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05/30/2006 05:07:43 PM · #1 |
Hiya,
Anyone have any experience of this site? I recently came accross the "Photography Laureates" website and, as always, thought I'd submit a photo. To my complete amazement I recieved an e-mail back saying I had been shortlisted for their cash prize, and that my photo would be printed in their anthology (which I could buy), web space, certificates etc. Just wondered if it's too good to be true. I can't think of a better way to get money out of people than to pander to their ego!!! The book is $59.00 (US) + $18.00 shipping. I can't help feeling suspicious, or am I being way too cynical? Look forward to hearing your thoughts/experiences, Thanks. |
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05/30/2006 05:09:32 PM · #2 |
| Run away, you're right to be suspicious. Although I've not heard of this 'organization' this scam has gone around in many incarnations for a long long time. |
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05/30/2006 05:10:52 PM · #3 |
It's another in a long line of similar "scams"; everyone is "shortlisted" and they make their money from selling the books at a huge profit. If it's worth $77.00 to you to see your photo in a book, then it's value received. If these people are typical, they actually DO pay out the prize as well. But there are bunches of these running around, in poetry and photography both.
R.
Message edited by author 2006-05-30 17:11:09.
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05/30/2006 05:37:30 PM · #4 |
Hello again,
thanks for your comments, I had a feeling something wasn't quite right about it and your replies have confirmed my suspicions. All the features on the website say they're due to be added in June '06, just after my deadline for joining & special discount period!!!! Thanks again, Russ. (Just been on both your profiles, you take some great photos.) |
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05/30/2006 05:44:30 PM · #5 |
| i wonder if this is like the "Who's Who *************" crap out there. I don't even know how legit "who's who" is but i have seen them in libraries but to be honest who really cares. |
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03/18/2008 06:25:11 PM · #6 |
Hello this is John Warton from Photo Laureates. I welcome you on www.thephotochallenge.com where you will see how I evaluate photographs. You will see all my reviews and annotations on all photographs. We also have a brand new live webinar with hundreds of amateur photographers each week. This is a very exciting call with the community and all learn a lot. It would be my pleasure to have you on the site/call so we discuss about photography. Thank you. Best regards. John Warton.
PS – I will not do any more postings on this forum at this time but welcome you on my site, www.thephotochallenge.com so we talk about nothing else than photography. Thank you for respecting this.
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06/08/2008 01:14:21 AM · #7 |
Message edited by author 2008-07-16 15:20:56. |
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06/30/2008 09:19:08 AM · #8 |
I have to share this... its hilarious!
I sent Photo Laureates a blank white image and called it 'Snow'. There was absolutely nothing on it but I have been selected as one of 2008's best photographers and will have my pic published blah blah blah...
The best bit is why it was chosen....
Quote "Your photograph, snow, was selected for its asymmetric composition and light mix used throughout..."
Fantastic! They even sent a copy of the blank picture, so it goes to show they don't look at photographs.
Run away!
Message edited by author 2008-06-30 09:20:25. |
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07/03/2008 02:22:34 AM · #9 |
I just signed up on dpchallenge so I could reply to this forum...yeah I pretty much have no life :-)
I did a search for photo contests because I wanted to find out the deadline for Popular Photography\'s annual contest. I came across Photo Laureates and it peaked my interest. After looking over the site I got curious. Basically, if you google Photo laureates org you\'ll see a post after post about people paying and not getting their book, getting the book and finding their photo was just glued in, suspecting it\'s a scam, etc. Don\'t believe me? Check the google string for yourself if you don\'t believe it\'s a photo scam.
From what I\'ve read so far I would say if it\'s not a scam then it\'s a merchandising ploy at the very least.
Photo contests are fun and it\'s nice to have someone with credentials critique your work but don\'t let ego lead you into getting ripped off. Most legitimate contests I\'ve seen require a small entry fee up front, either per entry or for a specific number or entries, and usually have well known, industry specific sponsors who partner with the people who are running the contest. If it\'s a smaller or frequent contest the basic \"prize\" is recognition.
Oh well, remember the old cliche \"if it\'s too good to be true then it probably is\".
One last thing, I saw the exact same reply from John Wharton on at least 3 other forums...looks like someone knows how to set up a web bot ;-)
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07/07/2008 01:03:45 PM · #10 |
Hello all. Unfortunately I am one of the saps that fell for it. I just got my book the other day after a 10 month or so process. Like someone else had already explained, my picture was by far different than all the rest. It was on a page of it's own with the heading of "Featured Photographer". Nothing printed on the back of it as with all the other photos, there were pictures on the front and back. Also, mine too was glued onto the front picture of the Nature section. I have found a couple of people in other posting that told their name and the picture that was published. I am going to look thru my GARBAGE book that I received to see if those people are actually in there. Once I get home this evening, I will post a picture or 2 of what I got showing the "craftsmanship" of the gluing process.
