FOUND: Rules about altering digital pics for competitions

With all the arguing about if this should be allowed, and if this shouldnt, i snagged this post fron dd.net about "The internationally renowned BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2005 competition conditions include a new section on Digital pictures" rules can be found here:

http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/wildwin/200...2005_rules.html

here is the important rule for all you lazy digital photographers (myself included):

4. Digital images. Supply on media that is PC compatible. Send TIFF or JPEG (quality 12). Minimum size: 5000 pixels along the largest dimension. Interpolate your images using software provided by PhotoShop CS edition or Genuine Fractals (supplied by Lizardtech.com). Images should be colour profiled using correctly calibrated WYSIWYG systems and Adobe RGB 98 colour space. RAW files as captured by camera (*.NEF, *.CRZ) need to be supplied along with TIFF or JPEG file. Provide hardware details (name of scanner and camera). Provide contact sheet or prints for quick reference. Digital manipulation is only acceptable if limited to cleaning work, levels, curves, colour, saturation and contrast work, applied to the image as a whole. Masking sections of the work, compositing, multiple exposures, layers and the use of multiple channels is not allowed. Framing is allowed. The file should carry your name, the category number or title and the key subject, for example JohnBrown.Cat2eagle.jpg or JBrownGeraldDurrell.eagle.jpg Full contact and picture details should also be inserted into the pull-down-file information box.

Interesting - so you have to have a camera that shoots RAW to enter, eh?

Cheers

James

Interesting - so you have to have a camera that shoots RAW to enter, eh?

 

Cheers

James

No, you can use jped and tiff images, but if you shoot them in raw, you must include the un-edited raw file.

I think you're taking a liberal interpretation of that rule Justin. To me, there is a strong implication that you need to submit the RAW file for all entries. Perhaps there is an additional ruling or clarification somewhere that says you don't need to submit RAW if using a camera that does not have that option.

It would probably only be an issue if someone was accused of carrying out a manipulation that is not allowed under the rules stated.

These rules seem very sensible. But it should be noted that Wildlife photography is a very specific discipline that is all about "shot as it was imaging", and I'm not sure that these rules should be held up as an example to all contests.

While I intend to enter the Shark Photographer of the Year, sorry I mean Wildlife photographer of the year, for the first time since switching to digital in 03, I think that we should remember that there is much more to underwater photography than underwater wildlife photography.

Alex

I think you're taking a liberal interpretation of that rule Justin. To me, there is a strong implication that you need to submit the RAW file for all entries.

now that im actually awake, and i can comprehend what i posted, i beleive you and james are correct. it does appear they only want to accept RAW files.

Digital photo competition rules are entirely arbitrary. They are whatever the organizers want them to be. It's there contest. No contest rules are inherently better or worse than others. Some are more to my liking than others.

Submitting the RAW is some type of audit mechanism, since it would be difficult to tell if someone cheated or not by looking at a finished flattened TIFF or JPEG. Even then, it will be a judgment call to determine if one can get from point A to point B via the rules.

I can use levels and curves, but not as an adjustment layer? Hmmm.

How about the dodge and burn tool?

I'd hate to be the judge who has to decide whether the alteration is within the rules.

Like the judging of the image, the judging of the manipulation is subjective. It'll be ashamed if a really hot image that was entered within the rules is sh_t canned because of a subjective decision that it was manipulated outside of the rules when in fact it wasn't. That's the way it goes for competitions these days.

Joe

These rules seem very sensible. But it should be noted that Wildlife photography is a very specific discipline that is all about "shot as it was imaging", and I'm not sure that these rules should be held up as an example to all contests.

 

While I intend to enter the Shark Photographer of the Year, sorry I mean Wildlife photographer of the year, for the first time since switching to digital in 03, I think that we should remember that there is much more to underwater photography than underwater wildlife photography.

 

Alex

I am thinking that that GWS shots may be losing their steam as more and ore folks are able to access this subject because of Gaudaloupe. Maybe like pygmies in the past. Just a gut feeling as I seem to see a lot more of them around than I used to.

Alex congrats on the Digi Jam. Sounds like you put on a great show.

The BBC wildlife photog rules have been relaxed somewhat - I think the original digital submission rules stated no manipulation at all. And before that, it was no digital entries whatsoever. They're a bit behind the times, but I suppose they are starting to realise that most wildlife photographers are now shooting digitial.

