Countryfile calendar photo competition.

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Peter
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Any thoughts on the final 12?
Lots of cute images. No farming images.
Many many good photos - 42,000 of them!
 
Any thoughts on the final 12?
Lots of cute images. No farming images.
Many many good photos - 42,000 of them!

Darn missed it, will have try iPlayer and/website???
 
"Catchers in the Sky" lucky drone shot or composite?
J

Well, the rules AFAIK explicitly bar composite images though one a previous made me think it was one :(

But let's take as given that this entry is not one, would a flock of Oyster catchers stay in flying group near a drone? I wonder where that village is, could it be that there is a hill on which the Photographer was positioned? The apparent DoF (the village does seem quite sharp) so maybe a lucky shot during a landscape photography trip?

On the whole a pleasing set, will need to look again to choose and favourite(s).
 
Another badger shot in the final 12. This is the weakest of the 12 IMO.
 
Are they available to see on-line?
 
For me the poorest group of 12 in the competition for some time, the 'Catchers in the sky' stood out as different but for all the wrong reasons.
I found myself struggling a bit to fit some of the into the theme.
 
For me the poorest group of 12 in the competition for some time, the 'Catchers in the sky' stood out as different but for all the wrong reasons.
I found myself struggling a bit to fit some of the into the theme.

Exactly my thoughts too.
 
My criteria for choosing images for my own calendar is 'can I spend a whole month with this picture on my desk?' There are only a couple of that lot I could spend a month looking at without it bugging the hell out of me that something was wrong. Theme or no, tbh I've seen far better images on here. But then judging that type of competition is going to be very subjective, and with the number of entries the judges have to wade through surely they can't give more than a passing glance to each one? However, lots of people will buy the end result and it is for charity, so how much does it really matter?
 
It’s like this every year. They give a brief and in the end most them are cute shots of wild animals and/or their young.
Crashing waves were different but how many images have we all seen like that.
Pleased an insect one made the final cut.
 
I quite like them, I think they are generally better than the the last couple of years.
 
I understand the photo that made the cover (mouse in an apple?) was shot in controlled conditions with studio style flash at a workshop and not out in the wild...
Judging by John Craven’s comment that ‘being taken under controlled conditions IS within the rules, so long as it’s declared on the entry’ the BBC are heading off a storm of complaints? It’s noticeable the declaration wasn’t mentioned until after it had been judged.
 
View: https://BANNED/Jamie2090/status/1178388450959138818
 
I understand the photo that made the cover (mouse in an apple?) was shot in controlled conditions with studio style flash at a workshop and not out in the wild...
Captive animals are within their rules (rule 1) as long as its declared by the photographer on entry. Does the BBC need to release that information to everyone else after they have chosen their images? Personally I don't think they do as long as it met their rules. It seems only photographers get in a huff about it and want to know if the photographer had mentioned it. I'm all for meeting rules etc but it's only the BBC country file calendar. It's not worth getting worried about. Any way it's not the first image of a captive animal to get the front cover. I remember one of other that got the cover and many captive/workshop images that have gotten into the calendar previously.

Ironically it's the same with BWPA. They allow captive animals too even thought they are called British WILDLIFE photography Awards!
 
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Should we suppose that they know the rules of their competition? That scrutiny of BBC competitions over the years has probably made them fairly careful? That the judges arrived at the best compromise from the submitted images? That may be the underlying aim was to raise as much money as possible for charity?
 
My only comment is that it is within the rules, but the viewing public were only told after the entry was declared the winner. Would it change the voting publics opinion possibly, possibly not....
 
I see countryfile is trending on social media. Was surprised when they showed how the photo was set up as I thought the whole point of this competition was to photograph wildlife outdoors? Seem to remember John Craven and Cerys launching the comp crouching down in a park taking a photo of a duck or a squirrel with an iphone.

In the rules it says about the spirit of the competition and not deceive the viewer or misrepresent the aspect of nature being portrayed. If they had been straight with the public before the vote, doubt this would have won. Sympathy to those who bothered to spend time going into the countryside to get a decent photo of something in its own habitat.
 
