2011 national geographic photo contest

[BJ Denning]

Just stumbled across the National Geographic Photo contest and wondering if anyone has entered in the past or plans to enter? $10,000 first prize, and most I have talked to are rather proud of photos that they have had published in National Geographic. Looking through their website, and being familiar with some of the posts at CiC, I think CiC participants have a real chance to be published and maybe win.

The entry period begins September 1 and ends November 30, 2011. JPG or JPEG file format. At least 1,600 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,600 pixels tall (if a vertical image). Total file size must be 5 megabytes (MB) or less.

2011 National Geographic contest main page
FAQ
Image Rules

[Donald]

Bryan

A good prize waiting for someone. But for the rest - well that's $15 it will have cost them for the privilege.

[Colin Southern]

Bryan

A good prize waiting for someone. But for the rest - well that's $15 it will have cost them for the privilege.

Call me old and a bit cynical, but to be honest, I see "competitions" like this as merely a commercial venture / income stream / marketing exercise for the hosts, not anything designed to benefit the recipients. A bit like a competition I entered here ... also a $15 entry fee, and it was requirement that all images be framed and mounted.

Oh ... and it was hosted by the biggest framing / mounting shop in the district (Hmmmmm) - AND - the "wonderful prizes" that they gave away were all donated. A true win/win for THEM.

[BJ Denning]

True enough that ~16,000 entrants at $15 US each (~$250,000) more than covers any costs (probably ~$75,000) and nets them a nice income.

However, if you are new (no base or accreditation), then being able to state that you are published in National Geographic is not bad thing (if you win, of course). And, admittedly, that's a big IF.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Colin Southern]

True enough that ~16,000 entrants at $15 US each (~$250,000) more than covers any costs (probably ~$75,000) and nets them a nice income.

However, if you are new (no base or accreditation), then being able to state that you are published in National Geographic is not bad thing (if you win, of course). And, admittedly, that's a big IF.

Thanks for the feedback.

Hi Bryan,

Very true. I see it as a bit like buying a raffle ticket to be honest.

I must admit to "having my eyes opened" in a competition I entered a few years ago. It cost me $60 (total for 4 entries), and around $450 more for the framing. The works I entered were pretty good - and I was pretty confident of getting "somewhere" with at least one of them.

Interestingly ... none of them got a place or even so much as an honourable mention. I wasn't too worried about that ... "best person won" etc ... until I saw the images that DID win (and get honourable mentions); First place was a photo of a begger with her hand out, and called "please" ... it was a good image - very different from my landscape (how does one compare images like that?) - but no problem - certainly a worth winner. Second place was a different story though. Honestly, if I'd captured that image (a photo of a tree - across a paddock - shot through a fence - in the rain - at night) I wouldn't even have bothered keeping it. It had zero commercial potential and about as much artistic value. Third place wasn't much better.

It really hit me at that point that I'd wasted 1/2 a grand because my images never stood a chance. Sore loser? - Perhaps - but I suspect that there are more canvas copies of my images hanging on peoples walls than there were framed fronts of any of the winning entries. It was a defining moment in my life - one that taught me that "commercially succesful" doesn't equate in any way with "award winning". So these days I avoid those kinds of competitions because I know that (for me) it's a waste of time and money -- I'd rather spend my time making money