I didn't enter, but given the acknowledgment it makes you wonder whether they should actually refund peoples entries this year (they won't because no doubt they would be broke), but it's going to leave a bitter taste for those that paid their entry fee and now don't know if any of the administration was accurate...
Just read it. It sounds like the Founder has progressively abdicated responsibility and care for the day-to-day running of operations and now, not needing the team, has thrown them under a bus, apologising for their mistakes rather than the one who makes the big money from this and should be exercising due diligence. It may have started out with good intentions 16 years ago but it is now clearly just a source of (substantial) income. Would be interesting to see their accounts, how much comes in from entry fees, sponsorship, book sales, and how much is paid out on "admin support"
So refreshing to hear your views (& those of others who have been treated with such a lack of respect). You should expect better from a ‘professional’ organisation. Unfortunately it seems to be the way of the world these days - I have come across many organisations (in many walks of life) that seem to be under pressure of some sort to achieve a target and as a result of these pressures they end up just making themselves look foolish or make fundamental errors. Take the time to do a job properly should be the watchword, as well as ‘keep your eye on the ball’. Unfortunately the human face of many aspects of daily life seem to have been taken over by computers or just pressures from senior executives, but they can’t see it because they are so wrapped up in their own pressures.
I stopped competitions many years when I noticed my NOT WINNING OR PLACING photos being used on publications. Turned out that entry granted the competition organiser to use the photos in promotions and marketing outside the competition. In a nutshell for a price of $1000, the holders of the competition obtained potentially $10,000 plus of photography from hundreds of photographers. I have since warned upcoming photographers to be careful when entering as companies and organisations use this very deceptive practice to obtain photography for marketing use as rock bottom prices......they just give away a prize. I can only wonder if this is the conversation in the office behind closed doors..." hey we need bucket loads of photos for next years promotions and marketing, how much is this going to cost????......how about we offer a bunch of talented photographers a $1000 prize and put conditions in the entry that we can use all photos for further use and they will get a credit....lol.....thats brilliant....a $1000 for thousands of photos......lets do it". and so it is how competitions are not to be entered today.
Glad you followed the blog up with this Stuart. I fully support everything you've said on both uploads. I gave up trying a long time ago after realising that the lovely people who buy my prints are the only people who's opinion counts. Them plus the folks that support my social media posts, so the rest can go and do one (present company excepted 😊). Your honesty is refreshing and fairly unique in this community. Keep it going please!
Interesting topic Stuart. I never enter LPOTY. A good few years ago I decided to enter. I paid and uploaded around 10 images I think (sorry was a while ago!) Along with all the details of each one etc. Off the went (or so I thought!) and that was that. Over the next few months I never heard got a rejection email or made it through email. After I saw everyone getting one or the other I emailed them to ask why I hadn't been informed. They told me I hadn't entered and there was no record! I then showed them the payment that they had took. They eventually got back to me weeks later saying they agreed they had taken the payment but I had never uploaded any images wtf!!! They were definitely uploaded I mean each one is done separately if I remember rightly? Anyway that was all I ever heard from them. No apologies, no money back or even you can have a free entry next year. nothing! So that was that..never ever going to enter that S*** show again! Good luck in Glen Affric. I've been once up there it's a stunning and at the time, very quiet Glen :)
Aye that kind of incident has been commonplace for years sadly, they never change just continue to rake in the entries with little regard. Yes really looking forward to Glen Affric one of the few places in Scotland I’ve not shot before 👍
Well said Stuart and factually on the money!! no pun intended. I've not got past about page 20 in the book yet Stuart so I'm half expecting to see one of my entries in there as it was definitely confirmed I was unsuccessful 🤣🤣🤣
Hi Stuart: Thanks for creating and sharing this video. The way that you and other have been treated by the competition organizers is appalling and they should address this without delay otherwise their reputation on being a reputable competition will be permanently impacted.
@@StuartMcGlennon . . . I heard that they did this via a You Tiube post from First Man Photography earlier this afternoon. He seemed to be very supportive and concerned about the issues that you raised.
Adam is a casual observer and knows very little of what's gone on both this years and in year's previous. The statement put out paid lip service to the fiasco that has occurred and was only driven by peer pressure and was a month after the event. Had significant pressure not been brought to bare there'd likely have not been a statement at all. @@keithpinn152
My Grandad won a major world photography competition back in 1931 with a Kodak 1a pocket camera. First he heard he'd won the UK prize, and then went on to win the world prize. The photo, and other prizes (silver statuette and Gold medal) are on display at the National Science and Media museum in Bradford.