What a waste. |
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07/07/2008 01:39:22 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by T_Dawg:
... my picture was by far different than all the rest. It was on a page of it's own with the heading of "Featured Photographer". Nothing printed on the back of it as with all the other photos, there were pictures on the front and back. Also, mine too was glued onto the front picture of the Nature section. ... |
UN-Believable. Freakin' scams. I'm sorry you got ripped off. Chalk it up to experience. |
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07/07/2008 02:10:17 PM · #12 |
| The photolaureates.org website has not been working for a while now (since about January I think). I would be surprised if they're still issuing these books. |
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07/20/2008 06:55:57 PM · #13 |
Hello this is John Warton from Photo Laureates.
I welcome you on www.thephotochallenge.com where you will see how I evaluate photographs. You will see all my reviews and annotations on all photographs. We also have a brand new live Webinar with hundreds of amateur photographers each week. This is a very exciting call with the community and all learn a lot. It would be my pleasure to have you on the site/call so we discuss about photography.
To sceptics: please come and join www.thephotochallenge.com to see how I evaluate photographs. Let us debate photography based on actual concrete reviews. Again, this is a community of amateur photographers so I am not expecting all shots to be publishable on National geographic. I value originality and creativity.
I am also pleased to know that we receive dozens of positive testimonials from happy laureates receiving their hard cover manuscript. Here are a few:
“John, Thank you so much for this beautiful manuscript. I was amazed by the originality and creativity of other fellow amateur photographers. Joining and interacting with you on the photo challenge as part of monthly contests has been very instructive. Thank you for all!” -- Anna. Mo., Colorado
“Laureates Team – Wow, what a nice book! I now display it on our little coffee table and friends and family give me kudos for my nomination. I feel proud to be next to the other nice photographs in this book” – Peter Sa., New York
We experimented with a new approach to personalizing books with a full page feature and the vast majority of members are quite happy with it. We will continue to track feedback to see if we continue to personalize with full page features or not.
I once again would like to thank the amateur photography community for their participation.
My best regards to all – John Warton
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07/20/2008 06:58:08 PM · #14 |
Hahahahahahhaaahaaaaa! A bad reputation is a hard thing to shake. :/
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07/20/2008 07:06:06 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by john78:
Hello this is John Warton from Photo Laureates.
I welcome you on www.thephotochallenge.com where you will see how I evaluate photographs. You will see all my reviews and annotations on all photographs. We also have a brand new live Webinar with hundreds of amateur photographers each week. This is a very exciting call with the community and all learn a lot. It would be my pleasure to have you on the site/call so we discuss about photography.
To sceptics: please come and join www.thephotochallenge.com to see how I evaluate photographs. Let us debate photography based on actual concrete reviews. Again, this is a community of amateur photographers so I am not expecting all shots to be publishable on National geographic. I value originality and creativity.
I am also pleased to know that we receive dozens of positive testimonials from happy laureates receiving their hard cover manuscript. Here are a few:
“John, Thank you so much for this beautiful manuscript. I was amazed by the originality and creativity of other fellow amateur photographers. Joining and interacting with you on the photo challenge as part of monthly contests has been very instructive. Thank you for all!” -- Anna. Mo., Colorado
“Laureates Team – Wow, what a nice book! I now display it on our little coffee table and friends and family give me kudos for my nomination. I feel proud to be next to the other nice photographs in this book” – Peter Sa., New York
We experimented with a new approach to personalizing books with a full page feature and the vast majority of members are quite happy with it. We will continue to track feedback to see if we continue to personalize with full page features or not.
I once again would like to thank the amateur photography community for their participation.
My best regards to all – John Warton |
........and the pigs are lined up and ready to fly! |
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07/20/2008 07:07:42 PM · #16 |
| I think he should be banned from DPC, he now holds two accounts! :-) |
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07/20/2008 08:48:44 PM · #17 |
Photography Laureates. Do us all a favor and take your class-less act elsewhere.
