It's been a year already so if you haven't already got a great wildlife photo, get out and shooting for the Otago Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 competition.
It's a great comp, but personally, I'd like to see some changes this year. I heard some grumblings about last year's winner looking like a none-too-subtle bit of HDR manipulation. I've got to admit, it may have been done in camera, but it did look like some of the beautiful work done by Weta Digital.
To avoid that kind of suspicion, I think it fair to ask finalists to submit an original raw file of their work. I'd also like to see a higher profile expert judge, possibly from overseas, or at least an experienced judge from PSNZ on the judging panel this year. The competition deserves the added prestige this would add. I'd also like to see some more guidelines and criteria for entrants to go by. Animal portraiture is fine, but to my way of thinking, a winning wildlife shot should be more than a good portrait. It should have strong elements of behaviour, natural history, drama, humour or character. A true champion should have all these and more. Maybe it's time for a two-tier competition as we go into the second decade of this great event.
Let's raise that bar!
Oh chrickey Clive - couldn't you find one a little more flattering - like the one where my back is to the camera!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you won't I intend blackmailing you with all the moving image I have of you. You didn;t notice the 'hidden camera' in the DOC huts, cars, boats and planes did you? You can take the girl outta Fair Go, but not Fair Go outta the girl :-) Yours truly! A
Actually Anna, that's not you. It's a Hooker's Sea Lion but I can understand your confusion on so many levels :->
ReplyDeleteWell said. I was appaled last year when I saw the winning entry. It was as fake and doctored as Pamela Andersons tits.
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