That's wild! I ran into something similar in local/national photo contests. In the local one, for a state-wide magazine, a photog "won" a category & placed 2nd in a couple others...but this photog is also a PAID photog FOR that magazine. It was a big upset bc ppl felt that if you're on the payroll, even as a freelancer, that should automatically disqualify you. & similar to the situation you mentioned, in many national contests, it seems the same photogs get chosen. Making it seem rigged, even if it perhaps isn't. Optics matter. Put me off entering contests at all.
You made some very good points about photography competitions Stuart. You did it very professionally and hopefully some future competitions will take your words to heart. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Very well done.
A thought-provoking video, and I'm sorry to hear about your negative experiences with LPOTY. It's a commercial enterprise and the entrants are its customers, so it should do better. Your point about considering why we enter competitions is critical. As a photographer I sell my work as wall-art to consumers, I have a few commercial clients and I enter competitions at club and national level. All this has taught me that there is no such thing as a "good" photograph. A photograph's quality has to be taken in context. Some work that sells well doesn't do well in competitions and vice-versa. Some of my commercial work, while just what the client is looking for, wouldn't sell to consumers OR do well in competitions! Each audience has its own needs, preferences and, yes, trends. My point is that it's important to get feedback on your work, but to get this in 360-degree fashion, i.e in different ways and from different sources. E.g. finding a mentor whose work you admire and judgment your trust, taking part in portfolio-reviews to get feedback from, say, a magazine editor, taking part in social media groups and, of course, entering competitions. My favourite competitions are those where the judge provides feedback on the image, rather than just a score. They may not understand the context of the image and I may not agree with their comments, but they're still useful and give pause for thought. For me the sweet-spot is The Societies' 20x16 print competition. The standard is very high and attracts a lot of entries, but each image gets judged and commented on by a panel, which you can observe if you go to the convention in London. Entrants are mostly professional photographers.
Sorry to hear about your situation , I have not been entering into any competitions for a few years now, more for both monetary reasons and also how competitions made me feel and I was getting and stoping competitions helped me get on better with both photography and other photographers. Also my time in the landscape was more relaxed. Now I know your situation is totally different. Btw I really love your winning image a golden blanket of loveliness!
Hi Stuart thanks for posting this video. My experience is very similar to what you have described. I had a commended image in the new category, Expressions and Impressions of the Landscape. However, I only discovered this when I was in the back of a car in Iceland looking on my phone at their press release. I had also had an email about a month prior saying I had been very close but unsuccessful. So you can imagine my surprise to see my image on their website as a commended image in my category. I then tried to get in touch with them unsuccessfully, I was completely ignored in my initial attempts to get confirmation that I did have a commended image. As obviously I wanted to put it on my social media, but only if it was confirmed by them. Then I watched Ben Harvey's video he made of the prize giving event which led me to watch their livestream of the awards show, where I saw my name and image flash up on the screen, as a commended image. By this point I was furious. My image was good enough to be shown on their screen at their awards show but I wasn't good enough for either an invite to the event (which I couldn't have attended anyway as I was in Iceland, but that's beside the point) or even an email from them to let me know I actually had a commended image, and now even a reply to confirm if I had a commended image! I tried other avenues to get in touch and I have had communication from two people at LPOTY since, initially being told it wasn't their fault if their communication had gone in my junk folder - it hadn't - in fact quite the opposite - I had been specifically told I was unsuccessful. I have had now a book posted out to me - only to find my commended image is not in fact in the book. So they have given me a lovely complimentary copy of a book that doesn't have my commended image in. Total farce from beginning to end. Really disappointed with the whole process. I have to say that I agree with you that this is not a judges error. A judges job is to judge what is put in front of them and it is entirely subjective, I've been around long enough now to know and respect that, however it would appear to me in this fiasco its the administration that has gone so horribly and upsettingly wrong. Reputation and respect is everything and they have lost so much of both. I literally couldn't believe they treated the overall runnerup so poorly though, its basic, basic stuff that has gone wrong!
That is such a stark example of management INCOMPETENCE… the solution, dismiss the management and replace them with photographers of good standing & skill at their art👍🏻🇦🇺👍🏻
I stopped entering competitions some years ago after spending some idle hours reading the VERY SMALL print in the T&Cs of a major UK comp. You know- That little box we all tick and very few of us actually ever read. What I discovered was that by accepting those T&Cs I was also signing away all my rights to the copyright of all my photos, regardless of whether they won anything or not.
Stuart, I was not aware of this thanks for sharing, I must say you are very composed, what a mess this seems to be, I do enter a lot of competitions but have never had any problems although this competition is not one that I enter as I am no longer in the UK. I feel for you and the others, I am a big fan of Andy's work too you guys must be gutted. Thanks for sharing.
