To think that the word "budding" when used in relation to a profession...

[LollipopViolet]

Means someone who is just starting out or wants to move into that profession?

Basically, I've entered a photography competition, to possibly win the chance of doing backstage photography at Sonisphere festival this year. The website for the competition says, and I'm quoting directly:

"We want one budding live music photographer and one live music writer.. A money can?t buy opportunity to experience Sonisphere 2011 from the other side of the barrier.. "

So why, on the FB page where you have to upload your photo, are there tonnes of photos clearly from people who've managed to get their SLR's into very high profile gigs, some of whom even have a company watermark on?!

It's one of these "get as many likes as you can" things, but I'm not going to ask you to add to my count, as I know it annoys some people on here, and I'd rather do it the old fashioned way of getting friends to like and share the image.

But surely these professionals could get a press pass or something and leave this competition for people like me, who winning would be a dream come true for?

I probably ABU, but just wanted a rant lol :)

[MumblingRagDoll]

They should have guidelines like "Those with previous professional credits may not enter."

[Pandemoniaa]

The competition sounds misleadingly worded, tbh. I'm a professional photographer and can confirm that this status alone doesn't get me into every single place I might want to go - despite having a press card. So if I fancied a backstage festival gig and the terms and conditions didn't exclude professional photographers then I might also be tempted to enter a competition like this and I certainly know other photographers who'd definitely do so.

I think that the intentions behind this particular competition are not quite as they might seem on the surface because it looks as if they are more interested in attracting professional snappers prepared to work for free than they are in helping keen amateurs get into the live music photography business. But if you've got confidence in your work and want to chase your dreams then go for it. Don't be put off by the presence of allegedly professional photographers.

However, don't blame the professionals if there is a loophole in the terms and conditions that have let them compete for this gig. Photography is a very tough business and nobody is going to "leave the competition for people like me".

[LollipopViolet]

Thanks Pandemoniaa, I understand about it being a tough industry, just seemed that the wording implied it was more for those who weren't professional.

Anyway, a development, they've changed how to enter, from the Facebook thing to simply emailing a picture in. I also looked at the terms and conditions, and it's actually quite explicit. It deems professional as someone who earns over 50% of their income for photography sale.

As an aside, how do you start out in photography, of any kind? I want to start out, I just don't know where to start, so to speak, so thought something like this competition would be a good idea!