Today (1^st September 2014) is (was) the day that this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA 2014) were announced to the media and as is becoming traditional on this website, I thought I’d give a few lines over to my thoughts on the results - even though I should be out and about sky watching right now (I hear an Osprey flew over our gaff this afternoon).

Firstly, some people reading this might know I was lucky enough to be commended in the first three BWPA competitions (in 2009, 2010 and 2011) and having taken a couple of years off, this year  thought I’d submit a few images again – to see what the judges made of them – so I always had a vested interest in this year’s competition, unlike the previous two years.

The three (old) images of mine  (1) (2) (3) were shortlisted this year - but got no further – so I guess I’m slightly disappointed – but that disappointment has certainly been tempered by seeing some wonderful images shot by others that were commended – or indeed won their categories.

This is the 6^th year of the BWPA  (not the 5th as Chris Packham suggests on the BWPA website) and it seems to go from strength to strength. One again, as last year, it is a real delight to see “new” names behind winning and commended shots (alongside a few old faithful admittedly – but nothing like the first three or four years of the awards).

There are some excellent winning (or commended) images this year – and I’ll briefly mention three which certainly caught my eye.... if I may..... after quickly saying many congratulations to all the winners (and commended peeps) in this years awards. Great stuff indeed.

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In common with my own particular (or peculiar?!) taste – it’s often the quirky or stark or bold images that catch my eye (rather than a shot of an animal in front of an often detailed landscape. I seem to (personally) prefer more artistic images than perhaps “portraits”, where very often the subject is all and little thought is often given to the space within the frame. But that’s me.

With that in mind – my favourite shot from this year’s results (that I’ve seen at the time of writing) is the incredibly bold, stark, monochrome shot of the “window gnat” by Susie Hewitt.

I love its simplicity.  I love the fact that it is not a shot of an otter. Or a gannet. Or an eagle. Or a seal. Or a red deer. (Etc etc). It’s a tiny gnat for goodness’ sake. Brilliant.

It is as close to a perfect “image” rather than a “photograph” that I’ve seen in any of the BWPA competitions in its history I think – and I love it for that too.

My second favourite of this year’s winning (or commended) images breaks my normal habit of glazing over when I’m presented with a shot of (yet) another gannet. I often think of gannet photographs in wildlife photography competitions to be a bit “safe” or “clichéd” or “easy”.  Along with puffin photographs they’re often a bit too “penguiny” for me. They’re everywhere in wildlife photography competitions. Sometimes rightly so, but more often than not (for me) ... just another shot of our more impressive (or comical in the case of puffins) seabirds.

That all said, Ruth Asher’s “A life at sea” is a belter of an image – and contains loads of gannets (albeit is as pale dots sitting far below Ruth on the cliff top above).

Why do I like this shot? Lots of reasons – I love the moodiness of it. I love its power. I love the deep blue colour. I love the fact that the long(ish) exposure has created interesting movement and tone in the sea, rather than the clichéd mill pond, which long-exposure advocates seem to have fallen in love with. And I also love it because it has made me appreciate gannet photographs again – something I didn’t think I would in a hurry to be honest. It’s a huge, breathtaking image and I wish I’d been skilful to take it myself!

The third image I’ll briefly mention (a shortlisted image rather than a winning image), which caught my eye is one taken by a junior photographer (under 18). Just like last year when my favourite of all the winning or commended images was taken by a “minor”, Alice Smith’s “Who’s there” image is a belter.

I don’t tend to appreciate people naming their shots of wildlife “Peek-a-boo” or any similar hackneyed, ‘amusing’ captions. But heyyyy.... lighten up Doug – Alice is only 16 and if you can’t name your shots in an ‘amusing’ fashion at that age, then when can you?

But name aside, the shot is a real cracker. A really great (possibly chance) photograph, perhaps it was thought out and Alice lay in wait for days and days for the hare to sit at the top of this hill and then take the shot. Perhaps she did – but I doubt it. I rather suspect she went out with her camera and happened across the hare (she may have seen them there before and expected to see one but this shot does not have the close up, detailed qualities to suggest many hours in the field – more a brilliant use of limited time (I expect) and top-notch photographic nous to produce a beautiful, stark, simple, clean image. It takes me back to my local fields, with rabbits and hares belting around. I’ve been IN this photograph, it’s something I know and remember – it’s accessible to me – and I adore it for that. Sure, it might have been even better if the hare (or rabbit) was positioned a little further right in the shot, so it was looking into the shot – but I’m splitting hairs (hares) there.

I think it’s a great shot and again, wish I could take something similar. In fact, I probably could try at least and that’s what I like about it best of all – it’s very inspirational.

What with a few years of poor health (being sorted now I think) and a new house and new (first) baby boy, I’ve found little time or inspiration to go out taking photographs of wildlife for the last two or three years.  It’s photo’s like Alice’s that make me want to go out and maybe try to photograph wildlife again –  many thanks Alice.

A similarly inspiring shot has done rather well in the bigger, more prestigious (international) Wildlife Photography of the Year competition (WPOTY) run by the Natural History Museum. It’s a shot of several rose-ringed parakeets flying through a dark London cemetery (although by all accounts this shot took a lot of planning and was shot by a well-known, accomplished wildlife photographer – Sam Hobson) and it is spellbinding - as inspirational as Alice’s hare shot. (I’ll post my thoughts on the WPOTY competition when the results of this year’s competition are announced later this month I think).

In both cases (Sam’s parakeet shot and Alice’s hare shot) I doubt very much whether I can match their skill behind the lens and come up with images as striking as theirs – but I can possibly try – and that for me is half the reason behind following these competitions.

Aside from “that’s a nice shot of a wren/puffin/seal/dragonfly etc” thought when looking at the work produced by very talented photographers – it’s wonderful to look at images and be inspired by them – to get out there, to experience our wildlife for myself and maybe... just maybe... try and record it in an image or two, for posterity – whether that inspiration comes from seeing a shot of a gnat, a hare or even a gannet colony.

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NB.

I am well aware that in many aspects of life, I tend to march to a different drum beat to many others – and often revel in doing so. I dare say that my favourite shot (that I’ve seen so far) from BWPA 2014; Susie’s “window gnat” might be others’ least favourite image. Perhaps the same with Alice’s hare shot. But that’s the beauty photography which is art after all (or should be I think). It’s a subjective thing for onlookers, competitors and indeed judges.

I’m just relaying my personal favourites with this blog post. I hope (and celebrate in fact) that your thoughts and views won’t be the same as my own.

You’ll be wrong of course....   (unless you have the bricked toad as one of your favourites) but never mind eh?!

NB (2)

I’ve just realised that ALL three of my favourite images (that I’ve seen so far) from this year’s BWPA were taken by women. (Or girls I suppose in the case of Alice).

That belts the “wildlife photography’s mainly a male pursuit” (and geeky males often?) ball right out of the park.

Gender aside, all three were also taken by little-known (or indeed “unknown”) amateur photographers.

Good stuff.

NB(3)

Quick mentions to two acquaintances (I s’pose, rather than mates) of mine who once again have been commended for lovely, lovely photos…

1       -  Mark smith for his excellent urban fox photos. I especially love the photo taken from inside his car. And it’s a Mercedes car too – bonus points for that pal.

2       – Dave Pressland for his very arty (and therefore very much appreciated by me) close-up of a goldfinches wing.