Documentary Photographer based in Mexico

alex@alexcoghe.com Phone/WhatsApp: 525568934044

Blog


Dec
4
2017
Why I deleted my Lensculture account
Posted by alexcoghe on 04 Dec 2017 / 25 Comments


I CONSIDER LENSCULTURE A SUB-PRODUCT OF THESE TIMES

You know I am a critic voice against Lensculture and their massive spammy contests. And to be clear I was featured by them here:

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/alex-coghe-passion-for-the-streets

They invited me to join and I uploaded some projects there. But it was their behaviour and the approach to photography to make me understand they are using photography to make their own business, with no real respect for photography.

I published 2 articles to express my thoughts:

The Street Photography for LensCulture

and:

Il McDonald’s della fotografia

Well, after a discussion on facebook I decided it was the moment to quit. In the recent past I was invited to be interviewed for them, but fortunally the interviewer understood and the interview will be proposed in another magazine.

In particular the reasons to delete anything in their website are:

  • Explotation of important and serious issues to make their fuckin’ advertising: https://petapixel.com/2017/05/01/lensculture-commodification-rape/
  • Their continous spam to obtain new submissions
  • The fake portfolio reviews as verified with someone sending me the ones they received, with bizarre and no-sense tips. Andconsider also many paying the fee never received their reviews.
  • Their contests where only the ones paying the high fee have a real chance to win
  • A street photo contest where the winning photos are a joke, clearly because the jury is composed by people pretty far from street photography, or you judge what is this: https://www.lensculture.com/2017-lensculture-street-photography-award-winners

I am happy to have deleted my account. I don’t want to be part anymore of that joke. There are a lot of serious contests, awards and grants to do. And Lensculture is not part of this. At least for me. 

***EDIT***

By the moment someone asked or misunderstood: I NEVER spent a dime with them. I just used the free entry in order to see what happened and clearly I used my most famous picture for this. I didn’t received a review because is a service they offer just to those paying the 60 dollars fee, so I asked to friends to send me the reviews and there are no-sense and amateur reviews there, clearly just to make them happy…I also received feedback from some photographers paying and never received the review. They were deceptioned and some also pissed off and they swear that will NEVER more participate to that “award”. As a a street photographer, educator and spreading the voice of a real street photography culture, to see the winning photos of their international award has been a great disappointment. I know some of the winners, don’t get me wrong because I don’t have anything against them: it is just about the picture, and to see so many photos with subjects taken from behind, and a fake “conceptual” aesthetics is not something making good for the sake of photography.

25 Comments


Jose Martinez
2 yearss ago


I received an invitation from someone at lens culture stating that they liked one of my pictures that I uploaded to my Instagram page and they sent the details, so I am a bit skeptic to submit but I was thinking the exposure I would get would be a good thing. I am just not sure, how long did you keep your account with them? and was there any problems when you closed it down? retrieving your work, and then them not using the photos you submitted? Are they still able to use your work after terminating your account? being that this is what we make a living from I would want to know as I just recently missed the deadline to submit some of my work at a local gallery show in my city. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely;
Jose Martinez Jr. Ceja.

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    2 yearss ago


    As I written in this post I advise against lensculture. Their way to manage the things are focused on thei profit with no real interest for photographers. They will spam your inbox. I think in these times we have an uncorrect idea of the utility of exposure. Exposue where and for what? Currently we see using the myth of exposure to make:
    – magazines (in truth they are fanzines selfproduced) that don’t pay your wok and they make their own business;
    – agencies created with the work of photographers (ex. photovogue);
    – awards with high fees and irrelevant work rewarded (ex. lensculture);
    – galleries working as spaces for rent charging the artists for exhibiting;
    – publishers asking money to have your work published;

    I think all of this is not fair, pushing an idea your work doesn’t deserve to be paid, or even you have to pay to get your work exposed. The behaviour of lensculture seems to me not fair, and this is the reeason I decided to delete. I don’t need them.
    Anyway Lensculture is not the only one to make things not good for photographers: Monochrome Photography Awards used my name in the juy of their contest, but I never participated to the images selection phase. And WSP World Street Photography not published me and other juos in their last bookm despite the wok made for them. Also they promised me the payment for the work realized and never honored this. You have to be careful because there are sharks in this business. Through my blog I try to be a support for the photographers, I am with the photographers and against these charlatans making a business with our work.

    (Reply)

      Hattie Wilcox
      1 years ago


      Thank you for posting your observations. The business “model” you describe has been used for decades in the music business, targeting songwriters and singers with promises of income, “deals” that even when they pay, do not pay anything worth all monies and talent and self-marketing done to get to that point, like $12 for 90-day music licensing from MTV. Every bit of this kind of information helps.

Anette Mossbacher
1 years ago


Hi Alex,

glad that I found your review from Lensculture. I as well got today an email with a image I posted in Instagram…

“”We review competitions and resources for photographers and recommend the best ones for you. Here’s one for you today:
All photographers are invited to enter your best work in the LensCulture….

