Advice needed on company - been asked to showcase work

OptimusBri

OptimusBri

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Briony
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I've just received this message on my Flickr account, asking me if I'd like to showcase my work, and just wondered whether anyone knows that the company was reputable or not? I've not heard of them. It all seems okay to me (I've had a brief look on their website) but thought I would post it on here just to double check!

I haven't replied yet, but this is the message that I received:

"Hi Briony.

I stumbled across your work via www.networkstudentphotographers.co.uk/ and was hoping I could interest you in a chance to show off some pieces!

I’ve been given the chance to source photographers of my choosing and give them the opportunity to display their work to our large student user base.

Anyone who’s work I enjoy, I’m hoping to set up a Flickr album through my company account and have it linked to our web portal. My main objective is to create a social environment on our portal in which to showcase and link artists (Predominantly photographers and videographers).

To give you a little background, I work for Cablecom. We are a Bristol-based ISP who currently provide an internet connection to 400,000 registered users, covering 67 universities. This number is continuing to grow as we will be providing to a further 120,000 students come September. We also provide a connection to hospital workers and residential customers amongst others.

In order to access their connection, the students will need to log on daily through our portal (portal.studentcom.co.uk). This site currently scores 1million hits a month, ranking it in the top 500 accessed sites in the UK.

I feel this high amount of daily hits is something to take full advantage of and would love to offer some space to you.

If you are interested, please let me know, and we can get the ball rolling!

All the best,

Scott"
 
What's in for you? Does 'showcase' mean you give them access to your photos which they can then use for promoting their company without paying you anything?
 
Thanks for your replies. I'm really not sure to be honest! I understand why they would want student work as they provide internet to students, but I fail to understand why they are looking to showcase artists? What has that got to do with providing an internet connection?! Any more advice before I reply to them and ask for more info?
 
I had a look at their site and couldn't see any sort of gallery. Ask for the Terms and Conditions of uploading and look out for anything along these lines (this is from a competition, but you get the idea)

By entering the contest, you retain the rights to your works while granting XXXX the unrestricted, royalty-free, perpetual right to use, reproduce, communicate, modify and display the works (in whole or in part) for any purpose without any fee or other form of compensation, and without further notification or permission.
By participating in this contest, you release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless XXXXX and its employees, directors, officers, affiliates, agents, judges and advertising and promotional agencies from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of actions, or losses of any kind resulting from your participation in this contest or receipt or use of any prize.

It may be very well hidden...
 
Got a quick reply:

"Hi Briony,

Thank you for getting back to me.

So essentially we're just looking to offer photographers and videographers a chance to display their work. The photos will be linked through a Flickr group that you would have full control over.

Our objective is just to offer a chance to have work seen by a large audience. We realised the site's high useage could offer large exposure and opportunity.

Other than being displayed on the site, the photo's wont be used for anything else.

In terms of photo specifics, there are none! Other than the obvious do's and dont's, it's whichever work you would like to show. I have found other artists are keen to show a portfolio, rather than topic-specific. But the decision is your's.

I hope this answers your questions and would be something that interests you.

Kind Regards,

Scott"

Any thoughts...?
 
By uploading, do you thereby give them permission to use the shots at all? Get that clarified. Ask if they intend, now or in the future, to use the shots elsewhere. Make clear that while you'd quite like to upload a few, you most certainly do not agree to any further dissemination of your work without your express permission. In writing. Carved in granite blocks. In triplicate.
 
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