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07/21/2008 04:19:55 PM · #18 |
| I ALSO SUBMITTED A PHOTO TO PHOTOGRAPHY LAUREATES. IT WAS A PHOTO OF MY SON. ABOUT A WEEK LATER I WAS SURPRISED TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL SAYING I HAD BEEN CHOSEN TO HAVE MY PHOTO PUBLISHED IN THEIR ANTHOLOGY BOOK AND THAT I COULD PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR $69.95. BEING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS, I GOOGLED THEM AND FOUND ALOT OF FORUMS ABOUT THE SITE, MOST OF WHICH CONFIRMED IT WAS A SCAM. I WANTED TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF, SO I PICKED A RANDOM PHOTO THAT MY HUSBAND HAD TAKEN IN MEXICO AND SUBMITTED IT UNDER A DIFFERENT EMAIL ADDRESS. SURE ENOUGH, ABOUT A WEEK LATER I RECEIVED THE SAME EMAIL. EVERYONE IS CHOSEN. IT'S DEFINITELY A SCAM, SO BEWARE! |
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07/21/2008 05:49:12 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by john78:
Hello this is John Warton from Photo Laureates.
I welcome you on www.thephotochallenge.com where you will see how I evaluate photographs. You will see all my reviews and annotations on all photographs. We also have a brand new live Webinar with hundreds of amateur photographers each week. This is a very exciting call with the community and all learn a lot. It would be my pleasure to have you on the site/call so we discuss about photography.
To sceptics: please come and join www.thephotochallenge.com to see how I evaluate photographs. Let us debate photography based on actual concrete reviews. Again, this is a community of amateur photographers so I am not expecting all shots to be publishable on National geographic. I value originality and creativity.
I am also pleased to know that we receive dozens of positive testimonials from happy laureates receiving their hard cover manuscript. Here are a few:
“John, Thank you so much for this beautiful manuscript. I was amazed by the originality and creativity of other fellow amateur photographers. Joining and interacting with you on the photo challenge as part of monthly contests has been very instructive. Thank you for all!” -- Anna. Mo., Colorado
“Laureates Team – Wow, what a nice book! I now display it on our little coffee table and friends and family give me kudos for my nomination. I feel proud to be next to the other nice photographs in this book” – Peter Sa., New York
We experimented with a new approach to personalizing books with a full page feature and the vast majority of members are quite happy with it. We will continue to track feedback to see if we continue to personalize with full page features or not.
I once again would like to thank the amateur photography community for their participation.
My best regards to all – John Warton |
Strange English you have goin on there buddy. Sounds almost like one of those e-mail scams...
If I were you, sir, I would give up on trying to convert us :) Save your time and save some face... |
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08/18/2008 09:50:24 PM · #20 |
Be aware of photolaureates.org. Unfortunately I was a victim of a clever and money making SCAM.
These are facts that have happened to me, I have kept all evidence and can uphold my claims with living proof.
I’m a professional photographer, but wanted to get some recognition from somewhere serious on the web. As most photographers, you’d like to know if you’re doing a good job by showing others your work and getting critics to evaluate you.
After a brief search throughout the web, I found photolaureates.org . Happy with my find, I signed up and entered an very nice photo that I took while in Brazil. A few weeks later I receive an email congratulating me and informing that I was chosen as a finalist in the 2008 photography competition. With all the hype in this email, I sent in a high resolution final for the book that was supposedly going to be published in.
One this was done, I received an email with options to pay for an award plaque, and pay more for a larger photo and biography. I did so, spending a total of about $ 160.00 for 1 large photo, 1 book (2008 photography awards) and 1 customized biography.
Once this was done, I was asked to wait from November 2007 all the way until April of 2008 to receive my award and the 2008 published book. So far, so good!
Finally after waiting even longer than the announced time, my package finally arrived on July, 10 of 2008. I was so happy, but puzzled when I opened the package. Nothing in the package was from photolaureates.org, it was all from a place called “Photography Vibes – best of edition” but miraculously was exactly to the “T” of what I ordered from photolaureates.org. At the moment I brushed it off and went my merry way.
Being that everything did arrive, I was so proud of my award and being published in a book that completely blew off my first impression and went to show some friends my accomplishment!
Once I got there and showed various of my friends the award and photo, which, by the way was the only photo in the whole book that had its own page and the photo was larger than all the other ones in the entire book, and was the only photo that had its own biography (all the other biographies are small and in the last few pages of the book).
When I pulled out the award to show everyone, at first everyone was impressed, I was too!! But then one of my friend pointed out and said “Strange, I didn’t know that Snoop Dog and Notorious B.I.G. were into photography”, to which I replied, “what??”.
At this point everything started to go downhill, and show the true colors of what was really going on.
To my shock, embarrassment and disbelief, I saw my award signed by “Calvin Broadus, Director” and “Christopher Wallace, Coordinator”. Do those names ring any bells??