(Bit of a long comment, sorry) First, congratulations on being the overall Runner Up, though quite bittersweet I'd imagine. A very intersting and aesthetically pleasing image of yours to. But, wow, what a massive balls up! Must admit I wouldn't have known this had occurred if I hadn't come by to see what you'd uploaded recently. I see the 'apology' isn't even on the LPOTY homepage (I'm not on Facebook so wouldn't have seen it there), I had to go into the 'News' section to read it. Thank you for raising awareness of what happened. Defeinitely pertinent to do so, particularly it didn't just happen to you. I feel sorry for all the photographers involved, but that friend of Lorna Brown. To be told you're commended, to have the image shown on awards night, then to be told it's not, what the hell?! All these experiences raise the question of how, after running the competition since 2006, can something like this occur. It's not as though we're in the situation we were a couple of years ago with Covid and the upheaval that caused. I see on the LPOTY website, the 'Meet the Team' section only lists 5 names, so I assume they hire a company/team to run the administration side during the course of the competition. Mistakes happen, but to have soo many and in such basic things like communicating accurately. Shambles doesn't even begin to accurately depict the situation. Your comment at 13:40 onwards about the competition not evolving and being out of touch struck me, as I haven't been a huge fan of the majority of winners in LPOTY for some time. I was intrigued by that colourful building you showed referring to the lack of auditing they do. I can't believe that image has been entered in three successive years in a row, and two years by the same photographer. Pity Outdoor Photography magazine stopped doing their competition. I have all three volumes of their books and find the images quite inspiring, and (it's subjective of course) much better than the majority in LPOTY. Always admired Charlie Waite as a photographer, and in presentations seen on youtube I've always felt he'd be interesting to chat with about photography. Thanks for calling them out, it really was necessary to do so. Hope you have continued success with your photography and gallery.
I joined a camera club a few months ago that was in the middle of almost self-destructing because of politics and infighting. Not exactly sure what was going on, but I gather one of the sore points was the regional Photographic Association competition, that the club seems fairly obsessed with. I'm still in the club! I don't know if that's a good move. 😄 Showing off snaps, talking gear and attending talks is fine enough, but I decided to resist any urges to enter the competition. Couple reasons: A, my photography is nowhere near good enough. Yet. Maybe. B, I'm not really bothered about competitions. Sounds a bit sour grapes, but it's true. C, if I'm going to jump through hoops and stress about what should be a pleasant hobby, it's going to be about the original aim of getting out there and taking reference photos that I can turn into paintings and _hopefully_ filthy lucre. I understand that these competitions are where pro photographers may gain some publicity for their careers, but pay to enter and you don't even get the effin' book of entries? Sod that for a game of panoramic paparazzi.
It's a sad day really. As you say, I have personally held the competition very highly. For me, it's been the benchmark for landscape photography in the UK and many photographers I admire have featured. I enjoy collecting and getting inspired by the books. I didn't enter this year (and glad I didn't now), but it's always been a bit of a personal goal to maybe feature in the book one day. I'm not sure about entering now unless there is considerable change. I was pretty cheesed off a couple of years ago after parting with my hard earned cash to not get shortlisted and no one have the decency to even tell me. I feel the least they could do was say 'sorry not this time.' I'm always totally perplexed by the amount of information required at the submission stage as well. I have seen the apology from Charlie, but actions are louder than words. We'll have to see what, if any changes are made. I suspect though a lot of amazing photographers will not enter next year which poses the question, do I want to enter if not up against the very best in the Country? If I then get success is it because entries have dropped? I think the damage done is maybe in the short term irreversible. As you say, mistakes happen and it's how you act on them afterwards, and you still not receiving your copy of the book 5 weeks later says a lot... Great video Stuart. I'm sure you've not made friends with LPOTY as a result, but if they take a step back they should be taking your feedback onboard. If I were Charlie I'd be wanting to speak to you personally...
I thought it was a fairly poor response to be honest, and far too late in the day. Basically throwing someone under the bus and absolving himself from responsibility of some of the organisational issues. Thanks for watching Ian 👍
Sorry to hear of your experiences with this competition Stuart. You'd think that after doing it for so long that they'd be able to get it right. I used to buy the book but haven't done so for the last few years as I noticed, as you said, similar images kept coming through. I'd have to say that I don't miss it and can't see mtyelf ever buying a copy again.
Stuart, I think this is the way of the modern world I'm afraid. I entered an image in a wildlife competition some years ago and heard nothing - no problem - such is life. Some months later just after checking into a hotel in Betwys y coed my brother in law knocked on the door to tell me he'd opened a magazine in his room and in it was my image having come second runner up (3rd really) in the whole of Wales. Still to this day I have not been informed of this. Keep up the good work.
Not often I watch a video all the way through without skipping chunks, but I did with this......well considered and well spoken. I've read the LPOTY statement and Charlie does seem very sorry although I would be too if I stood to lose a load of income next year!! I'm sure it's a minor blip in your career and you've probably got more exposure out of the situation than you might have done. Carry on with the great image making Stuart .....I'm sure it might be something you laught about in a few years time!
