Everybody should boycott BEDE events, and all other events just like them..
Only the officially appointed event photographers and videographers are permitted to sell images, and video content of the field of play within 3-months of the competition date.
The time machine works 🙉 the above really make we feel we've travelled some ten years back in time.
To the time when yours truly was still a hard working equestrian photographer.
The days when the Facebook photographers popped up faster than pimples on a teen ager just to give all their photos away for free via Facebook or other similar sites. All this while the event organisers and their event photographers tried to screw everybody else over.
I can still remember the drama in Millstreet, Ireland during the Europeans for ponies.
The level of drama at this event was actually way and beyond with the event photographer on site trying to stop all other photographers to do their work and maintain their business who made them travel there in the first place.
Do you know what it cost to travel to Millstreet from the UK and or the mainland and also to stay there for almost a week? A lot!
Do you know what media outlets actually pay for photos? The answer is close to nothing. But the costs for actually making photos are huge! Travel, gear, storage, websites, car, hotels, you name it. It cost money.
Since the event in Millstreet this particular event photographer have travelled all over Europe giving all their photos away on, hear and behold, social media. Now if that is not ironic I don't know what is.
At another Europony photographers were pushed out of the main arena for prize giving ceremonies in favour of the event photographer.
One year even the, back then, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, tried to pull a similar stunt as described above but thankfully backed down on this policy.
Other events have tried to demand members of the press to give them some or in some cases all their photos to be allowed to even attend.
The [censored name] offers you (the photographer) the opportunity to make pictures for commercial use. In return we, as xxx receive your pictures to use in our communication.
Let's say the above phrasing for this particular event did not fly well with either national nor international organisations working for the rights of media and photographers.
This is why it is so surprising to read the press info from BEDE events. BEDE events being a UK based organiser of eventing that managed some more than name worthy eventing competitions over the year.
Press & Media at BEDE Events. Working members of the media are welcome at BEDE Events, in accordance with our Press & Media Policy as set out below. Press accreditation will be required, and must be received at least 2-weeks prior to the event. Commercial content creators are invited to apply for Media Accreditation, at a fee of £100+VAT. Full terms & conditions will be provided on application.
Event Press & Media Policy. Commercial photography rights for all BEDE Events organised and managed events belong to the Event Organiser. Only the officially appointed event photographers and videographers are permitted to sell images and video content of the field of play within 3-months of the competition date. This includes selling images to competitors and associated brands. Selling images to verified media outlets is permitted, but only by accredited members of the media.
Sorry to say but what a load of BS! For those that don't fully get it. Imagine you are not a photo journalist but instead a writing journalist.
You travel to an event, you make the costs, you write your piece(es) together, but then you cannot post, nor sell your text until three months after the event is over and done. This is basically what they are asking of the photographers.
Instead, photographers are welcome to go there, to make the costs, but then have their hands tied down and cannot serve their clients as they normally would do.
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All this while "Plain Jane" and her likes [who ever so often know exactly how to work a camera] can buy a ticket, bring a camera to the event and fire away. Cause especially in eventing and cross country, no one can control the crowds.
In situations like these, it is most likely more lucrative to be a paying spectator than an actual working member of the press.
Which make me hope that first of all the IAEJ - the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists - will step in and force them to change their policies.
But I also hope, and pray media as a whole start boycotting events like these full stop. It doesn't matter if they are horse events or other sporting or concerts.
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