Never got this, but was there really wondering, as wildlife just does not fit into their stuff! Anyway, since there are many photo contests on earth making money with us photographers, I always start to look for reviews. Glad that I have found yours.

It took a little while until all got revealed as you have written above. By now I only submit in 2-3 major contests for my fields in photography. learned all by now. 🙂

Thanks so much for this review. Oh, I never had an account with them and won’t open one. We photographers should rather stay focused on 1-2 things and not spread in all places!

Have a great week

Ciao Anette 😀

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    Hi, Anette. First of all, thanks for your comment. Yes, we need to be beware on the internet. And you are right when you you affirm we should stay focused on few things, giving priority to quality. Despite any photographer seems to day be captured by lensculture and their expensive fees, it is OUR work and they created a huge business with the work of photographers. It is easy to see how the winners are pretty much the same year by year, and they are proposing a unique model of aesthetics. Their street photography contest is ridicolous and I don’t mean this in a good way.

    (Reply)

mimi
1 years ago


Hi Alex,

Very informative read, thanks for sharing!

I was considering entering some of Lens Culture’s contests but having second thoughts after reading your review…

When discussing WSP World Street Photography – is that the Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA? you refer to or am I getting things confused?

Also, any advice on genuine photo contests?

thank you

Mimi

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    Hi. Your comment is welcome! When I speak about WSP I am not referring to Sony Awards, but an independent contest where I was the curator for several years. At a certain point for our commitment they promised money that we never seen. Last year (2018) I curated the documentary contest for them, then I realized when the book was published that some curators did have their photographs featured and others not. I think that is not the way to make the things. I asked explanation, they replied to have informed about that but is not true. I asked for my money and that I was leaving because I was not agree with them. I never received the money.
    Genuine contests in my opinion have a cheap fee or they are free. They need to have a real jurors panel with trasparent guidelines and copyright/image use. If the contest says grant, should be free. If they have sponsors, they should have a cheaper fee or to be free. A contest should be only judged and not taking in consideration likes from the audience. Beware of the fake contests like the monoawards: they use the names of well known photographers, as happened to me, and they never are included in the curating process. I reported this in another post on this blog. Usually the photojournalism awards are the ones honest: World Press Photo, Lucie Awards, of course the Pulitzer…maybe you don’t know but here there is my award since 2018:

    https://www.alexcoghe.com/tspn-award-2019/

    (Reply)

Thomas Hayes
1 years ago


There seems to be no way to start a career if you are making non-commercial photographs. The truth is, unless your work is chosen for an award (and therefore used by the award giving entity) you really have no way of knowing whether your work was ever actually seen and evaluated.

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    Today we have the opportunity to make self produced products, I think it can be a better option. Also to have a mentor can be a precious support. To think an award is a way to start a career is so depressing.

    (Reply)

Freddy
1 years ago


HI Alex how are you?

Have you heard about Life Framer? Just would like your opnion about it.
They have monthty awards with different themes. The (2019) Colors Theme was won by a monochrome image, basically black and white. I was very surprised and disappointed.
I think it falls on the ” fake “conceptual” aesthetics” category like you said.
I really didn’t get it, way too “conceptual” for me, but maybe it is me, this is why I would like your opnion.
I saw some people really amazed (in the good way) about the winner image, but I think it was just beccause the jury was an awesome photographer (who I am big fan btw) and people just want to agree with him. Just guessing!
the link to the award winners : https://www.life-framer.com/colors-2019

Thanks you.
Freddy.

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    Hi, Freddy. Just seen: it is confirmed to award pure aesthetics and 0 content. Photographers aiming at beautiness (in their idea) very photoshopped. I think photography I like is pretty far from that desktop publishing stuff.

    (Reply)

Lu
1 years ago


Hi Alex,

Thanks for this information, this company has been constantly emailing me about one of pictures I posted on Instagram. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to join or not, so I’m glad I did my research on this. Thank you for sharing your experience with lens culture, makes my decision easier. I would have more exposure for my photography work though, if you have any advice on how to do that I’d truly appreciate it.

Thank You,

Lu

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    You are welcome. I think we should rethink all our approach with awards: exposure should be conquered through work, by having a good portfolio, credible, with quality and personality, that thing I call authorial strenght. We should participate to few awards, possibly the ones that are grants, paying the photographers, not the opposite. There is not an easy way to become a photographer: to be a photographer is not to try luck, it is about work. This requires a lot of application by reading a lot. Exposure can be found through magazines, the serious ones I mean, not the fanzines not paying you and promising exposure. In any case a photographer with ambitions should aim to work with agencies or finding a rep, a gallery, making a book…to make this we understand how to think the exposure will not be given by an award. As an editor I see a lot of difficulties by many on how to present a work. I think this would be a main issue for anyone looking for a serious photographer, or trying to be get serious. Let’s stop to feed people gravitating on photography just to make their own business. Magazines should pay photographers and not the opposite. Let’s stop also this. Stop with festivals where they have sponsors and then constantly they ask money for the entry fees. We, the photographers, should be those stop all this. We need to appropriate again of photography that is not about winning an award. Photography is much better than this. We need to be careful on selecting magazines and other places where to give our work.

