Processing a bird photograph for competition in local photography clubs

Seajay

Seajay

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Name
Cathy
Edit My Images
Yes
Can I ask all you wildlife photographer's what your process is for selecting and editing an image you would see fit to enter in a club competition?
I don't print or enter any of my images as I truthfully am not sure how to pick and edit one that I would think was suitable. Its ok to look at your image online and think Oh that's ok and post on FB but competition entry well that's a different story lol

Recently enjoyed a friends set of prints that was used in competition and decided I would look through some of mine to see how to choose and edit one I like.
So I now need a little help to decide what do you look for that would make you chose. Also during an edit are you allowed to move a part of the original image for example a little branch that is distracting.
 
The competition will have rules - some dont allow cloning anf you have to supply the image plus a raw file.

The club i used to belong to had a lot of Judges for thier competitions that were into wildlife photography themsleves. They always wanted images of the bird doing something rather than just perched on a branch or post. In flight, eating displaying etc. For the club and therefore the East Anglia Federation competitions it could be edited and cloning branches and rubish out and dodging and burning was permited. We had one external competition that did require unedited images beyond exposure and contrast
 
AgentOrange76 said:
The competition will have rules - some dont allow cloning anf you have to supply the image plus a raw file.

The club i used to belong to had a lot of Judges for thier competitions that were into wildlife photography themsleves. They always wanted images of the bird doing something rather than just perched on a branch or post. In flight, eating displaying etc. For the club and therefore the East Anglia Federation competitions it could be edited and cloning branches and rubish out and dodging and burning was permited. We had one external competition that did require unedited images beyond exposure and contrast
Click to expand...
This is helpful and at least now I know to get a variety of images with the birds flying eating etc too .
I had a look on YouTube to see if there was anything on editing for comps but not found anything yet. I try not to edit too much but have removed small branch or leaf if it was taking my eye to it instead of the bird.
Thank you James appreciate the advice.
 
If the club has a web site that shows previous winners take a look at that and see which images are most successful. You could do worse than to look through the Photos>Nature-Birds section on here. Look at the images in there and think about what's good and bad about it then take a look at the comments left by others.

I haven't been a club member for several years now but as has already been said pictures of a "bird on a stick" weren't very successful ... birds in flight generally did well. Judges were always hung up on images having to be "tack sharp" with uncluttered backgrounds.

The presentation of images (e.g. max image dimensions, amount/type of editing, etc.) will be determined by the club rules.

Good luck :)
 
I don't do Camera Clubs personally but some good points raised here - May I suggest asking the Club for some guidance ?

Oh and good luck

Les :)
 
Thanks everyone I have taken on all your advice and I will think about it. Not sure comps are for me but we will see.
 
At my club we are happy to offer advice to less experienced members and have a couple of critiques groups where members can obtain comments on their images by other developing members and at least one very experienced member. However going back to when I first joined a cameras club 40 years ago, I just joined in and entered competitions immediately, accepted the judge's criticisms and my photography developed very quickly as I learnt from this. My first few entries were heavily criticised (rightly so) but I did win a trophy by the end of the first season.

I am aware that competition images are different from from commercial images, documentary or family records but most of us take all of these but have a good idea which will do better in front of a judge. With all competitions, you need to look at the rules though some do not. While Nature can be fairly strict so is Travel and Documentary.

Dave
 
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