Hi Michael, no blip for me I’m long past the stage of needing this in my career, maybe years ago but not now - his apology sadly is very hollow and only transpired out of peer pressure and a fear for his bottom line in my eyes. Should have been a month ago.
hi stu i totally agree with you glad you speak your mind good to be honest, same areas every year as if they are trying to highlight certain areas. keep up the good work some cracking work whether you enter competitions or not i think people should just try to enjoy their photography rather than chasing the titles competitions bring with them, its all down to judges opinions at the end of the day no doubt if the judges were swapped around we’d see totally different images. im not taking anything away from people that have won fantastic achievement but dont let it be the only purpose to their work. awesome aerial shot by way 👍
Hello Stuart, that was a revelation, thanks for sharing. I have previously been shortlisted both times that I have entered, but sadly (for me anyway), I got no further. I chose not to enter in 2023, and after watching your video, I am so pleased that I didn't. I haven't seen the statement, but it looks like they have some serious work to do to restore credibility and regain people's trust if they wish to continue to be regarded as a premium competition. As you rightly state all entrants have put their heart and soul into their work, and they deserve to be treated better than they certainly were in 2023.
This is very regrettable for a competition of this level. In Belgium, in France, every exhibitor receives a copy of the book, and the winners of the competition too. Participation in the competition is free. Paying just to send in photos isn't normal. Beyond that, contests aren not life. There are plenty of ways to make yourself known, you don't need them for that. Stuart, you have a great youtube channel, other stuffs too, wonderfull photos, and that's is life ! ;-)
Hi Stuart, I had a highly commended image in the Scottish version but only found out through checking the site as no communication whatsoever, think that experience seems wider. It's my second year of photography and if nothing else, nice to get an image recognised but it does make you wonder as to how much is really a marketing/sponsor brochure. Keep on with the excellent photo works down there. All best, John
Thanks John sorry to hear of your experience, I know from others that have had similar issues in SLPOTY like yourself, I refuse to enter that comp on account of a terrible thing that happened to a former winner years ago (too long a story for here!)
Very well put Stuart and Carman had a very good point indeed. If you pay for your entry there's a certain level of professionalism you'd expect from LPOTY with the stature they currently hold. All the best, Daz.
Stuart, as an individual who enters competitions (not UKLPOTY) I would feel the exact same if I was in your position and although you mentioned the fading influence on professional careers, the missed opportunities for you as a professional photographer and business is still disappointing. It was interesting to see the range of comments made in the aftermath of your posting and the ones that intrigued me the most was around the establishing of a potential/alternative competition. If that was to ever transpire then I hope the comments you have made in the various fora will have a positive influence in the development of any future competition.
Great video on a controversial point. I do struggle with competitions and the fact that in open ones landscape seem to struggle compared to other types.
Good thinking to post a vlog about it. Although I have seen you discuss it on the pubcast I do not use twitter facebook insta etc so might not have known about this if not for YT thanks.
My " issue" with photo competing...Using programs to enhance photos. Color, adding. I recall seeing an image, digital , and thinking " wow"....After reading, by the photographer....Putting a tree into a gap ..Won a place....To me...." that isn't what was there".
Stuart... I think you 'right on' with the fact that contests today are NOT what they used to be and/or they do not return the rewards that justify one involvement... YES, if you want to 'show off' your work publicly, by all means - go for it... But, as for me, someone who is 77 years old and has been doing photography for 55+ years... I know who I am, and I know what I can do without needing the public recognition of anyone from the outside world... Keep up the good work... the only two things that matter are your personal accomplishments... and if the 'client if happy' enough to pay for your work... George.
Greetings from Australia Stuart........a very interesting and thought provoking article. Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding UK LPOTY. As you say, judging is subjective and we might not (privately) agree with the judges decision, feedback and communication is a very important process. Really, the situation you have described is an absolute debacle and ultimately devalues the Awards and the controlling body.
I have just hit your bell 🔔 icon to all ✅ I use to do amateur photography 25 years back and loved it. These days I design T-shirts etc.and run my RU-vid channel. I thought this video was very balanced and fair in how you highlighted the issues with LPOTY .. I’ll say what you didn’t though .. those running the competition are incompetent and heads should roll.
Why would you pay someone to look at your images? You already hit on the fact that so many years of study, cost of equipment, resources, and time were put into those images. Some with great sentimental value. By paying you are entering a lottery. You did all the work and you are being exploited for your images and your money. I never entered a contest where I had to pay, but did win some that did. I was told a long time ago that, If you are good at something you get paid for your talent and effort. You don't pay the person who is profiting from your work and your art.
