Contests

enter for the link, not for the win. most people cheat like they had to. everyone tends to enter things randomly because they think it will make them sell, but they are going at it wrong. many also think that by winning they are fooling the customers - but if the work is junk, they are only fooling themselves. i've mentioned contest issues in the past, but people doubted me of how it would effect the site.

but this site is about selling, not the contests.


---Mike Savad

I'm new here too...30 days today. I don't understand some of the ways the contests run either, mostly the part where ppl will put up something that is not what the contest is about and as you said win or get many votes. I see some people who run a contest take down those subjects that don't apply to the contest, and others that don't. Some say voter solicitation is fine, and I like the ones that you are only allowed to submit one image but can vote for two images or others like that where say you submit three but may vote for as many as you like but only once for each. I think it's all about exposure, just being able to have your work seen. I myself will only vote for those entries that adhere to the contest rules but that's just me LOL. There are groups you can join also where you can upload images and get some exposure. I haven't yet myself. I would say don't give up on the site in such a short time. You can also host your own contest where you can make the rules and if you feel someone is not submitting the proper work you can delete it...and if you say no voter solicitation and you feel that is happening you may deal with that also. Best of luck!

Don't doubt the site, Vicki, but, yes, the contests are doubtable!

Mike is right: FAA is about selling, not the contests. Whatever good intentions might be behind their being a feature on the site, in reality contests are like the crazy wing of a larger, more essential endeavor! Most are tipped by vote solicitation, turning the whole thing into a popularity contest more than any kind of true artistic selection, and yes, you're right: often the entries have nothing whatsoever to do with the theme. There's all sorts of maddening aspects to them, no doubt about that! :)

So… If you choose to enter them, do so only with the goal of potentially gaining a bit more exposure for your art and to the work of others. Forget about winning or logic or fairness or validity or who should really win. None of those apply. I enter them as an opportunity to connect to fellow artists, share my work and maybe gain a bit more attention for what I do. I do vote, as a nod of appreciation to good work that's been submitted, and only for images I truly like and think are deserving. And I refuse to solicit votes from anyone, friends or fellow artists, EVER. I figure regardless of who does or does not vote for me, any vote I do get will be authentic, not offered out of obligation, and any vote I give will be the same.

If you're still inclined, join them with all that in mind. Cause at the end of the day, contests are meaningless but sometimes fun -- and certainly harmless -- ways to interact with fellow artists.

Good luck and enjoy the site!

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I was hoping that entering contests that I would get a little exposure and hopefully feedback on my work. How long did it take for any of you to sell your work? It's not quite been 30 days here for me, so i wasnt expecting a miracle....but geez, when i see someone sell a drawing of a cartoon teddy bear that my grandaughter could draw better, well, it can be a little discouraging.

Thanks again for all your feedback. Good luck!

Hint:
There are millions of good artists trying to sell tens of millions of images on the internet. Good Luck...

Robert,
Yeah, I get that!

Don't ask how long it took someone to make their first sale. I've told the story here before that my first sale came within a week of joining. I thought, "Man, this is going to be easy." LOL It's not easy. But if you let them, the contests will drive you mad. Enter them anyway. Just don't expect them to be fair.

And don't be discouraged by those that remind you how many artists and photogs are here trying to sell their creativity. It only takes one view for one sale.

As I said earlier I have only been here now 31 days so I can't really comment on that question. I would ask that in a new discussion or ask how people promote themselves to get sales. I have seen Mike who answered you first give great advise to people on varying subjects and I'm sure there are other artists with experience here who would love to help and encourage you. As Joseph above said don't be discouraged ect. ect. Best of Luck

Vicki

You said you were hoping to get more exposure in the contests and that is exactly what they are good for.

Don't expect too much of them as members may have different reasons for hosting them, and others game the system as much as they can thinking it is helping them, which it is not.

But for exposure? Yes. You will get more by entering and then, just forget you have

The juried are best if you want to actually win

@anne - there are like a thousands threads about promoting, abbie can you post that list you got...


