Good Luck Stoat

I bit the bullet and entered my first photographic competition! (albeit partly against my will). Stoaty's gone in to a wildlife competition. As nice as the photo is, I don't think it is technically good enough because it's not sharp or clear. Believe me, these things really matter when you have a huge competition with very serious judges and are up against amazing photographers. So although I love it, it's just not up to scratch because it was taken so spontaniously.

I got my knickers in a twist the night before I sent it off. I couldn't decide how to crop it to make it better. Floyd said he didn't know, my friend didn't know either....so I just left it and it went off in all it's glory, completely unedited. The rules said you could alter it and make it sharper etc but over-editing is not allowed. So I just left it all well alone and didn't alter anything. They judge on technical ability (gulp), composition (gulp), understanding of the brief (whoops), originality and commercial appeal. The brief is animals in action, so I am screwed really!!! Here's the unedited, unclipped, unaltered stoat that I sent off.

It's a big thing for me...the only 3 people who ever encouraged my persuit of photography have passed away sadly. I think they'd be thrilled I'm trying!! I still need to try and do a portfolio for this other person who's shown an interest in my pics. I don't know where to start though or how to do it.

I think it's so easy to say 'look at my great photo' when it's of a beautiful landscape that you can't take a BAD photo of! So if I take a photo of a lovely castle by a lake and everyone says 'that's so cool', I feel a fraud, because it's not the photo that's cool, it's the scenery. I like clever photography, which I am no good at. But we live and learn and that's my goal, to be very good at it!!!

Soph x