Countryfile calendar photo competition.

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.
Whilst I can see it’s a pain to do all of that I don’t think we can say they aren’t thorough with their research into eligibility once selected. I’ve heard other competitions do the same things like ask for the original RAW or JPEGs either side to check there isn't any photoshop trickery going on.

I remember a few back the BBC had a big issue/fallout regarding how they conducted competitions. Perhaps it was during the time they were instigating changes but went a little over the top.
 
I thought the comp was only open to amateurs yet the winner appears to be a professional photographer with website & separate FB page for her business. The guy who runs the studio sessions for the mice has taken some flak too.
 
I thought the comp was only open to amateurs yet the winner appears to be a professional photographer with website & separate FB page for her business. The guy who runs the studio sessions for the mice has taken some flak too.
They class a professional as anyone who earns more than half of their income from photography. There are plenty of 'semi pros' (either with a full time job or retired with pension) in the same position.
 
I always have a look and I was underwhelmed by some of the images. Having seen some of the judging process on the programme itself by chance, many of the ones that were seen then had more impact than these. I think the lighthouse shot looks photoshopped [or very badly processed] and I have heard that the goats photo was taken in another country - not sure if that is true or not. Perhaps they should call the competition something else. It's for Children in Need which is a great charity but you would think they would not allow animals to be captured / bred for studio use. I have not checked who the judges were; perhaps that is an area which could be reviewed too. Edit: the final 12 were selected by a zoologist/ tv presenter, a comedian/musician and John Craven.
 
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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.
Congratulations - realise it wasn't this year! A friend of mine has just been through exactly the same. He didn't get into the calendar, though I believe his photo will be displayed with others on the cover or something. He still got the grilling :ROFLMAO:
 
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Just noticed on my Google newsfeed that the 'fans' have been reported as, in the tabloid press, being annoyed that it was not taken in the wild!!!
Methinks the Beeb will be addressing this sometime soon, as surely (even if in the t&C's for entrants such studio work was allowed) the voting public will in future need to be informed???

PS quite apart from any future competitors not bothering if they will be up against "staged" photography!
 
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Let's face it's, these sweet, twee images that get viewers (especially women) going, 'Aw, so cute!' is what sells the calendars...probably part of the reason for the mouse being the winner and therefore on the front of the calendar...

That’s pretty much my thought on it too. I doubt the majority of Countryfile calendar buyers will give two hoots about how the photo was taken, or about photography whatsoever. They just want a nice picture on their calendar each month. Given the calendar aids charity, I can understand fully the effort to maximise the market for it in this way.

From an entrants point of view though, it’s a somewhat disingenuous state of affairs, I think.

The relevant section of the competition T&Cs reads:

Farm animals are allowed, but photos of pets and zoo animals are not eligible. Images of UK wildlife in captivity must be declared as such. The BBC’s decision as to the eligibility of individual photographs will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

When do captive animals cease to be captive and become pets? What is the difference between a captive animal in someone’s home as opposed to in a zoo? Were the mice released back into the wild after the photo was taken? Given that the person still had them in their artificial habitat in order to demonstrate the shot to John Craven, I suspect not (although I suppose these could be a fresh bunch of captives). Also, what are the ethics of capturing wild animals to be used in this way?

I think that they will either need to change the rules for future competitions, or accept that there will be an increase of people capturing wildlife in order to take photos of them in artificial environments given that those sort of images seem more likely to be successful.
 
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I think that they will either need to change the rules for future competitions, or accept that there will be an increase of people capturing wildlife in order to take photos of them in artificial environments given that those sort of images seem more likely to be successful.
Spot on...
 
Absolute farce and a shambles from Countryfile that they would even consider allowing the mouse photo to be the winner. Against the T&C's no less! Kick in the stomach to proper wildlife tog's who get up at 4-5am and spend all day knackered searching for 'the shot'
 
That’s pretty much my thought on it too. I doubt the majority of Countryfile calendar buyers will give two hoots about how the photo was taken, or about photography whatsoever. They just want a nice picture on their calendar each month. Given the calendar aids charity, I can understand fully the effort to maximise the market for it in this way.

From an entrants point of view though, it’s a somewhat disingenuous state of affairs, I think.

The relevant section of the competition T&Cs reads:



When do captive animals cease to be captive and become pets? What is the difference between a captive animal in someone’s home as opposed to in a zoo? Were the mice released back into the wild after the photo was taken? Given that the person still had them in their artificial habitat in order to demonstrate the shot to John Craven, I suspect not (although I suppose these could be a fresh bunch of captives). Also, what are the ethics of capturing wild animals to be used in this way?

I think that they will either need to change the rules for future competitions, or accept that there will be an increase of people capturing wildlife in order to take photos of them in artificial environments given that those sort of images seem more likely to be successful.
Spot on...

