Is The Universe of Color Photography a scam? From what I have only seen on FB, someone pays $37 to join and submit photos and they are “judged”. I see people I know getting “awards”...

Judy795

From what I have only seen on FB, someone pays $37 to join and submit photos and they are “judged”. I see people I know getting “awards” and it gets posted on FB.
Any merit to this group or is that the wrong word to use?

MJPerini

I'll do it for $35........
Even if we assume that they are well intentioned (which is a stretch) WHY would you pay for some unknown person's opinion? Do you think that their opinion might be clouded by their desire to keep you coming back?

It seems to me to be an effort to separate as many people as possible from $37 dollars
Look at great art and great pictures ALL the time (which is free) and you will develop a sense of where you can improve. Also really ask yourself of all the picture you have taken , which ones move you? How did they come about. How can you do more of that.
Use the $37 bucks to buy a book of a photographer who's work you love.
Or Jay Maisel's book "It's not about the F/Stop
Good Luck

newsguygeorge Loc: Victoria, Texas

I suspect without evidence that they want your photo metadata. I don't know what they can do with it, b ut this is Facebook and nothing from Meta and Zukerberg is to be trusted.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

MJPerini wrote:

I'll do it for $35........
...
...

At first I thought "it" was submit images to them,
but then I figured out you meant "judge"...

User ID

Judy795 wrote:

From what I have only seen on FB, someone pays $37 to join and submit photos and they are “judged”. I see people I know getting “awards” and it gets posted on FB.
Any merit to this group or is that the wrong word to use?

"If it walks like a duck ..... "

User ID

newsguygeorge wrote:

I suspect without evidence that they want your photo metadata. I don't know what they can do with it, b ut this is Facebook and nothing from Meta and Zukerberg is to be trusted.

AMEN !

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Judy795 wrote:

From what I have only seen on FB, someone pays $37 to join and submit photos and they are “judged”. I see people I know getting “awards” and it gets posted on FB.
Any merit to this group or is that the wrong word to use?

So what are the "awards", attaboys on Facebook?

User ID

BTW Judy795, that is one GREAT thread title.

If it incuded the appropriate quotation marks it just wouldnt be the same !

fantom Loc: Colorado

newsguygeorge wrote:

I suspect without evidence that they want your photo metadata. I don't know what they can do with it, b ut this is Facebook and nothing from Meta and Zukerberg is to be trusted.

They want to ladies money.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

IMO, Facebook is a scam. I stay as far away from it and its kin as I can.

Schoee Loc: Europe

Judy795 wrote:

From what I have only seen on FB, someone pays $37 to join and submit photos and they are “judged”. I see people I know getting “awards” and it gets posted on FB.
Any merit to this group or is that the wrong word to use?

Just stay away from FB.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Just Fred wrote:

IMO, Facebook is a scam. I stay as far away from it and its kin as I can.

As far as what. I joined but when I dumped my cable company, I stopped getting the email notices that put me on without signing in & forgot the password. Never bothered to make a new one but mostly family & one or two friends post on there. Pretty good for seeing the little ones of family & friends that live distant post their kids photos & a niece who takes in kids for heal the children while visiting from out of country for operations. Have a couple of nieces that post & friends post every time they go out to dinner or a hang-out. Jose Rodrigeuz You Tube printing channel has a facebook group for printing that will help with printer problems. It's OK for that type of stuff for free. JMHO.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Just Fred wrote:

IMO, Facebook is a scam. I stay as far away from it and its kin as I can.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

One web site that is similar, but in a benign way, is Photocrowd https://www.photocrowd.com/feed/suggested/. This is a site where you post your pictures under various categories, and they are judged by either the creator of a given contest, and by the "crowd" of other people who are also using the site. For a given contest you can generally enter 1 picture for free (I just do it for free), and to enter more pictures you pay a small fee. There are super serious photographers that are in it, along with definite amateurs.
The majority of the contests only earn you a badge if you achieve certain levels of rankings. Some contests have serious cash prizes, though. But you can play all you want for free. I actually enjoy it.

Hip Coyote

The Universe is a big place and you’ve not considered all options.

Join a legit photography club. Mine has judging, webinars in a wide variety of topics, field trips and we’re expanding to include mentoring. Total cost is $30 a year. If there’s one in your area, consider it. Or join ours remotely.

Tophotogroup.org.