Annual 2017 Competition
- Pete Eeles
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Annual 2017 Competition
Hi all,
The UK Butterflies 2017 Photography Competition is now open for entries! Details at:
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/competit ... uction.php
Cheers,
- Pete
The UK Butterflies 2017 Photography Competition is now open for entries! Details at:
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/competit ... uction.php
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
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- Tony Moore
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Do the entries have to be from 2017 only, or does the competition run from Nov 30 2016?
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
I'd say that any photo can be entered, no matter when it was taken.
The assumption here is that photography (and photographs) improves over time and that most entries will be more recent.
But if someone found a gem from 1962, then I wouldn't have a problem anyone entering that![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Cheers,
- Pete
The assumption here is that photography (and photographs) improves over time and that most entries will be more recent.
But if someone found a gem from 1962, then I wouldn't have a problem anyone entering that
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Cheers,
- Pete
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- Tony Moore
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Thanks, Peter.
Tony M.
Tony M.
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Oh dear - it's a bit fuzzy! There are so many at a particular place I visit in the New Forest. But few came close to me! So this was taken at quite a distance with an ordinary camera.
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
You need to follow Pete's link in his original post to submit pictures Catriona, this thread is just to let everyone know about itCatriona wrote:RSCN7340.JPG
Oh dear - it's a bit fuzzy! There are so many at a particular place I visit in the New Forest. But few came close to me! So this was taken at quite a distance with an ordinary camera.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Some addictions are good for the soul!
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Oh, how daft of me! ![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Congratulations to Nigel Kiteley, overall winner in the 2017 UK Butterflies Annual Photography Competition! My thanks to all the entrants and congrats to all of the winners. The full set of winning entries can be found at: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/competit ... ?year=2017
My thanks to Gary and Lisa Richardson, and Mark Colvin for helping with the judging this year. As usual, there were different opinions, this year more than ever!
Cheers,
- Pete
My thanks to Gary and Lisa Richardson, and Mark Colvin for helping with the judging this year. As usual, there were different opinions, this year more than ever!
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Wow that's two years running, I'm over the moon. Thank you very much to the judges for choosing my Chalk-Hill Blue image as the overall winner, and congratulations to all the other winners.
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Well done to all the winners. Any comments from the judges on the also-rans? ![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Hi Ian,Ian Pratt wrote:Well done to all the winners. Any comments from the judges on the also-rans?
Not specifically, but some general observations:
1. Focus on composition, as well as the technicalities (in focus etc.).
2. Remember that the final image is as much art as science. The blend of colours, for example, is a factor.
3. Would you put your image in a frame and hang it on a wall - as Gary would say, is it "wall worthy"?
Given that we've had a long run of similar-looking images over the last several years (and I know that some are fed up with "butterfly on a stick" images), I'm proposing to shake things up next year. I've no idea what might result, but have a year to think about it, along with my co-conspirators! I doubt that the current categories would apply! For example, "Butterflies in their landscape" would appeal to me
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Cheers,
- Pete
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- Chris Jackson
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Hi Pete,Pete Eeles wrote:
........ I'm proposing to shake things up next year ......... but have a year to think about it ..... - Pete
"Butterflies in their landscape" is a good idea.
If we know in advance the types of challenging categories envisaged before next year is over (or even at the beginning of 2018), we could then rise to the challenge accordingly ?
Cheers,
Chris
Last edited by Chris Jackson on Thu Dec 07, 2017 2:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Hi Chris - understood. Will have a think and try and come up with a proposal early next year, before things kick off.
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Good thinking, Chris. Few of us have the tools/expertise to pull of these winning images, but if there were categories that didn't demand such technical prowess then we'd all have a fighting chance!
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
It would be interesting to know what equipment has been used for all of the winning entries. The exif data doesn't seem to be available now that the competition has ended, but I wonder how many of the winning entries, both this year and in previous years, have been taken with top-end, professional or semi-pro cameras, and how many have been taken with entry-level dSLR/bridge/compact models...
Re: Annual 2017 Competition
None of the above matters an ounce Pete. Nigel ( for example) has a style...perfected? Though I am sure, Nigel would agree, not quite perfected, its always a work in progress. Its how you see and how much you want to achieve the impossibly perfect image. Like a drug, wanting more. Nigel is way ahead of the game at the moment, but others are not far behind and catching....and I suspect Nigel senses this and pushes the boundary even further...it's all great for us because all images on this site just get better and better as we all strive to land that shot we look back on with that wee bit of pride.petesmith wrote:It would be interesting to know what equipment has been used for all of the winning entries. The exif data doesn't seem to be available now that the competition has ended, but I wonder how many of the winning entries, both this year and in previous years, have been taken with top-end, professional or semi-pro cameras, and how many have been taken with entry-level dSLR/bridge/compact models...
Congrats to Nigel, the Cristiano Ronaldo perhaps of the UK Butterflies world at the moment
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Iain.
- Gruditch
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Hi Pete Smith.
How many have been taken with compact or bridge, not many. In the right hands, you can get images like those that win from a bridge camera with a close up lens. But it has to be in the right hands. Top end DSLRs are more powerful, and rugged than entry level models. But you don’t get a progressively better image with each step up the DSLR ladder. So a rubbish photographer with a £300 DSLR, will still be a rubbish photographer £5000 DSLR.
Cheers Gary
How many have been taken with compact or bridge, not many. In the right hands, you can get images like those that win from a bridge camera with a close up lens. But it has to be in the right hands. Top end DSLRs are more powerful, and rugged than entry level models. But you don’t get a progressively better image with each step up the DSLR ladder. So a rubbish photographer with a £300 DSLR, will still be a rubbish photographer £5000 DSLR.
Cheers Gary
- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Very very true! In terms of "spicing things up" I was simply thinking about different categories than the norm - such as "butterflies in their landscape" or "butterflies in flight" or whatever. But I suspect that previous winners will still enter stunning images because, after all, this is a photography competition, although I've never seen a butterfly in flight taken by many of the previous winners!Gruditch wrote:So a rubbish photographer with a £300 DSLR, will still be a rubbish photographer £5000 DSLR.
Some competitions exclude previous winners (or put them in a separate category), but I'm not convinced about that (especially since it doesn't push anyone to improve; quite the opposite). And there's no intention to introduce categories along the lines of "out-of-focus subject", "excessive cropping", "black background" and the like
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Anyway, all suggestions are welcome.
Cheers,
- Pete
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- Pete Eeles
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Indeed (again!). Neil Hulme, Mark Colvin and others are using relatively-cheap equipment, and produce amazing images.Gruditch wrote:How many have been taken with compact or bridge, not many. In the right hands, you can get images like those that win from a bridge camera with a close up lens. But it has to be in the right hands.
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
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Re: Annual 2017 Competition
Absolutely! And hats off to all who post the many stunning images on this website!Pete wrote
Neil Hulme, Mark Colvin and others are using relatively-cheap equipment, and produce amazing images.
Plus many congrats to the deserved winners of the competition, both this year and in previous years.
I think the fact that such great shots can be achieved with relatively cheap equipment is of great interest and gives much encouragement to those of us who use gear from the lower end of the price spectrum.
However, I do think many of us might be interested to view exif data as part of our own education in the world of butterfly photography. Pete you will know better than me - does keeping the exif data available with the photos cause problems in terms of the file sizes?