British Wildlife Photography Awards 2011

[Tobyh]

Hi all,

I'm sure there are a few here that have entered this year (if you haven't you have until June 2nd!) and want to say good luck to everyone.

I'll be putting the final touches to my entries this week. I must be having a rare moment of optimism as I have around 15 entries.

Let's hear from those entering and keep our fingers crossed together

TobyH

[matt_xyz]

I've not entered the BWPA before but I'm planning to enter a few this year. Assuming I get sufficiently organised before the deadline!

Matt

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

I've not entered the BWPA before but I'm planning to enter a few this year. Assuming I get sufficiently organised before the deadline!

Matt

I am in no way hoping you don't get organised

Seriously though, I'm entering this year. Ive got enough credits for a number of entries but now I've put my Packham level critical hat on Im struggling to find photos to enter - something not perfect with all of them.

I have a couple of captive shots Im unsure about entering too.

[Tobyh]

Ukwildlifeo,

If you've already bought the credits what do you have to lose? I must admit I do something similar though. There's nothing wrong with being very critical with your work, it's the best way to improve in my opinion. What I do find is that when I look at others images I always seem to like them more..weird eh! I think you look at your own images so often that you become blase whereas a judge viewing with fresh eyes may well love it.

I'm considering posting some of my unsuccessful ones after the comp for a decent opinion thread to get feedback - maybe that will help see the image from another point of view.

TobyH

[pressld2]

I submitted my entry a couple of weeks ago. I figured that all the outstanding shots I get between submission and the deadline will just have to wait until next year.

I find it extremely difficult to choose. The one that was highly commended last year was the last one that I selected for entry and I look at it now and think, "Why?" I mean why was it highly commended as I don't think much of it any more, and also why did I pick it as I'm sure some of my other toad tadpole shots are better.

The thing that makes it so hard, is that I'm not just trying to pick my best shots, I'm trying to pick the ones that I think will appeal to the judges and stand out from the rest. For example, my puffin in sea campion is a very nice image and I think I did the subject justice, but there's no way I'm entering it because the subject has been done to death.

I ended up submitting 26 which was not my original intention. I was going to enter ten, the same as last year, but then Outdoor Photography had a "fifth credit free when you buy four" offer. Four credits allows ten entries but five credits allows twenty, so I bought my five credits. I wanted to enter a documentary series of six images so that left me with fourteen single images to pick. Or so I thought. It turns out that entering a documentary series requires three credits and leaves me with only two - enough for just one single image.

That left me with a choice: buy two more credits and whittle my fourteen single image entries down to ten, or buy three more credits and expand my selections up to twenty. As it had been a nightmare getting down to fourteen in the first place, and as it's only a fiver for the third credit, I decided to go the twenty route.

Good luck to everyone!

Dave P.

[pammosley]

Our daughter, Little Mermaid, has entered the YBWPA section, watch out Adam

[matt_xyz]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I ended up submitting 26 which was not my original intention. I was going to enter ten, the same as last year, but then Outdoor Photography had a "fifth credit free when you buy four" offer. Four credits allows ten entries but five credits allows twenty, so I bought my five credits. I wanted to enter a documentary series of six images so that left me with fourteen single images to pick. Or so I thought. It turns out that entering a documentary series requires three credits and leaves me with only two - enough for just one single image.

That left me with a choice: buy two more credits and whittle my fourteen single image entries down to ten, or buy three more credits and expand my selections up to twenty. As it had been a nightmare getting down to fourteen in the first place, and as it's only a fiver for the third credit, I decided to go the twenty route.

could you just run that past me again Dave?

Seriously though, there is a random element to all competitions. As long as there is something a bit different or unusual about an image (and I agree a classic Puffin shot will struggle in this regard) then it has a chance. I also agree with Toby that we do tend to be our own harshest critics. I can always see the flaws in my images and often can't see past those flaws, but to someone looking from the outside these flaws may be trivial. Or maybe not, you never know

I will probably enter 5 or 6 I think. Although I have other shots that i like I don't think they are sufficiently original.

Matt

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

could you just run that past me again Dave?

I know - it made my head hurt writing it and I understand it, I think! The biggest improvement they could make to the BWPA would be to simplify the pricing structure.

Toby said he was thinking of entering around 15 images but he may as well enter 20 as it will cost the same (unless he also goes for a documentary series or portfolio entry).

Likewise with you Matt. If you want to enter 5 images then you'll need three credits which will cost you £15. But if you want to enter 6 images it will cost you the same (£20) as entering 10.

Dave P.

P.s. Good luck to Little Mermaid too!

[nutmeg]

I bought some credits but haven't submitted anything - largely because at the moment I just don't seem to have anything I want to submit . I also find the credit structure confusing - if I have 5 credits, do I have to enter all 20 images in the same category?

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by nutmeg

if I have 5 credits, do I have to enter all 20 images in the same category?

Nope, you can spread them across as many or as few categories as you like. Good luck!

Dave P.