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Frommer’s Rights-Grabbing Contest Loses Prestigious Judge!

Rick Sammon, AKA “The Digital Dude” and consumate travel photographer, is no longer listed as a judge in Frommer’s odious travel photo contest.

Way to go, Rick!  You are indeed, the dude.

When I contacted Rick to ask him about the contest, he forgot that he had even signed on as a judge (it happens when you’ve got as much going on as Rick). Same thing happened to me when I agreed to judge the travel photo contest for USA Today with Nat Geo director of photography David Griffin.

Once David and I got wind of the rules, we pressured USA Today to change them. Because we were 2/3rds of the judges, we succeeded.

But Rick was 1/6th of a panel that otherwise consisted entirely of Frommer’s employees (in this job market, nobody’s gonna rock the boat on a fulltime day job in the editorial world by pressuring their corporate legal department to change unfair entry rules). So, being the only truly independent judge on the panel, Rick did the right thing, and walked.

Rick probably also walked from a nice honorarium for the day’s work. (Unless, of course, he’s a complete sucker liked me and agreed to judge the contest for a box lunch, mileage, and tolls because “budgets are tight these days.”)

But I think he’s too smart for that, and I’m happy to see that he’s also too conscientious to participate in a contest that so blatantly rips off both professional and amateur photographers!

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Jim Green

    18 Mar 2010 Reply

    Its very nice to see people with ethics and standards. I’m impressed with Mr. Sammon.

  2. mk

    18 Mar 2010 Reply

    Bob,

    Big thanks for continuing to fight the good fight. You, too, are the dude!

  3. Renee G

    18 Mar 2010 Reply

    Thanks, Bob, for shining a light on this issue. I have always respected you and now my opinion of Rick went up too. No more Frommers for me.

    1. Bob

      18 Mar 2010 Reply

      Thanks Renee! Bob

  4. Eric Bowles

    18 Mar 2010 Reply

    Thanks for the warning – I was actually considering entering the contest.

  6. Michael Brochstein

    19 Mar 2010 Reply

    Ditto! Thanks for “shining” the light (and taking the potential risk to your income) and kudo’s to Rick!

  7. Kevin Mayo

    20 Mar 2010 Reply

    Way to go Rick

  8. Darlene

    20 Mar 2010 Reply

    I was going to enter too, then I read the rules and saw that they took all rights to the images entered. I’m wary of all contests like this with big prizes as I’ve found others with similar rules. Get a whole bunch of “free” photography with unlimited usage for the cost of a couple prizes. I decided not to enter too. I think for an amateur that doesn’t plan on selling their images it could be okay but not for a pro.

    1. Bob

      1 Apr 2010 Reply

      David: I might point that out to David Hobby at Strobist, as MPE is one of his big sponsors, Bob

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