech.

That is why it pleases me that organizations like Pro Imaging are already leading the charge on the issues I wish I had more time to contribute to. They’ll review photo contest submission rules, and contact the organizers if they feel their terms and conditions are unfair to the photographers the organizations are trying to promote. Many contests are, apparently, now coming to Pro Imaging for guidance on their own.

The entry fee requires membership, which seems a little steep to me, but I thought it worth passing along.

Call For Entries – The Center for Fine Art Photography

The exhibition is open to domestic and international students working with digital or traditional photography or combinations of both. Submitters must be currently enrolled as full-time or part time students in a high school, college or independent school program. Submitters do NOT have to be enrolled in a photography program.

Awards
All exhibitions provide opportunities for artists to present their work to an international audience of collectors, curators, art consultants and others who appreciate the fine art of photography.

* Selected images will be on exhibit at The Center for Fine Art Photography’s gallery
from June 1 – 9, 2007
* Juror’s Selection award: Canon Rebel XT digital camera and lens + Special Recognition in Artists’ ShowCase, the Center’s feature section in CameraArts magazine.
* Director’s Selection award: $100 and recognition in Artists’ ShowCase.
* Several images, in addition to the Juror and Director’s awards will be selected for inclusion in the Center’s publication, Artists’ ShowCase.
* All exhibitors are included in the Center’s online gallery.
* Inclusion in the Center’s 2007 Exhibition Collection CD