Most Controversial Stories of 2013

[oggalily]

Here:
http://www.slrlounge.com/controversial-stories-2013

What do you think?  I thought the National Geographic Photoshop one was interesting as there were a few things he could have done within the rules to achieve nearly the same result. (For those who can't be bothered to click on the story, a winning entry in a prestigious comp was disqualified for cloning out a plastic bag)

[jinky]

I thought NG harsh and Mayer`s comment crazy. I`m not a pro now as I let my pro status on flickr lapse

[Oldboy]

Here:
http://www.slrlounge.com/controversial-stories-2013

What do you think?  I thought the National Geographic Photoshop one was interesting as there were a few things he could have done within the rules to achieve nearly the same result. (For those who can't be bothered to click on the story, a winning entry in a prestigious comp was disqualified for cloning out a plastic bag)

The rules stated no cloning whatsoever. He was a pro photographer so, should have checked the full frame before taking the shot. The judges even said, if he had left the plastic bag in, he would have won just the same. If they allowed him to get away with that where do you draw the line? A few years back, a Spanish photographer entered a shot of a Wolf jumping over a gate in the countryside at night. He said he had left the camera out overnight on a movement trigger to capture the image. A sharp eyed viewer spotted that the Wolf was a tame one in a zoo who the photographer took a picture of jumping and pasted that into landscape shot.   http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jan/20/wolf-wildlife-photographer-award-stripped 

[oggalily]

I agree that the cloning clearly broke the rules, though I would draw a distinction between this and the Spanish wolf shot, which was a clear case of deception (and subsequent attempts to cover his tracks).  In this case he could have use burning or toning, or cropping, to remove  a minor distraction from the pic.  In fact he could even have walked over to the bag and removed it.  So it was a minor and easily avoidable infraction.  I do think the awards body mishandled the affair by not reviewing the original file before notifying him of the win. 

An interesting middle ground was the DCM Photographer of the Year comp a few years ago where the winning photographer restaged another photographer's shot at the same location.  I can't find a link but it was of Indian (?) boys splashing each other under a waterfall with coloured buckets.  It was virtually identical to the original (which had won other awards) and as I recall the second photographer actually bought the buckets and paid the boys.  When complaints emerged the organisers refused to acknowledge them (and in my opinion lost a lot of credibility).  Was there a case to answer?  Without recalling all the details, it was certainly not original and not what it purported to be.

What all this proves is that these competitions can be a messy business.  I think the organisers have to be harsh, and sometimes excessively so, if they want to maintain the respect of their public.

[ABERS]

Well remember the DCM POTY controversy, the people at DCM really were caught with their pants down on that one. The picture in question was an almost exact rip off of an image that had won an international competition in the Far East if I remember correctly.

I think the place where it is taken is in Indonesia and has a load of kids always on hand to perform the bucket water throwing act on the waterfall terrace, a bit like the  White Horses in the Camargue that are coralled and then driven towards you so you can capture the classic image of the region. They are driven towards you as many times as your pocket can stand apparently.

I have been trying to find an image of the 'Water Throwers' that was recently included in the Highly Commended images of an International Digital Competition, as soon as I saw it I recognised the venue. The author had the decency to enter the shot in monochrome though.

[ABERS]

It would appear that it's Bali where this 'photo opportunity' occurs. See

http://www.andisucirta.com/photo_gallery.php?id=108

[Reinardina]

Oh, yes, I remember the shot(s) of the 'water bucket gang.'
There must be quite a few of those around by now, as those boys will have realised the potential of a little money making. I bet they take tourists there, with the promise of a unique photo opportunity!

[Andrew]

British Law has a lovely statement that covers this situation:

"Ignorance of the law is no defence of a breach of the law"

We're all guilty of it at some times in our life - some times we get away with it, other times we get hit really hard.

I do feel sorry for the photographer, but it does bring into question the Nat Geo for announcing a win before validating the winning picture - especially after the 'Wolf' debacle only a few years ago.

[spinner]

British Law has a lovely statement that covers this situation:

"Ignorance of the law is no defence of a breach of the law"

We're all guilty of it at some times in our life - some times we get away with it, other times we get hit really hard.

I do feel sorry for the photographer, but it does bring into question the Nat Geo for announcing a win before validating the winning picture - especially after the 'Wolf' debacle only a few years ago.

We have a shortened version here, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse"

[Hinfrance]

British Law has a lovely statement that covers this situation:

"Ignorance of the law is no defence of a breach of the law"

We're all guilty of it at some times in our life - some times we get away with it, other times we get hit really hard.

I do feel sorry for the photographer, but it does bring into question the Nat Geo for announcing a win before validating the winning picture - especially after the 'Wolf' debacle only a few years ago.

We have a shortened version here, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse"

This concept is well past it's sell by date. I defy anyone to know the laws of their own land, let alone that of others. When I was at university some 40 years ago the law section of the library (where I spent much of my time) was an entire floor. Bear in mind that Tony Blair's government alone created more than 3,500 new criminal offences, the complexity (not to mention veniality) of the law seems to know no bounds.

The rules of a photography contest are, of course, somewhat more intelligible. For the most part.