The BirdLife Photography Annual Award for 2017 - our most prestigious award - goes to Ian Wilson.  This award is made to the member who excels against the following criteria:

  • submits at least 24 high quality images to the image galleries on the website during the calendar year,
  • participates in at least 50% of the Current Competitions organised during the calendar year,
  • actively contributes to at least one of a range of BirdLife Photography activities, events, project or resources that benefit our members.

Ian’s contributions, against these criteria, were as follows:

  • Submitted nearly 200 images to non-competition galleries. 34 of these appeared in the “Recent Picks” sidebar.
  • Entered every competition during 2016, winning the Member’s Voting award in two of six competitions for the year; many other competition entries received commended results.
  • Won the Gold Medal in the Advanced Competition Photographer of the Year.
  • Contributed two major technical articles to our newsletters.
  • Was one of the most active contributors, both with new topics and responding to other posts, to our Forum.
  • Commented on 32 images submitted to the Critique Gallery.

Ian’s contribution to BirdLife Photography throughout 2017 was truly outstanding, and we congratulate – and thank - him for his efforts.  This is the second of these Awards that Ian has won; it is a well-deserved recognition of his continued contributions to BirdLife Photography.

The award is presented as a multi-faceted crystal, with a frosted white-on-crystal BLP logo and laser inscription, in a velvet presentation case.