The problem I have with the winning photo, is not just that it is staged, but it looks so staged, and not very imaginatively either. Not a great shot IMO.
 
This shot is completely against the 'spirit' of the competition and does not send a good message to any youngsters, who may now think that it is perfectly ok to take creatures from the wild. There were thousands of fantastic natural shots to choose from, which were responsibly taken in the wild/garden and by entrants of all ages, with all types of camera. It's a complete disgrace in my opinion, that they should choose to 'endorse' this practice.
 
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This shot is completely against the 'spirit' of the competition and does not send a good message to any youngsters, who may now think that it is perfectly ok to take creatures from the wild. There were thousands of fantastic natural shots to choose from, which were responsibly taken in the wild/garden and by entrants of all ages, with all types of camera. It's a complete disgrace in my opinion, that they should choose to 'endorce' this practice.

Yes, especially as such emphasis is put on the wildlife, countryside & outdoors aspect on the show and the 'introduction' each year to and about 'that year's theme'.

None too sure about this year but fairly sure on previous years the T&C's excluded staged/studio settings??? They certainly excluded image manipulation/composite images.
 
I just don't get it. Every time someone announces they've won a competition or had an image published the thread rapidly degenerates to slagging off the winner and/or the organiser.

Personally, I don't like the winning image but it fits the theme (sort of) and is within the rules. Bitching that the BBC didn't tell the voting public what the rules were is frankly ridiculous - it would have taken less than 30 seconds to Google the rules if you'd been interested enough before voting. If you didn't enter the competition what does it matter to you? Voting costs nothing and if you don't like the images don't buy the calendar - what have you got to feel aggrieved about?

Oh and, unless you can show me I'm wrong, the title of the competition doesn't mention "wildlife" and there's nothing in the rules to say the subject has to be wild and free; indeed three of the examples they give for subject matter are all domesticated or captive (beasts of burden, cattle and sheep).
 
The water vole image in 2017 was also a set up, which as with this one was obvious, a water vole with blackberries, hardly
a natural sight
 
I found it interesting that when the competition was announced its theme was "Beauty and the Beast" One of the judges ( IIRC a name photographer whose name I have forgotten) suggested that "the beast" could be interpreted as some kind of threat to the "beauty". You know - something a little bit more hard-hitting......

But alarm bells must have rung because it soon became "beauty and the beasts", and normal service was soon resumed!

Having siad that I do like one or two of the winners.
 
Countryfile ceased being a programme for farmers when they changed the format and shifted it from its Sunday morning slot.

Now it's just a bucolic TV show for townies, a shadow of its former self.

I wouldn't say it was ever a show for farmers but it certainly was more hard-hitting and less cuddly than it is now. Much like the photos in the calendar really.......
 
I just don't get it. Every time someone announces they've won a competition or had an image published the thread rapidly degenerates to slagging off the winner and/or the organiser.

Personally, I don't like the winning image but it fits the theme (sort of) and is within the rules. Bitching that the BBC didn't tell the voting public what the rules were is frankly ridiculous - it would have taken less than 30 seconds to Google the rules if you'd been interested enough before voting. If you didn't enter the competition what does it matter to you? Voting costs nothing and if you don't like the images don't buy the calendar - what have you got to feel aggrieved about?

Oh and, unless you can show me I'm wrong, the title of the competition doesn't mention "wildlife" and there's nothing in the rules to say the subject has to be wild and free; indeed three of the examples they give for subject matter are all domesticated or captive (beasts of burden, cattle and sheep).

This is a photography forum so IMO photographic competitions are a valid topic of discussion.
I maintain my original point that in recent years there are no farming images. Farming is still a large and important part of our countryside.
It might be in the rules to capture wild animals and set them up to take a photo but it is not something I would ever do.
As we all pay for the BBC I think comment on any BBC programme is totally fair.
 
I just don't get it. Every time someone announces they've won a competition or had an image published the thread rapidly degenerates to slagging off the winner and/or the organiser.

