How Did This Win?

nah · 11-16-2010, 11:44 AM

BBC - Earth News - European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

I'm trying to understand how the cheetah shot won? Can someone possibly explain, cause I can't understand it.

deadwolfbones · 11-16-2010, 11:59 AM

Not all shots need to be sharp, etc. This is something like what you'd get if HCB went wildlife shooting, I guess. Different strokes...

Manel Brand · 11-16-2010, 12:07 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by nah

BBC - Earth News - European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

I'm trying to understand how the cheetah shot won? Can someone possibly explain, cause I can't understand it.

That's easy. Because, until that day, nobody was able to photograph a ghostly cheetah .

HeavyD · 11-16-2010, 12:21 PM

I have to agree with you. My trail cam takes better shots.

r0ckstarr · 11-16-2010, 12:56 PM

I agree. Why did that win compared to the other shots entered?

I have no clue who HCB is.

Originally posted by Manel Brand

That's easy. Because, until that day, nobody was able to photograph a ghostly cheetah .

LOL!!!

v5planet · 11-16-2010, 01:06 PM

Why did it win? I can think of a few reasons. Expert use of light on dark; it's a portrait in movement; it shows subtle communication between the photographer and his subject?

I do like a couple of the other commended images better, but the cheetah photo is superb in its own right. But understandably not to everyone's tastes.

MRRiley · 11-16-2010, 01:21 PM

The same way a photo of barely visible people standing on a rooftop wins the World Press Photo of The Year. Judges who either have an agenda or who havn't any clue in the first place.

Showcase: The Best in the World - NYTimes.com

Or a captive wolf that is used to win last year's BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year...

BBC's nature photo competition judge admits: Winner photo investigated due to fraud allegations — Suomen Luonto

Mike

by the way... HCB = Henri Cartier-Bresson

tuco · 11-16-2010, 01:25 PM

It's more abstract, has a mood and and breaks some rules. Something the judges found interesting, I suppose, because everyone can take a clean, sharp, well exposed picture today because the camera does it all for you. You just have to buck-up and practice. Sometimes pictures are judged on creativeness as apposed to technical excellence.

FullertonImages · 11-16-2010, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by r0ckstarr

I have no clue who HCB is.

That should be remedied. HCB = Henri Cartier-Bresson. He's all sorts of dead and famous. He's generally regarded as one of the original masters. His photos are all B&W and seems to sometimes look random, OOF or blurry. None I have seen have a strong first impression on me, but the longer I look at them, the more they amaze me. Whether or not you think he's all everyone says he's cracked up to be, he is at least worth your study and consideration.

FullertonImages · 11-16-2010, 03:09 PM

As for the image. I actually think it's pretty cool, but I hate the crop. But whoever likened it to HCB made a good call. It has that same thing about it, where I don't like it much at first, but the more I look at the, it just keeps growing on me.

yeatzee · 11-16-2010, 03:16 PM

neat shot, but to win first place with?

MRRiley · 11-16-2010, 03:23 PM

HCB did the best that could be done with the technology of his day. I don't think any of his images were out of focus on purpose nor were they as random as they appear. Had he been shooting today I suspect he would be turning out sharp and carefully composed images. I think some photographers today emulate his look from some mistaken idea that it makes their images cerebral and deep but for the most part, they are just OOF and accidental. This is one reason I don't like the cheetah image. I also strongly suspect it was shot using a "trail camera" which to me is simply not worthy of this level of award. Other than camera placement, there is no photographer control or decision process once the camera is put in place. Any good photos are simply happenstance.

I actually like the cheetah shot to a certain extent, but I think it pales in craft and aesthetics to several of the other top shots.

Mike

p.s. the crop is the reason I suspect a "trail camera" a on-the-scene photographer would generally have framed it differently.

Jodokast96 · 11-16-2010, 03:41 PM

Whoa, easy there Fullerton. I had no idea what the HCB reference was either, but that doesn't mean I don't know who he is. I initially thought HCB was a username here.

As to the image, I don't get it either. Not because it's blurry, or oddly composed. There's just nothing interesting about it. It doesn't tell me anything. It doesn't move me in any way. There's nothing technically intriguing about it that makes me pause and give it any thought. There's just nothing there, and IMO, it is the worst of the shots there.

deadwolfbones · 11-16-2010, 03:41 PM

Whether HCB made a conscious choice to shoot OOF/blurred is irrelevant, IMO. The value is in the image, and people value his images.

SpecialK · 11-16-2010, 03:43 PM

Looks sort of like a B/W version of Elvis-on-velour.

