For more about Brian, please visit his website www.brianswinyardphotography.com/

 

Some of you might be aware that two photographers who entered this year's Bristol Salon and had images accepted, and won awards, have subsequently had their entries disqualified for cheating. In one case the entrant had introduced elements into a Photo Travel image that hadn't been there at the time of taking, presumably using Photoshop; this is against the rules for Photo Travel (and Nature) images as they should be submitted "as taken" without any jiggery pokery! The second was disqualified for submitting images that we later found weren't taken by him, instead they had been "lifted" from various web sites. These misdemeanours will probably result in both photographers being banned from entering any FIAP approved exhibitions worldwide, so is it really worth it?

This problem is one that is becoming increasingly common in photographic competitions, many will remember the famous "wild" wolf jumping over a gate in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition which hit the national press; it has now happened again in one of the big national competitions, Landscape Photographer of the Year, with the originally published winner being disqualified for "over Photoshopping". You can read the Daily Telegraph article by following this link and also.

What many probably won't realise is that it isn't too difficult for exhibition organisers to check the possible origin and authenticity of an image and in many cases can find versions of the image that have been published on the web previously - in short, if someone cheats, the odds are we'll be able to find out (please don't take this as a challenge to try to outwit exhibition organisers!).

Entries are invited from members of WCPF clubs (BPS is one) for the annual Knightshayes Trophy competition; the subject for 2013 is “Wrecked“ Each entrant may submit a maximum of two prints which should have been taken within the last two years. What will appeal to some is that entry is FREE!.

 

The world-renowned exhibition from the Natural History Museum returns to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. The stunning, thought-provoking images provide an insight into the beauty and variety of nature and shine a spotlight on the rarely seen wonders of the natural world around us.

The exhibition is being held from 24 November until 17 February in the Temporary Exhibition Gallery, Ground Floor, Bristol City Museum, Queens Rd.