You make some very valid observations Stuart, and there is no doubt that LPOTY was not managed well this year. There have also been some odd decisions in the past. However, there are different perspectives on the current situation, depending where you are standing. A past winner professional photographer might see it as having little value, their career boost has happened. Amateurs who enter, with no thought of a career, see it as a means of testing their work and the potential reward of seeing their work getting recognition. I don't think that has changed. That so many people enter the competition suggests it has not lost its popularity amongst the landscape photographer community as a whole. There is no defence for bad admin, and the examples quoted should not have happened, but with a key member of the team suffering health issues during the judging process, and personally apologising before any of this kicked off, from where I am standing, I think there are a number of folk with bruised egos that need to take a good look at why they are cross, and whether they might make a difference in a positive way. Has anyone offered to help make the competition better? One thing I would like to see is the winners joining the judging panel for 3 years, or so. That would rotate the judges and bring in some 'been there got the t-shirt' experience, and prevent the same folk attempting to get on the podium every year. As with many things in photography, what things look like depends where you stand.
I’ve been as crystal clear as I can be on who is to blame, doesn’t need covered again. No ego’s involved, just a simple case of right and wrong. I’m also absolutely crystal clear as to why I’m angry (explained in video), though you’re free to speculate as you wish which you seem to be doing. Help them? I should be charging them a consultancy fee. If they’ve any brains they could trawl both here and Twitter and see exactly where they need to improve, it’s all laid out for them. Or maybe a better option would be to reach out to those Light and Land subscribers seen as they seemed to be of most value? What with getting an apology before any official statement…. Says it all.
Very interesting, I'd not realised you might have to pay to enter some competitions . I think we all like the quedos and validation of getting praise from our peers. I enjoy getting the most thumbs up from my local community group on FB and from my local camera group on FB. I realise might be a big fish in a small pond. Thanks for the vid as once again it makes us think about what we want from our images.
A bit late to the party, but I checked out the winning images a few weeks ago and was really disappointed. One of the first images I saw was edited to the point of being unrealistic, another looked like a composite. The lighting on a third image was, in my opinion, impossible. I then lost interest. I‘ve only once entered a (national) competition and later wondered why some mediocre images from a well known photographer won a category. I questioned the organisier and was told that the entries were not judged anonymously. It obviously then became a question of not whether he could win, but WHICH of his images would win.
wow - what a thing to happen .. especially to such a deserving person and a great and inspiring teacher.. glad i got my print signed though.. well worth the investment .. hope it gets sorted properly ..
I have no interest in competition results as half the images do not appeal to me at all. I get much more satisfaction from watching videos like yours with content I enjoy and aspire to.
Excellent video Stuart. My main concern about this competition and others too is that the judging process should be done "blind" . It doesnt say it is and therefore there will be interference in the outcome. When I pay my hard earned money to enter a competition I want to know its a level playing field. The Natural landscape competition are totally upfront and honest about thier process.
Suspect it is done blind on account of the same scene appearing year after year. I understand that people think this "shouldn't happen" but excluding a great image because someone had shot it before would be interference in my view.
Congratulations on your achievement 👌. What a farcical situation for such a prestigious competition & totally agree with your views with regards to the subjective ness of judging. Well done once again 👌👍
Stuart, this video was so timely for me. I just placed second in a local museum's photo contest yesterday. I'm happy about it. Just yesterday I found out the Best of Show image (a great shot) was photographed outside the date limit rules for when photos could be shot. Then I noticed the first place image was a photo from a different museum. I'm very happy with my second place and have no desire to move up the award ladder. My dilemma is what to do. Should I notify the folks who set this up and they should be transparent about the mistakes?
Most smaller competitions have very little administration time so I would definitely tell them about it. Especially if it's a public service like a museum..
I’m not sure it’s a direct competitor as such as it’s a world wide comp with a slightly different audience though its ethos is absolutely the right way to go
I won’t pay to enter competitions. Think about the money they make, just a random guess but say 100,000 photographers paying £2 each to enter for a £20,000 prize. That’s £180,000 going into some clever twats pocket every year. And it’s like Wimbledon, the same bloke winning for 7 years running while the organiser is out in Marbella too busy to run the Ponzi scheme properly. Don’t pay these wankers, be your own judge and critic.
I saw this video yesterday evening, Stuart, and I must admit I was shocked. Some years ago, by accident (and not having a clue who he was) I met Charlie Waite at what was probably the first exhibition of the winning / runner up / commended entries. He is a really nice chap and was incredibly enthusiastic about landscape photography. Although I love taking landscape shots, I've never yet entered LPOTY. When you mentioned the issues, I wondered whether Charlie was still at the helm or whether his departure had led to the standards slipping. Having read the official statement it seems that Charlie is still very much involved and it didn't surprise me that he made a sincere apology. He didn't cite the causes of the issues and took full responsibility. I'm thinking about entering in 2024. I don't think I'm remotely likely to trouble the scorers but I'm hoping that it'll be the competition that Charlie and the entrants would want it to be.
