Wigan Photographic Society Competition Fraud?

Given that a lot of composite images are entered into camera club competitions and PAGB events (particularly the cliched big face from Whitby Goth Fair in foreground / street scene background) one entry could be any number of raw files or jpegs. Viable but not necessarily practical, unless the rules are for straight shots only.
 
wave01 said:
I don't think anyone is trying to reduce photography to competition.
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Camera clubs are... they're obsessed with competition.
 
That is what most camera clubs do they enter competitions. A lot people join these club to learn and there is a wealth of information at these clubs, they do help people improve. I know in my local area there are no evening classes on photography any more, it's the local clubs that help people now
 
Oh dear... that's the first time I've seen the image, as it had been removed by the time I saw this thread.

That's some seriously crap Photoshop work! LOL


How did that even win in the first place?? Seriously.. that masking and compositing looks like it's been done by an idiot wearing boxing gloves. They want to kick out whoever judges their "competitions" too. Imean, they entered that s**t into the PAGB. I've actually no idea what the "PAGB" is.... but it's obviously something camera club types wet their knickers over.

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The other thing I'm struggling to understand, is where did he get the image from? I've looked at Carri's website, and the images are only very low res, so his "competition" entry must have looked S**T in print. How did anyone not even notice this was seriously dodgy from the get go?


If you want a laugh, look at his Fliclr page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97006565@N07/
 
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The style of picture on his Flickr page is very popular in photo comps these days. Get a model dressed up, cut out the head and stick it on a prepared background. That's what clubs are looking for now.
A bit like colour popping or false tiltshift it is the modern fad and will no doubt soon pass.

Agree about his PP skills. He's ruined the original.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Oh dear... that's the first time I've seen the image, as it had been removed by the time I saw this thread.

If you want a laugh, look at his Fliclr page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97006565@N07/
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Well he's obviously had a lot of practice with composite images.................



..................I think he needs a lot more help though :eek:

Loving the Vampires Lair shot :p
 
Come on guys, I thought the rule here was that you don't criticise people's work if they're not here to defend themselves.

I mean, sure, what this chap has done by way of plagiarism is unacceptable. By all means let's talk about that. But that doesn't give us the right to criticise his work if we don't think it's very good.
 
StewartR said:
Come on guys, I thought the rule here was that you don't criticise people's work if they're not here to defend themselves.

I mean, sure, what this chap has done by way of plagiarism is unacceptable. By all means let's talk about that. But that doesn't give us the right to criticise his work if we don't think it's very good.
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Most people who are not very good will post their work, seek advice, learn, improve, and eventually become good. I don't have an issue with those.

Then some people just plagiarise the work of others because they're not very good.

B******s to him.
 
come on folks, doesn't matter how much of a t*** he's been by doing what hes done, we don't usually rip other peoples stuff to shreds like this.
 
One of the reasons I never joined a local club where I used to live, competition mad. To my mind a REALLY good club should be there to help with members photographic problems- help with members understand their own equipment -guest lecturers- how to get the best from studio lighting (even members own gear) -how to edit . The list is endless and absolutely NO need for ANY thoughts of competitions as it becomes a photo "mine is better than yours" attitude and the quickest way to disinterest and lose new members.
If members MUST show off their work have a place to display it, be it on a wall or whatever for members to look at
 
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Matt said:
come on folks, doesn't matter how much of a t*** he's been by doing what hes done, we don't usually rip other peoples stuff to shreds like this.
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Of course, it's not exactly HIS work!!! ;)
 
Carri Angel in The Telegraph:

She added: "The only thing that grieves me slightly is that I think the society should have spotted this.

"I am a professional photographer and it is quite evident to anybody that knows anything about photography that the model in the shot has been photographed in a professional studio and the image has been edited to a very high level."

"He then roughly cut this image out and dropped it onto a tacky stock background. The level of skill in the photography certainly does not match his shoddy attempt at editing. The WPS really should have noticed that."
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The level was reportedly over 9000.
 
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mickledore said:
The style of picture on his Flickr page is very popular in photo comps these days. Get a model dressed up, cut out the head and stick it on a prepared background. That's what clubs are looking for now.
A bit like colour popping or false tiltshift it is the modern fad and will no doubt soon pass.
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If this is the case, I'm definitely not a photographer - or at least, I sincerely hope I'm not.
 
