Do photographers benefit from taking part in photography contests, especially ones that charge a fee for submissions?
Answer by: Raj Lalwani, Photographer
Photographers benefit from photographing. Any giant leap in one’s personal photographic vision is the result of thousands of really small steps, of putting in years and years of effort, and being aware of the years and years of where photography is coming from, in understanding the giants whose shoulders we stand on. Competitions are only a pat on our back, and at a time when there are just so many of them, I would be extremely wary of most of them.
Validation is an important part of the life of any artist. It reminds us why we do what we do. But before seeking this validation, ask yourself why you want to participate in a given competition. Is it organised by an institution that you respect? Does the jury comprise of individuals who you consider to be sensitive aesthetes whose perspective you will value? Do you think the award would help you market your business better? There may be a few good reasons to participate in certain contests, but as long as the shiny little prize at the end of the rabbit hole does not distract you from your larger journey.
Of the several competitions that charge submission fees, there may be some that are credible, but these are few and far between. The pay-to-play condition that dictates the recognition of good work is nothing but a lucrative, but parasitic business model. Effectively, it is a money-making racket that cashes in on people’s social media driven neediness to get recognised. Thousands of photographers send in entries from around the world. And from the hundreds of thousands of dollars generated, the ‘winning’ photographers are rewarded a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. That’s approximately one per cent.
At a time when assignments have diminished, magazines want to publish photos for free, and brands want to ‘collaborate’ and not hire, the kind of money that is earned by these competitions are almost never given back to the medium, is indeed a travesty. Maybe there is a need for photographers to come together, not in shelling out money for mere exposure, but in questioning these unethical systems, and utilising our time, money and headspace in creating more work.
My disenchantment also comes from the very idea of an award, and what we choose to put on a pedestal. Conforming to a norm should not be on a pedestal. Apeing a trend should not be on a pedestal. The recognition of any work as ‘award-winning’ creates a certain ideal. And if this ideal is not representative, nuanced and ethical, it normalises practices that are otherwise quite dangerous. The recent Souvid Datta controversy is a case in point, as are the several ethical problems that have plagued the recent editions of competitions like HIPA and World Press Photo.
At a time when photography has almost become more about being seen rather than seeing, it is important to keep asking ourselves where our validation is coming from… A sensitive photographer, critic or curator? Or from a self-congratulatory bubble? There are thousands of photo contests, with a precious few being credible. Consequently, everyone is some ‘award-winning photographer’. I daresay very few competitions reward individuality. ‘Award-winning’ images tend to look a certain way, and your personal photographic journey cannot be reduced to a popularity contest.
This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of Better Photography.