    (Reply)

Bella DaKid
1 years ago


Hi Alex!

I literally received an email 10 minutes ago of them stating that they found me through the “explorepage” hashtag on IG, and my gut told me to check it out. I was so pleased when I came across your review/statement about this company, seeing as how I am not a large Instagramer or even a photographer! I am a makeup artist. I absolutely DESPISE wasting my time and now because of you I don’t have to. Thank you so much for being so genuine!

Cheers,
Bella

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 years ago


    Hi, Bella. You are welcome. Your comment is another proof of what they are. Thanks for writing this.

    (Reply)

Jesper Berthelsen
10 months ago


Thank a lot .

nice you wrote this so everyone knows what we should stay away from ..

Best regads Jesper from Danmark Instagram @Berthelsen_dk

(Reply)

Takera
10 months ago


Hi. Thank you for sharing your experience. I received an email from them and figured it may not be legit. I have only had a professional camera for a year but I’ve loved taking photos all of life, using Polaroid and getting film developed. What would you recommend for amateur photographers to get exposure, found mentors, tips in general? Thank you.

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    10 months ago


    Hi, thanks for your comment. I am a professional photographer, but there was a time I was an amateur. Take my recommendation considering also I am a photography educator. Despite we live in a in an age of impatient and all at once I still think the easiest way is not the better, if you aim to have your work recognized for the consistence and durability. So I recommend you:
    – Study a lot and never stop to do it;
    – Never think to stay in a comfort zone and re-discuss also the method and approach to make your photos, there is not a universal way to make photography;
    – Build a pretty good body of work, with images that others don’t make or can’t make;
    – Purchase a second level domain and build your personal website;
    – Don’t think awards can be the solution to get exposure;
    – By studying you should be able to recognize who is good and who is just pumped up, and this can be useful also in order to find a mentor;
    – To participate to contests and awards is good, but trust in few where is pretty clear is not just a business for the organizers;
    – Don’t allow to flat your visions and your photography based on what is considered a winning image in a award;

    I am perfectly aware this is the hard way, but I can see how real results need time, dedication, a lot of efforts in studying through books, not just photography books, and also through the internet by choosing the right resources. All over these years I have seen how also award winners and celebrated exploits were only meteors. I am into photography since several years and celebrating 10 years. The idea an award makes us photographers is sad and, despite it can be immediate renown, the real photography goals are others.

    (Reply)

Alford Wayman
7 months ago


Hey thanks for speaking out . I just received an e-mail from them and did a search and your site was the first to come up on the topic. Thanks sooo much for speaking out and I am very glad I did not get exploited. Now I’ll get back to making the pots! I didn’t think the photos were that great. I shoot everything from an old Samsung S5 . Pleased to meet you and enjoyed seeing the body of work! Great tips to the person above also!

Thank you!

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    7 months ago


    You are welcome. We, the photographers, are exploited from people making their own business with 0 real interest for photographers and photography. We can see this with a lot of magazines not paying the featured photographers, even some magazines asking for money…to be in their magazine! All of us are involved in changing this state of things.

    (Reply)

diaan
4 months ago


I have had my work featured as an editor’s feature and also had images submitted free and for money featured in their context galleries. I know TWO someones who won, one for street and one for documentary and both were deserved projects, tho I have seen some I have questioned. WRT the reviews, it depends on the reviewer assigned. I have been insulted; I have been praised, I have been given feedback that was useful enough to turn a project into something that won an international award elsewhere. It is the luck of the draw, and you have no say in who gets them and how they view their job.

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    4 months ago


    Of course there can be positive experiences. But the facts reported can’t be denied.

    (Reply)

Gabriel
1 month ago


Hi- just ran across your website and thought I’d chime in on the LensCulture topic.

I participated in their Exposure Awards 2020 competition. I have been really hesitant to do any of these competition things, but thought, why not- and I paid £50 for the review, I thought at least that might be worth something.

I submitted in December 2019, with the promise that the review would come by April 11. Of course, the pandemic happened so I decided to give it some time. Well, it’s now August 20 and not one word from them. Nada, zilch, nothing.

I’ve emailed and asked for my £50 back. I don’t anticipate getting any response, but wanted to give a word of warning to anyone considering entering. Reading some of the other responses here it sounds like my experience isn’t too much of a surprise.

Best to everyone out there in these uncertain times!

(Reply)

    alexcoghe
    1 month ago


    Thanks for sharing your experience, Gabriel. It is another bad story linked to that organization/platform.

    (Reply)



Leave A Reply