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View Full Version : Taylor Guitars - Rights Grab "competition"

blackshadow
12th of May 2010 (Wed), 16:25
From memory one of the people who used to post in the PA section used to do some work for Taylor Guitars (was it taygull?).

Taylor Guitars are holding a photography "competition". I use the words competition advisedly as it looks more like an exercise for them to gather a library of images for commercial use without paying for them.

The competition link is here (http://www.taylorguitars.com/photocontest/Contest.aspx?details=1)

The real concern is this clause in the terms and conditions.

BY ENTERING THIS CONTEST AND UPLOADING YOUR SUBMISSION, YOU IRREVOCABLY GRANT TO SPONSOR AND ITS AGENTS THE UNCONDITIONAL AND PERPETUAL RIGHT TO POST, DISPLAY, PUBLISH, USE, ADAPT, EDIT AND/OR MODIFY SUCH SUBMISSION IN ANY WAY, IN ANY AND ALL MEDIA, FOR ANY PURPOSE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, AND WITHOUT CONSIDERATION TO YOU. FINALISTS AGREE TO IRREVOCABLY ASSIGN AND TRANSFER TO THE SPONSOR ANY AND ALL RIGHTS, TITLE AND INTEREST IN SUBMISSION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL COPYRIGHTS AND WAIVE ALL MORAL RIGHTS IN SUBMISSION. ALL CONTEST ENTRANTS FURTHER AGREE TO RELEASE AND INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS THAT ANY COMMERCIAL, ADVERTISING, PRESENTATION, WEB CONTENT OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL SUBSEQUENTLY PRODUCED, PRESENTED, AND/OR PREPARED BY OR ON BEHALF OF SPONSOR INFRINGES ON THE RIGHTS OF ENTRANT’S WORK AS CONTAINED IN ANY SUBMISSION.

It looks like the comp closed 11 May but if any of you have any dealings with Taylor I urge you to contact them and let them know just how wrong "competitions" like this are.
snyderman
12th of May 2010 (Wed), 18:58
The usual. All they need are pics of any female country singer/artist. They ALL seem to play Taylor guitars.

dave
blackshadow
12th of May 2010 (Wed), 21:19
The usual. All they need are pics of any female country singer/artist. They ALL seem to play Taylor guitars.

dave

I have some fantastic shots of a particular female country/singer playing a Taylor guitar (Taylor Swift) but there is no way they get them unless they pay for them.
René Damkot
14th of May 2010 (Fri), 05:30
Sad to see another rights grab and people falling for it...

Skimmed the submissions, and I didn't see any 'great' images, but still a few more or less okay-ish live PA shots.

Thought about filling in a contact form (http://www.taylorguitars.com/contact/support/), but thought better of it.
So for now, I'm hoping they're going to use an image of a famous guitar player and get their cheap ass sued over it. :mrgreen:
skifurthur
14th of May 2010 (Fri), 18:18
Doubtful that they would get sued by an artist since their contract with Taylor usually includes the use of their image in exchange for free instruments.

I agree that it's becoming a sad state of affairs with this sort of thing.
JessicaHughes
1st of June 2010 (Tue), 20:41
I would do it for credit...but I'm desperate..and I have a lovely Taylor. Thanks for the link. :)
constrict
4th of June 2010 (Fri), 10:17
I would do it for credit...but I'm desperate..and I have a lovely Taylor. Thanks for the link. :)

Just for credit is damn near worthless. :rolleyes:
blackshadow
6th of June 2010 (Sun), 09:03
Why would you give a company photos to use for marketing for a credit? They want to use it to make money - the image maker should be paid.
Karl Johnston
7th of June 2010 (Mon), 04:55
Cant really blame them the company for it, its just them cutting costs where they can.
ethics or not it wont do any good, they probably know that they otherwise would have to pay if they didnt hold a contest like that with rights like those.

sometimes the trade off is worth it for the prize, to some, but for those images that arent worth it- just dont submit them to the contest.

maybe spare a few that you know wont make any money otherwise.
jbimages
7th of June 2010 (Mon), 08:03
Try googling for the first 32 words of the T&C. I got back 1070 results using that language for a competition.
blackshadow
7th of June 2010 (Mon), 16:45
Cant really blame them the company for it, its just them cutting costs where they can.
ethics or not it wont do any good, they probably know that they otherwise would have to pay if they didnt hold a contest like that with rights like those.

sometimes the trade off is worth it for the prize, to some, but for those images that arent worth it- just dont submit them to the contest.

maybe spare a few that you know wont make any money otherwise.

What a load of crap.

It's the attitude of companies like that and stupid people agreeing to those terms that has massively devalued photography.

As for the it won't do any good - I know of many "photo competitions" that have had their terms and conditions changed when photographers and their representative bodies have taken the companies/organisers to task over it.