The marvellous winning images of the 2018 Panorama Landscape Photography competition have been announced. You can see many of the winning images by clicking THIS link (takes you to the Daily Mail online unfortunately, but hey ho).

And the images ARE stunning, aren't they?

Well.

No.

No they're not... if you read some of the comments posted by the Daily Mail (online) readers, some of which I've provided for you below.

OK OK… I agree. It takes a special kind of turd to even read the Daily Mail, let alone comment on a piece... and I shouldn't read the comments... but I did, so you'll have to deal with that fact.

These people are just awful aren't they?

I mean, they just HAVE to criticise.

And you know, this criticism has been levelled at me over the last ten years (about the time I've been taking photographs) too. By friends, strangers and even a few times, extended family.

It's a story that will ring true to many people reading this who have been known to take the odd good photo or two. And perhaps win an award or two.

And it's a story played out many times.

The first thing your critic will do is tell you that you "must have a fancy camera [to take such a nice shot]". I haven't.

Then they'll attempt to tell you that "you've photoshopped it, obviously". "You've obviously edited it [Not like myyy photos which are straight from the camera]!"

If you dare to suggest (as I have once or twice) that "their [straight from the camera] photographs HAVE [of course] been edited by the very camera that their podgy fingers have covered in grease, BEFORE they've downloaded them to their Instagram (or whatever) account", they just won't understand.

You see. They'll be taking JPEG images.

Almost certainly.

Which are digital renditions (generally completely camera controlled in terms of sharpness, colour vibrance, contrast, noise reduction, white balance etc).

The camera that they are using will, ALWAYS will edit their photos for them. Sometimes badly. And the resulting image will hardly EVER be a true rendition of what they saw over the top of the camera. (It will be a rendition of what they saw on their camera's LED screen - but that's edited by the camera too).

Whereas.

I (and millions of other, dare I say, better, photographers) will oftentimes take RAW images (digital negatives) and then develop them in software such as "Lightroom" and then perhaps (only perhaps) "Photoshop".

Look... it's no coincidence that Lightroom is so-called. It's a nod to the old film photographers' "Dark rooms". 

It's a basic developing tool.

Only without the hydroquinone.

I rarely use Photoshop these days - just Lightroom and then Perfect Resize (if I wannae blow the image up to billboard dimensions).

But that still doesn't stop my (and others') detractors from telling me that I over-edit my photographs, I photoshop them and anyyywaaaay… I have a fancy camera. (And they don't).

Jealousy innit?

That's all it is.

I'm heartened to say though, that this blind jealousy, whilst common, isn't universal.

I received a lovely compliment from an old friend this year, as we spent an barbecue afternoon with each other's (and another old school friend's) families this summer.

This old school friend of mine will happily criticise me for many things but even he said about me when the subject came 'round to photography...

"No... No... I couldn't take photos like Doug. Doug just knows how to manipulate and use light".

I was quite taken aback to be honest.

Look. I'm no expert and I'm no pro.

But.

Certainly compared to him (and many others), I do know how to occasionally "write (well) with light".

And "writing with light" is the literal definition of "photo-graphy" after all.

So.

Don't let the critics grind you down grapple fans - and as a reminder, I've put Teddy Roosevelt's famous speech (or part of it anyway) below.

Incidentally, just so you know, I have a BIG printout of this speech put up on the inside of our lavatory door.

Just to remind me to wind my neck in... you know... if I get a bit critical of something I really have no right to be critical of.

And also to remind me that many times those who (constantly!) criticise my actions or efforts should have no place in my head.