Annual 2017 Competition

[Pete Eeles]

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

[Tony Moore]

Do the entries have to be from 2017 only, or does the competition run from Nov 30 2016?

[Pete Eeles]

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

Cheers,

- Pete

[Tony Moore]

Thanks, Peter.

Tony M.

[Catriona]

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.

[bugboy]

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.

You need to follow Pete's link in his original post to submit pictures Catriona, this thread is just to let everyone know about it

[Catriona]

Oh, how daft of me!

[Pete Eeles]

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

[Nigel Kiteley]

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.

[Ian Pratt]

Well done to all the winners. Any comments from the judges on the also-rans?

[Pete Eeles]

Well done to all the winners. Any comments from the judges on the also-rans?

Hi Ian,

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

Cheers,

- Pete

[Chris Jackson]

........ I'm proposing to shake things up next year ......... but have a year to think about it ..... - Pete

Hi 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

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Chris - understood. Will have a think and try and come up with a proposal early next year, before things kick off.

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

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!

[petesmith]

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...

[IAC]

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...

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.

Congrats to Nigel, the Cristiano Ronaldo perhaps of the UK Butterflies world at the moment Congrats also to John Bogle, overall second and third is a fantastic achievement against such opposition.

Iain.

[Gruditch]

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

[Pete Eeles]

So a rubbish photographer with a £300 DSLR, will still be a rubbish photographer £5000 DSLR.

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!

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

Anyway, all suggestions are welcome.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

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.

Indeed (again!). Neil Hulme, Mark Colvin and others are using relatively-cheap equipment, and produce amazing images.

Cheers,

- Pete

[petesmith]

Pete wrote
Neil Hulme, Mark Colvin and others are using relatively-cheap equipment, and produce amazing images.

Absolutely! And hats off to all who post the many stunning images on this website!
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?