Hi Paul thanks for watching - I saw the apology and while it’s something I don’t quite view it the same way. It’s a month after the event and had I not put that blog out and significant pressure applied I doubt you’d have seen anything. Even within that statement he’s basically threw someone else under the bus and implied he didn’t even know what was going on with his own competition which I find quite staggering.
@@StuartMcGlennon I completely understand where you're coming from Stuart and I would be taking a similar approach if I were in your position. I'm at that point in my life (just hitting retirement) where, if I don't submit an entry next time round, I doubt I'll ever do so. I know the odds are that I won't get anywhere but I'm sufficiently interested to see if the administration, etc, does actually improve.
Stuart, I read your blog a few days ago and could clearly feel your frustration (anger?) at the organisation. I’ve since read Charlie’s response and felt there was an understanding and acceptance of accountability for what had clearly gone wrong. In my opinion, respect to him for taking that. Regarding your point about those photographers whose images are awarded in the competition and whether or not they should be given a complimentary copy of the book, one of my images was awarded ‘commended’ status in the Scottish LPOTY this year. First time I’ve entered and I was delighted, but I didn’t receive, nor did I expect, a copy of the book. I bought it myself, and was more than happy to do so. While I absolutely understand your frustration, LPOTY remains, for most, the premier competition for uk landscape photographers, and will continue to do so, so is there a way where you could help the competition to regain the trust and kudos by working with the organisation to resolve differences. You clearly have the passion and experience, hope there is a way. Thank you.
Hi Bob, thanks for watching. I don’t share your outlook regarding the statement from Charlie, it’s been forced out through the pressure brought to bear by the reaction on Twitter to my blog, otherwise why wait a month? This should have dealt with immediately, no ifs or buts. We’ll never know, but I suspect had this happened to someone with a greater tolerance for nonsense, and more crucially a much smaller platform and influence than my own, there would have been no statement at all. He seemed to accept some blame, but also shifted some of it to his organisational team, which is really poor. To date I’ve still had no phone call, again woefully inadequate. Regards a book - it’s not about expectations, it’s written into the guidelines of the competition website (as illustrated), when a competition is happy to make money the way this one does, then they also must provide the service advertised, which they’re failing to do on many counts, this being one. If you’re happy to pay for your own book, great. Personally I don’t think it’s right that a competition which ceases to exist without participants images can’t at least provide those who created it with a complimentary copy. They make more than enough through sales, it’s a two way street. I know things about SLPOTY that would make your ears bleed, but that’s not for here. Regards it being the premier competition, I guess that depends on your own perspective. For me far too many great photographers have given up with it years ago, and I’ll be joining them. I guess it depends how much one values being in a comp with so many having left it, with its reputation currently in tatters. What isn’t really debatable is anything that regards itself as ‘premier’ doesn’t treat its entrants in the manner it has for the past few years. It reeks of complacency and arrogance. I think frankly I’ve done all the work for them here, if they’ve any brains they’ll go on Twitter, see a thread that’s had over 50k interactions, been shared by all and sundry with some of the most respected names in the business unanimously condemning it, harvest all that information and feedback and use it for self-improvement.
@@StuartMcGlennon thanks Stuart, appreciate you taking time to respond. Clearly a lot more here than we’re aware of, I just want to keep enjoying my passion and learning from those much more experienced than me. Personally, I’ll keep entering competitions, not in expectation of winning, just as a way of encouraging and challenging myself to get better. And if I have to pay for it, well that’s my choice. Some may say that’s foolish, but that’s up to them. Anyway, keep doing what you do, maybe see you on one of your workshops one day. Would very much like that. All the very best.
I entered a formal competition over 35 years ago (I'm in Australia). I found it full of entitled, pretentious wankers. After that experience I vowed never to enter any photography comp ever again and I've been happy ever since. 😂
I have always maintained that I am in the position of never seeking fame or fortune and doing this for me. I would rather (and already have done) seek opinion on selected portfolio images from a professional who I really respect. Yes it may cost one way or another but the feedback is invaluable - worth so much more than what LPOTY or similar can offer. On a personal note, and respecting Charlie Waite as one of the really greats, can't help but feel this fiasco has maybe damaged his reputation
I was waiting for this video. Very level headed and professional. No doubt its been viewed by the hierarchy at LPOTY and if they cant take it as constructive criticism and change their ways, more fool them. In other news, wait until Cliff gets to experience the snow for the first time! 😂
A few years back, I noticed that in the LPOTY book was the same photo twice, one as a colour version and a BW version in that section. I emailed to ask how this could happen given the rule that the same photo could not be entered and win in 2 sections. The response was basically go away and stop distracting from the person's success, no acknowledgment that the rules of the comp had not been followed. I now don't enter.