If they are captive animals IMO there must be a declaration in regard to whether the pictures were taken at a licensed 'premises' such as run by Dean Mason of Window on Wildlife. NB AFAIK he in common with some other but not necessarily all of them licensed providers have captive bred harvest mice.

Using a facility that uses Capturing for photography would make me a tad uncomfortable, as none too sure about the welfare aspects being fully addressed???
 
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I know it's to raise money for charity, but how much is 1st prize? I think it's a £1000 photo equipment voucher? I seem to recall it's been that for several years now, so maybe a bit of an increase might be in order? In real terms it's probably gone from nearly a good DSLR to not even half of one!
 
Congratulations - realise it wasn't this year! A friend of mine has just been through exactly the same. He didn't get into the calendar, though I believe his photo will be displayed with others on the cover or something. He still got the grilling :ROFLMAO:

Yep, I think they said at the time that if you made the shortlist but not the calendar it would be displayed somewhere.

At least I got a free calendar, signed by John Craven no less ☺️. And they sent me a framed copy of print too.
 
If they are captive animals IMO there must be a declaration in regard to whether the pictures were taken at a licensed 'premises' such as run by Dean Mason of Window on Wildlife. NB AFAIK he in common with some other but not necessarily all of them licensed providers have captive bred harvest mice.

The same professional Dean Mason that won it a couple of years ago with the water vole, not exactly an amatuer
 
The same professional Dean Mason that won it a couple of years ago with the water vole, not exactly an amatuer

AFAIK/recall the rules they refer to the level of earnings in regard to semi pro as full time professionals are not allowed to enter!
 
Absolute farce and a shambles from Countryfile that they would even consider allowing the mouse photo to be the winner. Against the T&C's no less! Kick in the stomach to proper wildlife tog's who get up at 4-5am and spend all day knackered searching for 'the shot'
I've read the T&C's and I can't find one that isn't subjective and enough of an eligibility issue.

Rule 1. Images of UK wildlife in captivity must be declared as such.

This doesn't mean that its declared to the public as captive, just the photographer informing country file. To be more open they could highlight to the viewer what were captive animals or remove captive animals altogether. This would mean no deer park images as they are captive animals and not wild and free.

Rule 4. Countryfile is aware that digital photography does allow for some image enhancement. You can enter images that have had spots, scratches or other blemishes removed. You can have worked on the colour or enhanced the image for the sake of the composition. You can also crop the image to improve composition.
We will not accept composite images - entries that stitch two or more separate photographs together to make one image, or entries that superimpose elements photographed separately onto an image.
We want you to stay faithful to the spirit of the competition, and never deceive the viewer or misrepresent the aspect of nature being portrayed. BBC Countryfile and the judges reserve the right to exclude any image they believe may have been excessively treated so as to alter its authenticity.

Whilst it could be argued the misrepresentation is from the staging of the shot this statement is on relation to image manipulation that rule 4 covers.

Rule 6. Entrants must not be professional photographers. For the purposes of this competition, a professional photographer will be considered to be someone who makes more than half their annual income from the sale of their photographs.

It can be quite easy for a semi pro to meet this rule if they don't make more than 50% of their income from photography especially if you're retired from the police with a good pension.

Rule 24. Please take your photos responsibly and always follow the Countryside Code.

Now this is a rule that it could fall foul of but currently it could be subjective to whats 'take your photos responsibly'. This is the point where they could elaborate in the future. I do think a future rule change to explicitly say staged photographs in a studio setting are not allowed. I personally would extend this to paid for hides and workshops as there is little actual ability of the photographer in the final image- its often a case where the pro photographer has done the work and its sit here and you can get this and this if you press the shutter.
 
They even have a piece here https://www.countryfile.com/country...lendar/countryfile-calendar-competition-2020/
With John Craven doing his "mouse whispering" bit in the reprise of the studio situation.

As I had mentioned on a previous post, I don't previously recall such captive 'wildlife' being permitted?

I've found the rules from 2009 and they are nearly identical to the current rules. I've not been able to find rules prior to 2009.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/countryfile/competitionrules.shtml
 
Something the winner said in last weekends Countryfile rang true with me.....along the lines that it would be 'neigh-on impossible to photograph a harvest mouse in an apple in the wild'.

I daresay that this is true, but this for me neatly summarises both the challenging appeal of wildlife photography and why (yes, I know the rules permit it in this instance) photo's such as this shouldn't win wildlife competitions.

I admire good wildlife photographs precisely because they are hard to take and (aside from occasional good fortune) someone has taken considerable time and effort to capture these images.
 
And if that IS a harvest mouse, what's it doing in the middle of an apple on a bed of moss?
This is the nub of it for me. It's not a scene likely to be found in the wild. What's the mouse doing? Looking cute for the cameras. ;)
 
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