---Mike Savad

Sure can

Here are some good links to discussions in our forum and elsewhere about marketing your work

http://1stangel.co.uk/downloads/ Dan Turner's 7 Keys To Selling Art Online
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=720538 The Art Of Social-network Marketing Available Online For Free
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=1192902&targetid=1193015#1193015 Evaluating Your Own Work To Sell – By Mike Savad
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=908258 How to critique and edit your own work for better sales
http://1stangel.co.uk/fineartamerica/2011/07/12/tagging-or-keywords-and-descriptions Tagging, or Keywords and Descriptions
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=377664 Marketing Yourself
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=431967 Innovative Marketing for Artists - Challenge!
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=420132 Niche Marketing?
http://1stangel.co.uk/fineartamerica/2011/07/11/how-do-i-launch-a-local-art-show How Do I Launch A Local Art Show??
http://1stangel.co.uk/fineartamerica/2011/06/23/press-releases PRESS RELEASES what are they and how to use them
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=432109 YOUR Print Quality - Please Read
http://www.fineartamerica.com/newsletters/order-fulfillment-partner.html One of the newsletters with some good info on

I enter contests purely to get my stuff seen...never had any expectations it would be anything more than that...even to get it seen might be a stretch when there are 1000 images to plow through. Having said that I came third in one last week with this image. I did no vote soliciting...no nothing, pretty much forgot about it. So I guess it's not always a hopeless case.

Thanks Mike and Abbie....just like Vicki I can use those links also. Newbie

You are welcome Anne

Oh wow, thanks you so much for the responses and the links!

(Had this saved from a while ago, so please excuse the redundancy as I thought it would add to this discussion)

Why do we allow people to vote for their own photos? In most contests, if you go to the 'Leaderboard' you'll see almost all single votes on first day or two. In our election process, a person can cast a vote for themselves, but since thousands of votes make a difference, that one vote doesen't really matter, so to speak. The person and people who run this site are extremely talented programmers and could easily prevent that if enough people asked for it. I've seen this happen on other 'social' sites where people 'up' vote their own photos to gain a higher status..even though their photos tell a much different story.

Also, vote solicitation is something that should be curbed as well. If other FAA members are asked by a friend to vote for their pic, is that a true vote? If you "win" a contest by 'rigging' the votes, does that really make you feel better as if you actually accomplished something great? Or the real question.....does it actually make you a better photographer than most others? Or is it to simply to employ self-aggrandizement for an unearned ego boost?

Other great quotes from this discussion that drive home the point very well:
"many also think that by winning they are fooling the customers - but if the work is junk, they are only fooling themselves"

"But if you let them, the contests will drive you mad. Enter them anyway. Just don't expect them to be fair"

(Re: contest in general) "Don't expect too much of them as members may have different reasons for hosting them, and others game the system as much as they can thinking it is helping them, which it is not"

Ideally, no one should be able to vote for their own pic; allow only ONE vote per contest; only FAA members should be allowed to vote
Thanks!
Tony A.

It wouldn't be possible to stop people from voting for themselves - they'll just go vote off the work computer, or the neighbors, sister's, mother's...
You get the idea.

It is for fun ( not often a "valuable prize" ) & exposure.

When the numbers are high in a contest you HAVE to vote for yourself to get up on that leaderboard to be seen.

Vote solicitation is often encouraged as a way to bring more eyes into the site. It's not fun when a tree gets too many votes in a horse contest , but bringing people in is the name of the game. ( That is up to the contest holder to delete that entry. )

It's a great site, most of us are very happy here.

Janine,
Thanks for your insight! But if you HAD to log in, you could easily be restricted from overvoting if they set it up that way (unless you had access to someone else's password). Of course the downside of this would be from outside (not FAA members) voters. You'd have to have some pretty good friends to go through the login process and finding the contest you were in! It would work the same way when you submit more than the required number of pics in a contest....as an example. You're told that you've exceeded the number allowed.

Yes, it could be fun for some especially if your pic is up thee in the rankings...gives you a nice feeling. Generally, when the numbers are high like double or triple our own, what good would voting for yourself accomplish....a fruitless effort in most cases?

I agree that bringing more eyes in could give you better exposure, although how many members actually purchase each others' work? The general public with access is the real draw for being in these contests. When they come onto the site they like to browse and many do buy!

I too think it's a great site that works perfectly with all the departments, groups and photo work coming and going around it all day long. As I mentioned, Ive been on other sirtes where there are many, many glitches and hangups and they are not so much fubn to use. With FAA, you get where you want to go when you wnat to go there. Uploads are fluid and speedy as are any editing, proicing or marketing changes we make.For what it cost to join, it''s worth much much more as compared to the other sites out there. The people here are great and friendly and it is (without desigh I'm sure) a nice social site too!
Take care & keep in touch!
Tony A.