11-16-2010, 11:44 AM	#1
nah Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Westminster, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 282	How Did This Win? BBC - Earth News - European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 I'm trying to understand how the cheetah shot won? Can someone possibly explain, cause I can't understand it.

11-16-2010, 01:25 PM	#8
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,027	It's more abstract, has a mood and and breaks some rules. Something the judges found interesting, I suppose, because everyone can take a clean, sharp, well exposed picture today because the camera does it all for you. You just have to buck-up and practice. Sometimes pictures are judged on creativeness as apposed to technical excellence. Last edited by tuco; 11-16-2010 at 01:47 PM.

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11-16-2010, 11:59 AM	#2
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450	Not all shots need to be sharp, etc. This is something like what you'd get if HCB went wildlife shooting, I guess. Different strokes...

11-16-2010, 12:07 PM - 1 Like	#3
Manel Brand Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Porto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 853	Originally posted by nah BBC - Earth News - European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 I'm trying to understand how the cheetah shot won? Can someone possibly explain, cause I can't understand it. That's easy. Because, until that day, nobody was able to photograph a ghostly cheetah .

11-16-2010, 12:21 PM	#4
HeavyD Inactive Account Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 155	I have to agree with you. My trail cam takes better shots.

11-16-2010, 12:56 PM	#5
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	I agree. Why did that win compared to the other shots entered? I have no clue who HCB is. Originally posted by Manel Brand That's easy. Because, until that day, nobody was able to photograph a ghostly cheetah . LOL!!!

11-16-2010, 01:06 PM	#6
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Why did it win? I can think of a few reasons. Expert use of light on dark; it's a portrait in movement; it shows subtle communication between the photographer and his subject? I do like a couple of the other commended images better, but the cheetah photo is superb in its own right. But understandably not to everyone's tastes.

11-16-2010, 01:21 PM	#7
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	The same way a photo of barely visible people standing on a rooftop wins the World Press Photo of The Year. Judges who either have an agenda or who havn't any clue in the first place. Showcase: The Best in the World - NYTimes.com Or a captive wolf that is used to win last year's BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year... BBC's nature photo competition judge admits: Winner photo investigated due to fraud allegations — Suomen Luonto Mike by the way... HCB = Henri Cartier-Bresson

11-16-2010, 03:08 PM	#9
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	Originally posted by r0ckstarr I have no clue who HCB is. That should be remedied. HCB = Henri Cartier-Bresson. He's all sorts of dead and famous. He's generally regarded as one of the original masters. His photos are all B&W and seems to sometimes look random, OOF or blurry. None I have seen have a strong first impression on me, but the longer I look at them, the more they amaze me. Whether or not you think he's all everyone says he's cracked up to be, he is at least worth your study and consideration.

11-16-2010, 03:09 PM	#10
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	As for the image. I actually think it's pretty cool, but I hate the crop. But whoever likened it to HCB made a good call. It has that same thing about it, where I don't like it much at first, but the more I look at the, it just keeps growing on me.

11-16-2010, 03:16 PM	#11
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	neat shot, but to win first place with?

11-16-2010, 03:23 PM	#12
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	HCB did the best that could be done with the technology of his day. I don't think any of his images were out of focus on purpose nor were they as random as they appear. Had he been shooting today I suspect he would be turning out sharp and carefully composed images. I think some photographers today emulate his look from some mistaken idea that it makes their images cerebral and deep but for the most part, they are just OOF and accidental. This is one reason I don't like the cheetah image. I also strongly suspect it was shot using a "trail camera" which to me is simply not worthy of this level of award. Other than camera placement, there is no photographer control or decision process once the camera is put in place. Any good photos are simply happenstance. I actually like the cheetah shot to a certain extent, but I think it pales in craft and aesthetics to several of the other top shots. Mike p.s. the crop is the reason I suspect a "trail camera" a on-the-scene photographer would generally have framed it differently.

11-16-2010, 03:41 PM	#13
Jodokast96 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Erial, NJ USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,134	Whoa, easy there Fullerton. I had no idea what the HCB reference was either, but that doesn't mean I don't know who he is. I initially thought HCB was a username here. As to the image, I don't get it either. Not because it's blurry, or oddly composed. There's just nothing interesting about it. It doesn't tell me anything. It doesn't move me in any way. There's nothing technically intriguing about it that makes me pause and give it any thought. There's just nothing there, and IMO, it is the worst of the shots there.

11-16-2010, 03:41 PM	#14
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450	Whether HCB made a conscious choice to shoot OOF/blurred is irrelevant, IMO. The value is in the image, and people value his images.

11-16-2010, 03:43 PM	#15
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	Looks sort of like a B/W version of Elvis-on-velour.