[Boddie]

For me the main problem was submission of photos out of the capability of the users equipment. To take a photo of an animal which only fills one hundredth of the frame, then continually crop the image, until it fills the frame, loses most of the subjects clarity. It is simply not practical to try to take telephoto length images with a standard lens or a point and shoot camera.

I think it is a shame that those that have invested money in macro and telephoto lenses, to capture that 'once a month' shot, after putting in the hours, now suffer because the system was abused.

Before I got a zoom lens I concentrated on insects, trees, fungi and the like, so its not as if those without zoom lenses cannot express themselves but I have to agree that many images lately rated as outstanding were not and persons using the gallery as a reference may become antagonised by that.

With regards technical versus rarity I can empathise but it stands to reason if a particular subject matter is over represented a spring clean is justified surely?