So, naturally, I went online to check this all out, sure enough, I came across 10 forums of people all saying the same thing… it’s a SCAM!!! At one point someone mentioned that they fell for it too, and when they figured it out, they saw that the page that was in the book was GLUED to another page at the binding. As curiosity got the best of me, I looked at my book, and sure enough, my photo was glued into the book as well.
At this point I was furious and needed to tell people about this. How can someone claim to be something wonderful, then turn around and make money off some ones biggest dreams and turn these dreams into ashes by faking everything and sending out a load of crap.
MAY EVERYONE BE WARNED - THIS IS A SCAM - THEY ARE CROOKS AND DREAM SMASHERS!!!
Message edited by author 2008-08-18 21:54:15. |
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08/24/2008 12:30:51 AM · #21 |
Help Guys ! Is this a scam? I received this mail on 15 Aug from John Warton
Sender : bounce@photolaureates.org
Reply-To : help@photolaureates.org
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Dear Nishant,
The editorial team of Photography Laureates is happy to let you know that you have been selected as one of 50 members of the month for August 2008.
As such, we invite you to Click Here to fill up your Member of the Month Questions & Answers form and let the entire Photo Laureates Community know who you are. Please note that your contact information will be kept strictly confidential, for your privacy.
Nishant, I am also very pleased to let you know that your photograph was selected out of hundreds of competing entries and that you will be published along with other talented photographers.
Your photograph, Rocky, was selected for its structure and composition:
Rocky
BEST OF 2008 PHOTOGRAPHY ANTHOLOGY:
Rocky
Nishant: This special edition will feature You as a Photographer with Your Biography
For a limited time, Click Here to enjoy this exclusive Anthology featuring your Photograph, for only $69(€43.40,£34.68). Please note that this offer expires on Aug-21-2008 (or until stocks expire). There will not be other opportunities.
Our Hard Bound Deluxe Anthologies have over 300 pages of leading photographs from Selected Laureates as well as several sections on photography techniques written by leading experts. They make terrific coffee table books and treasured gifts to friends and family! Your photograph will be published in this anthology along with your name and biography.
Every aspect of the publication and design of this leading edition, the Best of 2008 Photography Anthology, reflects the quality craftsmanship that went into the production of this special edition.
Nishant, view sample selected pictures of fellow finalists by Clicking Here. Here are also a few sample photographs selected in the 2008 edition of this leading Photography Anthology:
pic
pic
pic
It is also our pleasure to commemorate the publication of your photograph with a Limited Edition Certificate in your name, printed on a high quality Walnut wood finished Plaque. The plaque measures 10.5’’ X 13’’. As one of our photography laureates, your plaque will feature your name and Photograph as well as a Certificate of Achievement.
pic
To receive a copy (copies) before reserves run out, please Click Here now.
You can also cut and paste this link in your browser:
//www.photolaureates.org/payment/shopping_cart.php?ContestPhotoID=109241&linkFrom=06_photographer_of_the_month.html
Nishant, all editors congratulate you on your accomplishment. A very small minority of the photographs we examined were selected to join our Society and considered for publication in our exclusive Anthology.
Please note that to recognize and reward selected photographers, we have established $6500 in prizes to be awarded at the sole discretion of our editorial team.
Again, congratulations, Nishant: the Best of 2008 Photography is our most beautifully crafted hard bound Anthology. It features beautiful Photography artistry. We are proud to publish you as part of this talented and exclusive group of photographers. Your contribution to this project is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
John Warton
Senior Editor, Photography Laureates
.. and will be published in our acclaimed "Best Of 2008 Photography", Deluxe, 8.5" X 11", Hard bound, 300 pages Special Edition anthology.
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08/24/2008 12:31:31 AM · #22 |
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10/04/2008 06:37:33 PM · #23 |
The Photo Laureates are scamming Australia as well. I found them looking to enter a local contest and got exactly the same response as reported. They are preying on vanity. Oh well, at least I found this site looking to confirm my suspicions!
Sallikins |
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10/22/2008 11:11:43 PM · #24 |
Well, I'm yet another victim! All I want to know is who won the $6500.00 grand prize for the Photography Vibes contest. I've made many attempts to find out, but good ol "SOL" just keeps telling me that the winner will be announced when the manuscripts are shipped...well, I received my "manuscript" months upon months ago. I sure would like to know who the lucky "winner" was. LOL!
Oh, and by the way, my photo was also "featured" on it's own page...wow, it must have been really good! LOL! |
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10/22/2008 11:12:56 PM · #25 |
| You know what just hit me........after reading my post, I just got who "SOL" is....Sh*t Out of Luck! Boy, they're good! |
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