International Masters of Photography Vol 1

<p>Received an interesting email the other day:</p>

<p><em><br /></em><em>...</em><br /><em>You are therefore pre-selected to submit work for inclusion in International Masters of Photography (Vol 1), a juried annual art photography publication presenting noteworthy photographers from all over the world.</em><br /><em>Please note that this is not a free inclusion.If you are interested you can ask me to send you more information, or you can visit: http://wwab.us/index.php/Photography-Application/ .</em><br /><em>To get an idea of the quality of our publications, you can view our other books at www.wwab.us .</em><br /><em>Best Regards,</em><br /><em>...</em></p>

<p><br />Note the fees. Does anyone have any experience in this kind of thing? Is it potentially a serious, well-renowned type of publication, or a money-making request that will end up with a few books covered in dust in the middle of nowhere? As an exhibiting doco/street photographer, would you get involved?<br>

<br />Have asked for some more info anyway.</p>

<p>I know nothing about them, but if I was curious about something like this, I'd google "International Masters of Photography" and "scam" with the quotes, and dig through what comes up.</p>

<p>I'm always leery of contests, portfolio reviews a etc. that charge (often times exorbitant ) fees. Since you did not approach them CWyatt, I'd avoid this unless they offer you something (with a guarentee of course) you like at a price point you are OK with,</p>

<p>I've received something similar to this in the past although it wasn't "masters"....It was International Photography Awards or some such nonsense. Same thing though, you send them money and they include you in a book with some of your work. You even had to pay for the book. Don't think it 's a scam per sea, just something you're paying for. It's like Flickr sending you an email saying they will include you in their site as a "pro" if you send them $25.......</p>

<blockquote>

<p>a money-making request that will end up with a few books covered in dust in the middle of nowhere</p>

</blockquote>

<p>^^^This.<br>

There are also poetry versions of this, too, that have been around for years. It drove me nuts when the local newspaper would announce that a local person's work had been "chosen" for the book. I think the paper finally wised up. The "juries" of such books will take anything. Inclusion means nothing more than the artist--poet, photographer, whatever--has paid.</p>

<p>In commercial publishing, payment flows to, not from, the author. Otherwise, it is self-publishing (not necessarily a bad thing) or advertising.</p>

<p>Are those people still at it? I thought that scam got closed down years ago. Sure they will put your photo or photos inside a book that no one will ever see and you have to pay for it too. There's a similar poetry site scam too that will publish your poetry in a book that no one will ever see but you.. I got caught up in it too, but investigated it only to realize it was too good to be true. But if you want a book of your photos, its better to just publish one yourself...</p>

<p>CWyatt... If they operate out of Nigeria, then you know it's not a scam... I just received a check for $23.8 million dollars and all I did was give them my social security number, my bank card, my PIN number, and my passport.</p>

<p>for the record, not everything that comes out of Nigeria is a scam. some mighty fine folks there who have risked everything to make sure i was safe on a few occasions.<br>

sort of like 'everyone in Canada doesn't live in an igloo' or 'not all British have terrible teeth' etc. etc.</p>

 

<p>When I was in business I used to get invites every year to be included in the Who's Who in America and Who's Business in America or some such thing. Once in, you get this beautiful book listing all the people who were invited - of course you pay an exorbitant fee for the book to show around or leave in your business's waiting room, appropriately flagged. For a little more money they even give you plaque you can hang up. All ego. You'd be better off buying an inscription for your headstone. At least someone will be able to use it eventually.</p>

<p>I guess this is one step better (less?) than paying to get an astronomical star named after you.</p>