Apple does the right thing by now offering licensing compensation ​to winning photos

Last week a storm was brewing within the creative community over the idea Apple was starting a photo contest titled Share Your Best Photos Shot on iPhone. It wasn’t the contest that got creatives riled up, it was the fact that Apple was offering no fees or prizes other than the “Amazing Opportunity” to have your picture help them sell more iPhones. It’s reported that 2/3 of Apple’s profits are made from the iPhone, and Apple is currently worth 900 billion dollars. Shelling out a few bucks to the people who use their gear is good business. Thankfully, Apple saw the bad PR this was beginning to produce and decided they could do what’s right and offer some cold hard cash.

Rule #6 in the PDF form that describes the contest stipulates, “Prize(s). Ten (10) winning Photos will be featured on Apple Newsroom, Apple’s Instagram channel, apple.com, in Apple retail stores, and billboards around the world, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Prize is non-transferable. No substitutions or cash redemptions. Winners will receive a licensing fee for use on billboards and other Apple marketing channels.”

Admittedly they don’t say what the prizes will be, but it’s a step in the right direction. I can only hope that it will be a reasonable licensing fee, not the equivalent of a cup of coffee from McDonald’s Michael Stemm earned from the sale of his image to Walmart.

It’s amazing how social media made Apple change their policy in this situation. I made comments in several blogs and forums regarding how unfair Apple’s original policy was. Lots of others did the same and Apple changed their rules. Thankfully a shining example of the postiive power of social media.