The winner of the British Natural History Museum’s wildlife photographer of the year award was stripped of his £10,000 prize after questions arose about his winning image.

The judging panel reconvened and concluded that it was likely that the wolf featured in the image was an animal model that can be hired for photographic purposes. “It saddens us to confirm that after a careful and thorough investigation into the image ‘The Storybook Wolf’, the co-owners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition… have disqualified the winning entry of the photographer Jose Luis Rodriguez,” they said in a statement.

[ via PDNPulse ]

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Leica M9

Michael Reichmann at Luminous Landscape has written, IMHO, the first ever honest (and courageous) Leica article [not that other Leica articles are not honest, just too unabashedly and embarassingly gushing in their praises that they overlook major weaknesses in this venerable model] casting a non-judgemental but critical look at how the next version Leica M can be improved in this digital age.

Thank you, Michael, for the courage to say that the rangefinder should probably be laid to rest. That it does not make sense to design a flat camera and then have users buy plastic add-ons for better handling. That one should not have to screw off the base plate to change battery and memory card… In other words, let common sense rule!

Read Michael Reichmann’s article at: Luminous Landscape

Read my response to the Open Letter »

Optimalprint UK is running a Business Card Photo Contest. Participants may submit their best photos and win 1,000 GBP or a Canon EOS Digital SLR camera and 500 free business cards.

The contest is open to all countries but the UK town that submits the most photos will be additionally featured on the Optimalprint UK website.

The contest opens at 12 noon on Monday, January 18, 2010 and will end on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 12 noon GMT. Winners will be notified by email and announced on the website by Thursday, March 25, 2010.

You can read the details and complete rules about the business card photography contest at: Optimalprint.

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