Birmingham City Council’s Big City Plan is looking for imaginative photographs and films showing how you think Birmingham should develop over the next twenty years.
In the spirit of this user generated content age it doesn’t matter if you use your mobile phone or the latest camera technology. Entries will only be accepted from amateur photographers/filmmakers though, which does make you wonder how amateurs would have access to the latest camera technology?
Perhaps you feel Birmingham would benefit from greener areas or maybe you have an idea about how public transport could improve. Your vision could be for the whole city, or your local area.
The closing date for this competition is 20 April 2009.
Don’t be so surprised that amateurs might have access to the latest digital equipment. Plenty of people spend their own money on their hobbies, and you’re forgetting students too, who often can borrow gear.
I’m guessing that the “no professionals” rule is to avoid complaints from people who object to signing over unlimited publication rights to BCC, on any submitted images – not just those that are selected for a prize. This pretty much means you won’t be able to sell that image again, and certainly not to any magazine that might ask for an exclusivity window. It’s a pity that the publication plans aren’t spelt out in more detail really (eg. “All entries will be available on the website as screen-sized jpg images for no more than 3 months after the closing date. Winning entries will be required to grant print publication rights for our community newspaper.”). The lack of clarity might make for shorter rules (arguably) but it should dissuade people, especially students who aspire to sell work, from entering.