Thanks for this, Stuart. Reading your experience and those of other togs as well, it's all very disappointing, especially given the 'big' name behind it all! It just has the smell of a money maker with no accountability! (Edited, as I'd somehow missed some words out!)
Good point/s........well made. Have been fairly disillusioned with LPOTY for a few years.....and that's not sour grapes. Congratulations on your award by the way.
Even with the Twitter / Pubcast / Blog coverage this situation has garnered there are still people unaware of the situation and will happily carry on next year. CW's apology on the FB page at least is an admission to the errors that have been made this year (something the Tories wouldn't have done I suppose) but things don't seem to have been right for a number of years many say. I would hope that the organsation emails each entrant and clarifies the situation and how they will rectify it so that people can make an informed decision on if they wanty to enter the comp going forward.
It is disheartening to see cliche images get top awards. You could go to Snake river Overlook and set up a tripod and and take the exact image Ansel Adams took in the 1950's (there is even a plaque there commemorating it) and you would stand a good chance to top honors. In what world is that now a creative image? I would think a judge would start with "Is this original" and if not it would go no further.
At the end of the day, the organisers of these competitions are business men. However altruistic they appear, they are only running the competition to make money from you or I by selling us a service. Like any other business, if the customers stop buying the service because they are dissatisfied with it, the business has to change or go under. I suspect book sales make far more profit for the owners than the entry fee does, but essentially they are getting the photo’s to put in their book for nothing
Outrageously good image Stuart, seems like you weren’t treated correctly! Will have to watch the rest of this when I get a better signal, anyway, have a fantastic 2024! 👍👏😀
I tend not to enter any of these contests, as I've found far too many hide a clause that on any images _submitted_ the organiser takes the copyright. I'm not about to hand over my rights to an image I created, thank you.
I'm not from the U.K., so I can’t enter anyway but, if I could, I'd probably try to submit a series of images, each of which was a copy of a recent winner, just to see how long it took the people in charge to realize they were being trolled.
if it wasn't for Stuart sticking his neck out and going public, would there have been any kind of statement? and, of course, who knows what errors have occurred upstream in the process but out of view?
I think I entered once in the past, it's heavily Dorset biased if you look at the history, always felt a bit uneasy about those running and judging it. Avoid.
A quick look at the companies house website makes for interesting reading regarding Mr. Waite's business interests, including Landscape Photographer of the year Ltd, which ceased trading as of March 2023. Landscape photographer of the year Ltd of which Mr. Waite is the sole Director of remains active having been incorporated in 2013. I would like to think that after a period of reflection by the organiser, that those affected by the apparent poor decision making and organisation benefit from a full refund.
I unfortunately have had the same happen to me with the British Wildlife Photography Awards, I was commended in 2019 and only found out after the awards ceremony by chance because no one told me. Have also had my non winning images used on the cover of publications without being told....not good enough for a prize, but fine to go on the cover?? Only discovered these by chance when reverse image searching my own images. Whilst I do feel they're all just a money making scheme, I will probably still enter one or two competitions every year.
I've never been a fan of the comp and always thought it's somehow wrong how it's got plenty of official sponsorship which pays for the printing of the books and everything else yet we have to pay to enter and like you say those picked for the book don't even get a free copy 😡. Good for Charlie and the sponsors bad for the photographers who enter.
How to build a commercially valuable photography portfolio quickly and cheaply - con a load of photographers to send you their best images and handover their copyright under the guise of a competition. 😂
I had read the blog, sounds a complete shambles. I've only ever entered small local charities comps, both wildlife, one for Glaslyn osprey calendar, where in the last three years I've had a winning photo and this year a runner up and commended. Others I've not been chosen. Must be so deflating for you who enter such prestigious competitions.
Entered 1 competition here in Oz which was for night sky related images and never again, one image that made the top 10 cut was AI and as fake as you can get with the milkyway backdrop with crescent moon very prominent in the foreground with clouds behind it but that's not even the best part. Somehow miraculously there was a lady figure sitting on the moon looking out over the vast sky as though admiring the milkyway, now i didn’t care that my real nightscape didn’t make the cut but for all those whose were far superior than mine(at least 50)who got chopped out by that fakery.
I have a past with Charlie, I know him well enough, so I have nothing untoward to say about what has happened this year. It’s his gig, not mine. Except that the quality of the judging and the remit the judges were working to, leave a lot to be desired. Part of judging is curation, and what little I saw really was not exciting enough for me. I think what has happened is a reflection on British cultural life, because at the moment nobody really cares enough to make these events anything more than a hollowed out experience. With 80,000 entries it could have been better.
