Andy's BBC winner

Old Oct 30th, 2008, 05:13 AM
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Andy's BBC winner

BIG congatulations to Andy Biggs for his winning photograph in this year's BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

More here:
http://www.theglobalphotographer.com...-the-year.html

I think it's a lovely image and well deserving - great job Andy!

James
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 06:29 AM
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Full results available here

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-...oup.do?group=4

Anyone got a cheap camera trap for sale?
 
Old Oct 30th, 2008, 06:39 AM
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Congratulations!

While I haven't been to London in a year or so, I used to make a point of visiting the Natural History Museum to see the photographic exhibit -- while the photos are impressive on-line, its something altogether different to see them all in large scale.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 06:48 AM
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Thanks for the kind words, James. Much appreciated! It is flattering to be a part of this amazing contest for the second time in 3 years. I also love it when my safari customers enter into the contest and make a go of it. And I love it when they have a winning image, as it has happened a few times.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 06:50 AM
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Congratulations, Andy!
I was looking through the images and was so pleased to come across your name (having not seen this thread).
Wonderful!
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:18 AM
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Given the fact that the overall prize went to a Leopard who was clever enough to take photos of himself, has this competition got any relevance, anymore. Given the fact that the judges seem to be incapable of knowing the difference between a Gazelle and a Gemsbok, I think not.

The clear best photo was the Macaque by Stefano Untherthiner.

 
Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:19 AM
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I also thought it odd that the overall winner was taken by a camera trap.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:23 AM
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Congratulations Andy!!!!

It is a little hard to understand about the camera trap photo.
http://tinyurl.com/6b3auy
But the photograph did not win as the best photograph but as the best photographer. There is a difference there to me but I won't argue it. Or maybe I'm mis-interpreting what the category is? These are the best photographs as I understand it.
http://tinyurl.com/5q9tea

regards - tom
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:25 AM
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I think it's incredibly easy to underestimate the skill and perseverance and energy involved in achieving photos, even with remote cameras. It's not just a case of walking along one day, dumping a camera any old where and that's that. There will be much time and mileage covered in tracking the leopard, discovering it's favoured paths, setting up the cameras in suitable locations, maintaining and servicing them, downloading images and moving cameras as necessary and so on.

The skill of the photographer has never been defined by their physical ability to push down on a shutter button. It's about conceiving the image, visualising it and then using the equipment at hand to make it happen.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:32 AM
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Very well said, Kavita. Well said. I spoke with Steve today at the press meetings and the images he took in the series took more work than anything I will ever do in my African travels. More hard works at over 16,000 feet, all taken during the Himalayan winter. And 3.5 months away from home.

Steve is a worthy winner, and his images that were published in National Geographic were stunning when I saw them a while back. And now one of them won the contest. Very well done.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:46 AM
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Kavey,

This is supposed to be a photography competition not an excercise in skill at setting up equipment and then being lucky, if is frankly ludicrous.
How do conceive the image and visualise it when you are not there?

Andy
You would say that would you not!
 
Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:46 AM
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Marvelous how Andy is able to convey something above and beyond the image itself. Well done Andy
Chuck
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:52 AM
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Sniktawk, I have no interest in debating the point with you. You are entitled to your opinion that the winner and the competition itself are not worthy, I am entitled to mine that they both are. Everyone will make up their own minds.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:54 AM
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amazing image, andy. i took a look at your website and thought your namibia image is your strongest image yet.

sniktawk, the competition is about the wildlife photographer of the year, not the wildlife photograph of the year. there is a difference. i have noticed that you enjoy bringing the tone of various threads down to your level quite often. did you submit images this year or any other and haven't been selected? sour grapes?
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 07:58 AM
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Well said sniktawk. I pretty much agree with you. The snow leopard itself should win the award.

What if I had set up all of the equipment etc. but decided it was too cold to sit around and wait. So I assigned a porter to press the shutter (taking 8 frames a second for 20 seconds) when he saw a leopard. Who would win the award then?

regards - tom

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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 08:18 AM
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Andy! =D> =D> =D>

I also remember watching that Nat Geo program showing what it took to capture the leopard photo, incredible.

Way to go Andy <)
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 08:35 AM
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J Gardner,
You are so grumpy, I do not waste my time entering competitions, as there are far better photographers than me who deserve to win such awards. It is a great pity that the judges chose to ignore them this year.

Kavey,

Those with nothing to say should not enter the debate in the first place!

Tom,

Thank you for your kind comments, that Leopard is an average photographer, and even takes bum shots!
 
Old Oct 30th, 2008, 08:50 AM
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I never thought I'd say this but I completely agree with Tom and Ken.

The amount of time a guy spent away from home and the altitude he was at are irrelevant. Great photos but they shouldn't win a Wildlife Photographer of the Year award, the emphasis being on photographer. I notice he also took a commended in the Animal Behaviour and two commended in the Endangered Wildlife Category. Were entries a bit thin on the ground this year?

My favourites - the Thinking Macaque and the Fighting Eagles.
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 09:13 AM
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Tanky

Thank you very much for your support, for me you picked the best of the other photos as well. I am glad that we can see eye to eye on this one.

I doubt that entries were thin on the ground, and I am sure that many photos were tossed aside as usual because nobody had heard of the photographer!

For anyone interested in what I believe is real photographic skill, take a look at this

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/forum/...p?photo=146713
 
Old Oct 30th, 2008, 09:14 AM
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So confrontational! I wasn't entering any debate, I was stating my opinion. Get over it.
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