Dishonest 'Wildlife Photographers'

[PaulJones]

As someone who has enjoyed looking at this forum for a while, I thought i should finally post something that has been annoying me for a while, which is the dishonest nature of SOME wildlife photographers.

This post has been triggered by a comment on Niall Benvies blog (imagesfromtheedge) which under the latest post someone has commented that a certain photographer has been ripping off text from other websites and using it for his own benefit - as if he had written it, with no acknowledgment of the true source. (Edit this has been removed from the website in question, but the cut away text can still found on Nialls blog in the comment section under the latest entry).

I feel let down that when reading and going through the photographers website in question and to be honest just plain insulted. This along with other so called 'Wildlife Photographers' using captive and not declaring it as such just makes you feel cheated.

I apologise that my first post is a negative one, but i know the people on this forum have the same of views as me, of keeping wildlife photography honest and where the subject comes first, not the picture.

Paul

p.s I still can not make up my mind if the Otters on the latest images section of the RSPB images website are European.....they look like Asian Short-clawed to me? Done at the chestnut centre in Derbyshire?

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Paul, and welcome to WAB.

There will always be those who take credit for things to which the credit belongs to others. In photography just as in any other walk of life, it is up to the majority to stand up for what is right, and expose the wrong doers.

As in everything though, the world is made up of shades of grey, so what is acceptable to one person, might be seen as unacceptable to someone else.

Of course, willful plagiarism, stealing of images, or, for example, saying that the subject was a wild animal when in fact it was not, etc. etc. is wrong, fullstop.

But there are many instances where people produce very similar written works to describe things, and where photographers produce very similar images in almost identical styles and compositions.

Some of the posts in these threads might be of interest: -
Photographing 'Wildlife' ?
Wildlife photographer of the year 2009 winner announced

Regards,
Mike.

[PaulJones]

Cheers Mike,

Just wanted to get it off my chest and great to know there are others who think the same.

Paul

[The Woodman]

Originally Posted by PaulJones

p.s I still can not make up my mind if the Otters on the latest images section of the RSPB images website are European.....they look like Asian Short-clawed to me? Done at the chestnut centre in Derbyshire?

Funnily enough I thought the same. (the pair at the bottom of the tree)

It's not just the RSPB that potentially mis ID otter, there's an example on WAB too. It's easy to do, I've done it with other species.

[Kayleigh]

You get dishonesty in all walks of life why would it be any different for wildlife photographers.
Kids cheat in exams through copying text from websites the information is so freely available nowadays its hard to know who wrote what.
There are unscrupulous people everywhere.

Welcome to WAB.

[DOXHOPE]

Yeah Paul welcome to WAB, you will definately fit on here, always a place for negativity and wingers among those who are more interested in wildlife..but try not to over icing the cake you are trying to bake, youve got it off your chest as you say, best leave it at that