80,000 entries, crikey! And yet over the past few years very few of the winners in any category have piqued my interest, or made me look closer or longer than a couple of seconds. Have to wonder what the judging criteria is.
I loath competitions and festivals. The promoters suck up all the intellectual property, and copy rights as a condition of entry. As you can imagine some of your work can be used in circumstances that are profoundly distressing.
Good video Stuart. I won one of LPOTY categories a few years ago. Although I am wondering about your comment in relation to Natural LPOTY. I have entered this before and found the feedback good BUT I noticed this year that Adam Gibbs was a place winner a few times....did he not set NLPOTY up? Is that not a bit of an issue as he had put those images on you tube before, so the judges would have known who did them. It didn't really seem impartial. I can understand judges being subjective...but
Cheers - no I think he may have been a judge but not a founder, though I can see how that might look. For me I think the reputation of the judges in this comp within the community are beyond reproach and I’d find it highly unlikely those issues you’ve mentioned would come into the equation.
It's a hard one judging a competition in a field where you know a lot of the 'players'. You have to brief the judges to seriously consider their own personal biases but you can't ban everybody you know otherwise I think a couple of hundred entrants would be excluded (and the following year even more as you get to know everybody who entered into the book. Adam entered the competition in the first year I think and didn't get anywhere, he was a judge in the second year and this year he got two commended (lower than third place) and a third place in protect category His Vancouver project is amazing though (in my opinion - I don't get a vote beyond screening though).
Not the same and not on par with you, but I once won an "award", first I knew was seeing it on their social media banners. Telling someone years later, I checked to see if the details were still on my profile - turns out it'd happened twice, plus other commendations wtf. Small-time stuff but would have been nice to get an email at least!
Not sure if this is the competition I entered or it was Natural landscape of the year. But the one I entered had been going only for a few years. It had about 6 categories and I was informed of the wonderful experienced people involved in the judging. However, these judges were only judging if your image got throught about 4 rounds of judging. I understood that it is a lot of work for the specialized judges in that category to judge but felt that some of the "good and unique works" could be overlooked by the general judges judging in the first rounds of judging. So I only entered once, and felt it was a waste of time for my type of photography/images to get to the quality of judges it warranted.
I entered a competition for Landscape photograph, not sure if it was LOPTY can't remember. I ended up in the 'top 10' and it was tagged on the website for going up for the public vote. Then I had an email to say that my photograph was accidentally put through, and it wasn't supposed to be there. So I tried my best to get as many votes as I could to get it through but alas, I think there was already a clear winner - going through before the final votes had been cast. The further I get through your video.... the more my comment makes sense!! VERY POOR
An honest appraisal of competitions. A club i belonged to had an end of year themed competition along the lines of song titles. I entered a terrible pun for 'somewhere over the rainbow' it was the second line illustrated as 'weigh a pie' which produced (eventually) the best groan I've ever heard from the group as they ran the song through their heads. The Judge appeared to have had his sense of humour removed and his wife was worse as she wanted my image to be disqualified. I didn't expect to win, no chance with that judge, but that image will be remembered by the club. If you don't like my images that is your loss.
Great video. Even though I won a category. It was still messed up. They named it watching, I never titled it that! And in the book it’s under the category my railway journey. But in the trophy it says my railway adventure! Small things that is nothing compared to yours or others. But strange.
terrible that stu, i noticed they commended lloyd lane this year for a cropped off version of the same photo he entered last year with! also they gave the black and white last year to paul kileen for his lovely shot mind but it had also won the world landscape photographer yet they never disqualified it? not to sound but i think the whole thing is a getting poor it should be called landscape photo of the year as alot of one hit wonders enter, i like ilpoty as they want 4 of your best photos. anyways lovely work stu your one of the few top level photographers that speak their mind 👍
Thanks for watching Ben, there’s more to the Paul K incident than appears which isn’t my place to get into, they’ve all got their flaws which people understand though it feels like this one has completely lost its way.
Wow that's all terrible can't believe the repeat photo copys that's so poor. That's just a cash cow competition! their is just no respect and due diligence for the photographers and they're taking people's money and that's not on.
Cheers fella, I’ve not shared this on Twitter as I’m not sure people want to keep hearing about it but there’s a lot on here which don’t do Twitter plus it’s a bit easier to get tone across in a video
Aye, forced into and still gets the tone wrong. It’s a bit woe is me and chucks certain people under the bus while implying he doesn’t know what’s going on with his own comp. Lunacy
I fell out with LPOTY and other competitions due to similar issues, and one company used an image without it being entered into the judging. I think these so-called competitions are just a ripp-off these days
