Betterphoto - No Prize for 2nd place anymore..

07/03/2010 12:23:22 PM · #1

I contacted Betterphoto today because my membership expiration was "wrong" given the fact that I've won second place at Betterphoto four times this year, and my membership expiration was still 2012. As you may know, they "used" to give a years membership as the prize for 2nd.

And they just responded and told me they stopped giving prizes two years ago!

"We have not been giving a prize to our 2nd place winners for almost two years now. Only first place and grand prize winners receive a prize in the photography contest. Our first place prize is now a $25 B&H gift card and our Grand Prize is a web site."

It's still prestigious to win at Betterphoto, but I don't think I'd pay for membership in order to enter. So unfortunately, when my expiration rolls around, it will be an end of "an era" for me. I've been entering since 2005. (It used to be free to enter too, but then they made it member only).

I know there are a lot of members here that enter. Did anyone else notice that?

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/03/2010 12:47:13 PM · #2

Yeah, I know. It's like $50.00 a year now for the basic membership. My site has expired there. I don't mind paying for sites, and supporting them, but overall Betterphoto wasn't giving me much in return, except a lot of advertisements. And it seems that the commenting was mainly groupy. Oh well :)

njsabs

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/03/2010 01:31:29 PM · #3

I agree...I don't submit much over there anymore. The feedback has been very poor. I really don't like all the changes they have made over the last two years. I have been lucky with a few first and second place wins, so my membership expires in 2023. Will be interesting to see if the site still exists in the next decade. Use to be one of my favorite sites to visit, but now the navigation to find anything is quite difficult.

07/03/2010 01:37:18 PM · #4

Originally posted by njsabs:

They must have fired their marketing guy. The contest was good marketing for them, and if anyone winning put their press release in their local papers, they got better publicity in it than the photographer. Which is why I never did...the releases seemed to be more about them than me.

I suspect as the membership dies down from the freebies, they'll want to revisit the value of that.

SandyP

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 USM

07/03/2010 01:55:40 PM · #5

I let my membership expire too. I started getting the feeling they had juuuuuust a touch too much "marketing", and not enough photography. I always thought it curious that I could go the longest time without getting a sniff of recognition from them, even from photos that won awards on other sites. But then, as my membership was set to be renewed, lo and behold, I couldn't submit anything that didn't get an Editor's Pick or a win. I started hearing similar stories from other people too. Plus, when I saw some of the stuff getting passed over and some of the stuff that was winning (like even a few of mine), they lost credibility to me as a true photography site.

And I have won first place before and never received any kind of a prize. I didn't even know they gave out prizes.

07/03/2010 02:06:52 PM · #6

Originally posted by SandyP:

You never got a free basic site for winning? That's how I had my site there. I think I also got a couple camera bags or something. But my pages disappeared when I didn't buy a basic membership. Oh well. As I said, I don't mind paying and supporting sites, but I got to get something in return, and BetterPhoto was not doing that.

07/03/2010 02:11:29 PM · #7

Yes, I won my favorite camera bag for winning first place, a Tamrac Velocity Sling 6. Perfect for just the SLR and an extra lens, and it fits so snugly beside you while wearing one, it's like not having a pack at all (though you still look dorky because of the strap across your chest--well, maybe that's just me).

And the second place WAS nice for recognition and getting another free year. Emphasis on WAS.

I seem to recall the "Basic" site used to be a "Premium site". So Ursula, your site is completely gone? Nada? All your pics, and favorite counts gone? If so, not nice.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

07/03/2010 02:15:03 PM · #8

Originally posted by nshapiro:

Neil, I don't think it is "gone". It is "deactivated" and not visible. They tell me I need to pay up for it to show. I can't do anything with it. It really doesn't bother me though. I just find it sort of annoying.

That Sling 6, yes that's the bag. I got one black one and one blue one. It works better for guys than for girls! :) (But I use it over the shoulder, it's a great little walking around bag!).

love

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

07/03/2010 02:29:11 PM · #9

Wow this is all news to me!! I started with BetterPhoto years ago and won quite a few 2nd places on my images but I think my freebies are up next year. I use the site as a general gallery to show my work but won't be renewing if I have to pay for it. I've noticed in the last year or so they have been pushing the classes and premium sites so maybe money is an issue? It was a good contest site to get my feet wet, but I've moved on and up to better sites (like DPC lol).

banmorn

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

07/03/2010 02:33:41 PM · #10

My freebies expire in ~~2032~~2035. I'm not sure I'll last that long...we'll see.

Message edited by author 2010-07-03 21:38:38.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

07/03/2010 02:42:31 PM · #11

Originally posted by banmorn:

My freebies expire in 2032. I'm not sure I'll last that long...we'll see.