I'm baffled! The entire thrust of this is about plagiarism/cheating. And yes, that's all very relevant but this guy was in charge of their finances ffs!!!
 
Matt said:
come on folks, doesn't matter how much of a t*** he's been by doing what hes done, we don't usually rip other peoples stuff to shreds like this.
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It remains to be seen if it IS his work though.
 
adrianday said:
I wonder if there'd have been any fuss if, instead of entering the photo into a competition, he'd sold it for $90,000 instead?
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Hmmmm! well there would surely have been copyright infringement, unlicensed derivative work which he has infringed already but in the case you propose it is the pecuniary advantage because of these and Carri I would hope find a lawyer who could take the case forward legally. In other words the perpetrator would find himself in whole different world of troubles compared to the what had transpired here.
 
adrianday said:
I wonder if there'd have been any fuss if, instead of entering the photo into a competition, he'd sold it for $90,000 instead?
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The difference is, we all know Prince's work is appropriated. He's made no attempt to hide the fact. It's right there for everyone to see. So is work such as this.

The idiot from Wigan very much didn't want anyone to know it wasn't his work. He made no attempt to suggest it was appropriated from another source.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Most people who are not very good will post their work, seek advice, learn, improve, and eventually become good. I don't have an issue with those.

Then some people just plagiarise the work of others because they're not very good.

B******s to him.
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Actually, it's probably more that he has a position in the club, it's an over riding obsession or hobby, perhaps recognised as someone who regularly submits winning images. More likely the pressure of his position, status, possibly time constraints, overwhelmed his common sense. It's a huge well publicised fall


Although looking at the comments on the flickr, it seems his images are being disected
 
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I don't see the point in using others images. To me you're only doing yourself down. Photography is all about progression to me. Bettering yourself, no point in 'cheating'.
 
StephenM said:
If this is the case, I'm definitely not a photographer - or at least, I sincerely hope I'm not.
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lol....I know

the fact that the image was stolen is more the side issue it seems to me, when camera clubs are actively encouraging chopped off heads and bg swaps to win.......comps ????

what a load of sh1te
 
To be fair it isn't the camera clubs that are encouraging this style of image-making, there are a huge number of photographers who enter exhibitions held under the auspices of BPE (Btitish Photographic Exhibitions) and FIAP (International Association of Photographic Art), and these are the photographers that mainly engage in the genre.

Acceptances in these exhibitions (which may not be exhibited as dpi's more than once or twice), are added together, and 25 acceptances mean you can add the letters BPE 1* after your name, as below:

BPE1 Crown Award - 25 points (Acceptances in BPE exhibitions)

BPE2 Crown Award - 50 points

BPE3 Crown Award - 100 points

BPE4 Crown Award - 200 points

BPE5 Crown Award - 300 points


There also appears to be a fashion in the photographs that judges at these exhibitions seem to always accept, seemingly largely creative, which are usually constructed from several images plus some textures and Photoshop added lighting effects, and the awards in most of these exhibitions seem to go to a relatively small group of photographers who have this kind of image off to a fine art.

There are usually one or two workers of this type in regular camera clubs, except for two or three clubs formulated by their members purely for the purpose of working towards exhibition success, but they are not the life-blood of most camera clubs.

Just a line or two in defence of camera clubs, some of which (but definitely not all), put a great amount of effort into entertaining and educating their members. If they really were all as bad as some say, they surely would all have closed years ago, as there are now so many other ways to spend your leisure time.
 
Would just like to say, Not all camera clubs are competition driven, I help run one in the north east - we have day trips and some studio work as well as some other workshops. We learn from each other and basically have a good night. The only competitions we have is after a trip out, best pic from the day wins a pat on the back!
 
david357 said:
There also appears to be a fashion in the photographs that judges at these exhibitions seem to always accept, seemingly largely creative, which are usually constructed from several images plus some textures and Photoshop added lighting effects, and the awards in most of these exhibitions seem to go to a relatively small group of photographers who have this kind of image off to a fine art..
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LOL.. I don't think so.
 
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