I am very thankful to be part of BLP and to be able to submit photos in the very well run competitions (thanks Georgina), but until I received the last e-mail from Georgina, I wasn't aware that moving up a level in the photo competition was a choice of the member. Am I correct? I noted in the last e-mail that if you received a mention in two competitions (i.e. a First, Highly Commended or Commended), that you should consider moving up a level. I was fortunate enough to get a mention in the first competition of the year and should I get a mention in the second competition of the year, I am more than happy to move to the next level at put my photos up against the intermediate level photographers, but in reading the BLP awards, I note that a competition photographer award is given for each level (entry, intermediate and advanced). If someone moves between levels during the year how are they assessed and at what level are they assessed? I would recommend that the moving between levels should not be left up to the individual. Every new member should begin at the entry level and a panel, at the end of each year, should assess the photographers based on their competition results and advance them as appropriate by advising the member accordingly. I am interested in other people's thoughts on this.

HI Gunther

You make some excellent points and it is indeed an issue that needs to be dealt with asap. I welcome everyone to make their opinions on this issue known so that as a committee we make the best choice.

It may be that we need to revise the whole system. All comments and opinions welcome and will be considered.

Cheers

Thanks Georgina, I must agree, that where to enter your photos is pretty confusing as i can't find what defines each level. Since the 3 tier system has only recently been introduced it doesn't sit comfortably with me that commendations define your photographic level. One or two great images don't necessarily make you an advanced bird photographer, surely it is more your portfolio. I have been submitting images for years and felt i should probably enter in the advanced comps. This round, I moved back to intermediate because I thought that maybe I was getting ahead of myself. I really would prefer someone whom i respect to tell me at what level i sit. thanks Mark

Thanks Mark. I am sitting down now and writing a report for the next committee meeting to try and get some clarifications for the levels. Its an extremely tricky topic and already views on what should and should not be the way are differing markedly. I dont envy the poor comp co-ordinator who has to do this - no wait, hang on, that's me?! Darn it!

I have found it the levels confusing as well. Personally, though I have been taking photos for quite a while I don't consider myself a really good or expert photographer.. but not a beginner either. So I have gone into Intermediate, but wasn't sure if this was right. Also I have found (as I'm sure most people have) that it has made a very big difference as well as I have been able to gradually improve the quality of my equipment. As having top level equipment also impacts on the 'quality' of our images a lot too. It begs the question if level isn't only skill or length of time doing it or does the jump to to level also mean it is mostly the ones who can afford better equipment. I know it is not meant to, but it could be taken that way a bit.

Another thing to do with this is that sometimes I have seen photos that were great subject wise and really interesting and fun bird behaviour, perhaps taken from a bit further back to catch the full act.. or perhaps slightly soft. At times I have voted for some of the ones that I felt really had that wow factor. But instead usually the photos very close up of the totally still bird whose eyelashes could be counted have won. Not that this is a bad thing, but there is a lot of emphasis on that and at time I didn't think the photo may have had the same impact. ( I look at the type of exciting photos that often win National Geo or other wildlife awards for example) And again getting that type of close up is not only skill and patience, but often has quite a lot to do with equipment.

The other thing I noticed concerning levels of the comp was that I think I noticed that one person who got a mention or win for a photo in the top level one time, for the next contest entered their photos in the Intermediate level. Ok that is fine as it is personal choice.. but it made me wonder if we were meant then to choose the level based on how good we felt a particular photo was?
Cheers

Hi Kristina
Thanks again for your comments and taking time to post. I am addressing many of your questions at this moment about comp levels - just waiting for the rest of the committee to let me know what they think before In publish some guidelines. I also understand what you say about technical versus more aesthetic beauty - a great example, which I just posted on another thread in the forum, is the Audubon 2016 Photo awards - absolutely inspirational without being the stock standard photo: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/may-june-2016/the-2016-audubon-photography-awards-winners

Its a tough issue because I think bird photographers are essentially divided into two groups. The traditionalists who think a good photo is only one that is pin-sharp, clear background, no toning etc. On the other hand, there are those that are more artistic in their interpretation - and I hasten to add I am not talking about Photoshopping here - I am talking about composition straight out of camera too (eg Vultures at sunset, osprey image). I think the Audubon award winning photos show a way in between where you can have both technical quality and artistically inspiring images. I know if you take a photo at sunset here of an osprey, for instance, the top Australian bird photographers insist that you adjust the 'tone' to remove the golden hue of sunset - whereas to me, that late sun light is exactly what you saw and more reflective of reality - as well as being more pleasing to the eye. I find it quite frustrating. Personally, when I look at the photos in Audubon I think we in Australia still have a long way to go - myself included. I also fall into the trap of being too technical. When I realise how far I have to go before I can achieve the level of the Audubon winners it is daunting but also incredibly exciting.
Cheers, Georgina