Ok, as a check on what they told me, when was the last time you remember getting credit for a second place win (a free year).

Also, did we get a year for first place?

Photo of the day?

I wasn't counting those, and I want to check my expiration date against my wins (taking into account when they stopped giving it).

love

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

07/03/2010 02:43:22 PM · #12

Originally posted by banmorn:

My freebies expire in 2032. I'm not sure I'll last that long...we'll see.

2032??? God, I'll probably be dead by then!

banmorn

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

07/03/2010 02:51:54 PM · #13

Originally posted by nshapiro:

Originally posted by banmorn:
My freebies expire in 2032. I'm not sure I'll last that long...we'll see.

Ok, as a check on what they told me, when was the last time you remember getting credit for a second place win (a free year).

I think about 3 years ago....they revamped the site around then I had to go to the Site Map to find some of the things I used to check it....like top 100 most wins and top 100 most finalists.

Also, did we get a year for first place?

No...just the prize.

Photo of the day?

No...just the additional recognition plaque on the image.

I wasn't counting those, and I want to check my expiration date against my wins (taking into account when they stopped giving it).

Message edited by author 2010-07-03 14:53:11.

KarenNfld

07/03/2010 03:07:05 PM · #14

Yes, I noticed that a while ago. My membership ran out in February and I did not pay to join up.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

07/03/2010 03:37:15 PM · #15

Originally posted by banmorn:

Originally posted by nshapiro:

Originally posted by banmorn:
My freebies expire in 2032. I'm not sure I'll last that long...we'll see.

Ok, as a check on what they told me, when was the last time you remember getting credit for a second place win (a free year).

I think about 3 years ago....they revamped the site around then I had to go to the Site Map to find some of the things I used to check it....like top 100 most wins and top 100 most finalists.

Also, did we get a year for first place?

No...just the prize.

Photo of the day?

No...just the additional recognition plaque on the image.

I wasn't counting those, and I want to check my expiration date against my wins (taking into account when they stopped giving it).

So, you guys still have a free site there? It is not deactivated? I thought I had quite a few years accumulated also, but mine is deactivated, and I can't even see it privately.

SandyP

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 USM

07/03/2010 09:30:26 PM · #16

No. I won lots of 2nd places and I may have gotten a free year early on, but I never got anything for my first place win, and I know if I had gotten a free year for every time I won 2nd place, I would still be a member, but it expired, so I said, "Bye-bye". The commenting on BetterPhoto makes me crazy. The saaaaaaame people comment on every photo and say almost the same thing. If I saw, "Great tones and clarity" one more time, I was going to scream.

njsabs

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/03/2010 09:38:59 PM · #17

That is weird. My second place wins did accumulate over time. The site is still free, I have never paid for anything, and my site is still activated. I wonder if it is because I did take a class from Betterphoto in 2006. I have a feeling that is the difference. My account is set to expire in 2023. In addition I have also receive the camera bag, and I just won a first place this last month.....will be interesting to see if I get the B&H gift card.

They seem to be catering to the crowd that wants/does take classes from them. To bad, it used to be a much better site, and the thrill to win always felt good.

Message edited by author 2010-07-04 02:18:02.

ErinKirsten

Nikon Z9

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED

07/03/2010 11:22:47 PM · #18

Originally posted by njsabs:

That is weird. My second place wins did accumlate over time. The site is still free, I have never paid for anything, and my site is still activated. I wonder if it is because I did take a class from Betterphoto in 2006. I have a feeling that is the difference. My account is set to expire in 2023. In additon I have also recieve the camera bag, and I just one a first place this last month.....will be interesting to see if I get the B&H gift card.

They seem to be catering to the crowd that wants/does take classes from them. To bad, it used to be a much better site, and the thrill to win always felt good.

Hey Jennifer, I just got my B&H card for first place on Friday in the mail. So, I bet yours it on it's way. I'll give you mine for your birthday and you can give me yours :-) LOL Too bad it'll cost a lot more to spend it than the actual $25. Geez!!

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

07/04/2010 12:00:20 AM · #19

I let my stuff lapse over there long ago. At first I thought they wanted to make everyone pay for a membership to enter the contests in order to reduce the number of entries that had to be judged...but now I'm wondering if it is a cash flow issue. I still get the e-mails and I notice that Jim is often "extending the sale price for a few more days" or adding something extra in to boost class registration counts.

Whatever the reason, it's too bad because it used to be a fun site but now it's just all about the classes and how much money they can suck out of you.

ETA - what was strange was that just before my membership was set to expire...all of a sudden old stuff was getting Editors Picks and they hadn't even been entered into anything recent for a contest. Very strange!

Message edited by author 2010-07-04 00:01:36.