Todd, I must confess I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Pygmies and Guadalope????? :shock:

the use of multiple channels is not allowed. Framing is allowed.

Only one channel is alowed?? This mean that all digital images submitted must be captured in B&W. Are there any digital cameras that record B&W RAW images? Or does channel here mean something different than colour channel?

Yeah -- "Masking sections of the work, compositing, multiple exposures, layers and the use of multiple channels is not allowed" is pretty much a bogus statement. Allowing corrections any sort of coloUr work implies adjustments in multiple channels. And the "layers" thing is strange and nonsensical as well.

Todd, I must confess I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.  Pygmies and Guadalope?????  :shock:

It may be that I have not yet had enough coffee and thus my Ironyometer is not up to speed yet. Anyhoo, I'm pretty sure that Todd's referring to the way that Pygmy Seahorses were the hot item for U/W and wildlife photographers a while back, because they were exotic and so on, now everyone knows "Got to Indonesia and look at seafans" so they have become overexposed (pun intended).

Guadalupe Islands off southern California/north Mexico are a hot spot for shooting Great White Sharks in blue water conditions. We went through a phase where all the pros were winning competitions with shots of GW's from that region, now we can all go there and it is time to for the pros to move on to something else...

Like I say, if the Ironyometer needs a tune up, my apologies.

Todd, I must confess I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.  Pygmies and Guadalope?????  :shock:

 

It may be that I have not yet had enough coffee and thus my Ironyometer is not up to speed yet. Anyhoo, I'm pretty sure that Todd's referring to the way that Pygmy Seahorses were the hot item for U/W and wildlife photographers a while back, because they were exotic and so on, now everyone knows "Got to Indonesia and look at seafans" so they have become overexposed (pun intended).

 

Guadalupe Islands off southern California/north Mexico are a hot spot for shooting Great White Sharks in blue water conditions. We went through a phase where all the pros were winning competitions with shots of GW's from that region, now we can all go there and it is time to for the pros to move on to something else...

 

Like I say, if the Ironyometer needs a tune up, my apologies.

Exactly.

Sorry for the vagueness in my first post, I was in a hurry.

Understood, all is now clear.

However, it's not that hard to find a new subject to shoot to win the BBC wildlife photographer of the year contest. Yes, GWS's, IMT's and SC's have all previously been featured - but hey, all you need to do to win is shoot a gorilla in the zoo. Perhaps they're really looking for some aquarium shots this year?

I reckon I can get some great fish tank shots, which the BBC judges will love. I'm just decideing whether to submit the red, green or blue channel?

It will be nice to see lots of B&W pix in competition again, after so many years of this "color" nonsense. 8)

Frogfish

I did not see "cropping" mentioned in the rules. Any thoughts on cropping digital images to enhance images for competitions? Is it ok as long as the image size and resolution fits within the rules? I am curious what the general consensus is as far as cropping goes.

Keith

They said framing's OK - I think they meant cropping. But you never know with these crazy BBC WPOTY judges.

I think it's mostly a matter of being unfamiliar with the digital workflow. I was recently diving with someone that's 'judge material' and he thought I was manipulating my images the moment I touched my laptop. And if some kind of histogram was visible on the screen, it was definate proof. He found it suspect that the first thing people did when they got their digital cameras out of the water was run to the laptop. Ofcourse, comparing it to people running their slides to the developers was just silly. And fussing about the developers until they were done was normal too. And spending an hour on the lightbox was in no way similar to spending an hour zooming into your images.

Unfortunately though it is true that 'fraud' has tainted the whole scene. If adding RAWs to all your submissions could change that a bit, id go for it.

Cor

The Digital Shootout has two divisions to their photo contest. "Traditional" and "Unresticted". This is from the website:

The “Traditional” divisions allow for the adjustment of brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness only. Cropping, cloning, and other digital manipulation is not allowed in this category. This restriction on digital manipulation will enable people who are not as savvy at Photoshop to compete on more-or-less even ground as those with more experience. It also highlights better composition and lighting skills by not allowing cropping and cloning. We had considered a category wherein only images straight from the camera would be accepted, but as digital photographers we felt that basic digital imaging workflow involves some amount of post processing.

The “Unrestricted” divisions have no such rules regarding digital manipulation, anything goes.