The judge’s perspective
WHAT ARE YOU CHIEFLY LOOKING FOR IN THE ENTRANTS TO BPOTY?
Put simply, the best and most original bird photography that the world can offer. We have an experienced panel of judges that have seen most things before, so we want the competition to break new ground. The advances in camera technology in the last 15 years have enabled much more scope for photographers in the way they are able to approach their subjects. Being surprised by images you have never seen taken in the same way before is a joy I experience every year when I review the competition entries.
WHAT SORTS OF QUALITIES TEND TO CATCH THE JUDGES’ EYES?
Photography is subjective of course, and what catches one judge’s eye might be overlooked by another. In the main, judges look for images that have immediate impact and show originality; something that has the power to elicit an immediate emotional response. A subject photographed in a unique way the judges haven’t seen before guarantees more eyeball time on the screen, and if coupled with the right lighting and strong composition, may see you on to a winner. With the advancement in camera technology there is no excuse for anything other than technical perfection when it comes to composition, focus and correct exposure. Remember that we see thousands of entries and, if you don’t catch the eye straight away, then the chances are that the image will be passed over in favour of others.
WHAT SORT OF IMAGES TEND TO GET OVERLOOKED?
If an image is technically flawed, be it incorrectly exposed, focally soft or poorly composed, chances are it won’t make it past a cursory glance. Images that lack originality, taken in a common style seen countless times before, don’t tend to make it through the initial selection process either. Any image where we feel an ethical line has been crossed, particularly if a bird is showing signs of distress or its behaviour has been altered in an adverse way to enable the image to be captured, will be removed from the process.
WHAT CAN ENTRANTS DO TO IMPROVE THEIR CHANCES OF SUCCESS?
Be your own worst critic. It is easy to seek praise from your peers on social media and rack up the hits on the ‘like’ button.
But is that image really good enough?
Does it show originality? Is it technically perfect? What could you do better? Be hard on yourself; select only your very best work for competition entry and don’t be tempted to pad out your submission with ‘fillers’ that will be confined to the judges’ ‘no’ bin. Each image should be technically perfect, compositionally strong and original.
Shoot images specifically designed for competition entry as opposed to choosing old photographs from your back catalogue. If you think you have a potential winner, keep it to yourself and don’t be tempted to share it on social media. If a judge has already seen an image doing the rounds, regardless of how good they may think it is, the impact on them will be lessened and thus your chances of success diminished.
Rob Read, organiser of the Bird Photographer of the Year awards, reveals ways to increase your chances of success