Personally, I don't like the winning image but it fits the theme (sort of) and is within the rules. Bitching that the BBC didn't tell the voting public what the rules were is frankly ridiculous - it would have taken less than 30 seconds to Google the rules if you'd been interested enough before voting. If you didn't enter the competition what does it matter to you? Voting costs nothing and if you don't like the images don't buy the calendar - what have you got to feel aggrieved about?

Oh and, unless you can show me I'm wrong, the title of the competition doesn't mention "wildlife" and there's nothing in the rules to say the subject has to be wild and free; indeed three of the examples they give for subject matter are all domesticated or captive (beasts of burden, cattle and sheep).


Hi Bristolian,

Here's a shot that I took yesterday. Don't worry, i'm an approved Nuthatch handler and i've airbrushed out the staples that I used to nail it to the tree!

My original point, was that I expect the BBC and 'Countryfile' to protect our wildlife and NOT abuse it!

DSC_0695 by Glynn Hobbs, on Flickr
 
I just don't get it. Every time someone announces they've won a competition or had an image published the thread rapidly degenerates to slagging off the winner and/or the organiser.

Personally, I don't like the winning image but it fits the theme (sort of) and is within the rules. Bitching that the BBC didn't tell the voting public what the rules were is frankly ridiculous - it would have taken less than 30 seconds to Google the rules if you'd been interested enough before voting. If you didn't enter the competition what does it matter to you? Voting costs nothing and if you don't like the images don't buy the calendar - what have you got to feel aggrieved about?

Oh and, unless you can show me I'm wrong, the title of the competition doesn't mention "wildlife" and there's nothing in the rules to say the subject has to be wild and free; indeed three of the examples they give for subject matter are all domesticated or captive (beasts of burden, cattle and sheep).



...because - ethics.
 
Hmmmm, "Beauty and the beast" - some strange (if not extreme) interpretations of that theme.
I'm sure a number of those images (albeit good in their own right), would receive comment in some local or regional judging against the theme itself...
 
I’m surprised winner was allowed through to the end, if only from personal experience.

I entered a few years back, the first time I’d sent any pic in to a competition. Very pleased to be told initially that I’d made the shortlist and then ultimately got chosen to be in the calendar. Yay. (y):sneaky::)

However, between those two stages it was like a grilling from the Bristol Mafia over a period of several weeks. How did I take the picture, where, when, what gear? Had I entered it into any other competition?

I had to send in an electronic copy (they wanted prints for original competition), plus frames either side of the one I sent. Got asked to explain why the colours on their computer screen image were a little different from the print? They then obviously did an internet trawl and asked why my picture was being used in Russia?! (I assume it had been nicked off Flickr). I then had to agree to not use the pic anywhere else for 12 months and BBC Radio Cambridge had to get permission for a radio interview with me and a country ranger type fella for a bit of PR.

Didn’t bother again after that.
 
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...because - ethics.
Granted I get that but it’s not the first captive or set up image ever to grace the calendar.

You could also say it’s only the countryfile calendar and not WPOTY or BWPA. The whole for charity part has sadly been lost in the fall out too. This sort of thing happens every time any photography competition winners are announced.
 
The ethics part is accurately informing the public voters what they are looking at; ie a studio shot with captive a animal (which in itself would seem to be against the rules)
rather than the outdoors shot in the wild that it is purporting to be.

Basically the whole image is a lie.
 
I’m surprised winner was allowed through to the end, if only from personal experience.

I entered a few years back, the first time I’d sent any pic in to a competition. Very pleased to be told initially that I’d made the shortlist and then ultimately got chosen to be in the calendar. Yay. (y):sneaky::)

However, between those two stages it was like a grilling from the Bristol Mafia over a period of several weeks. How did I take the picture, where, when, what gear? Had I entered it into any other competition?

I had to send in an electronic copy (they wanted prints for original competition), plus frames either side of the one I sent. Got asked to explain why the colours on their computer screen image were a little different from the print? They then obviously did an internet trawl and asked why my picture was being used in Russia?! (I assume it had been nicked off Flickr). I then had to agree to not use the pic anywhere else for 12 months and BBC Radio Cambridge had to get permission for a radio interview with me and a country ranger type fella for a bit of PR.

Didn’t bother again after that.


Jeez......Not surprised you didn't enter again.
 
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