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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

  • Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Image ID 29955)

    Chestnut-rumped Thornbill.   Photographer: Emmy Silvius

  • Australian Reed-Warbler (Image ID 35259)

    Australian Reed-Warbler.   Photographer: Linda Unwin

  • Australian Pied Oystercatcher (Image ID 28647)

    Australian Pied Oystercatcher.   Photographer: Emmy Silvius

  • Pink-eared Duck (Image ID 31026)

    Pink-eared Duck.   Photographer: Harry Charalambous

  • Great Pied Cormorant (Image ID 20176)

    Great Pied Cormorant.   Photographer: Ian Wilson

These guidelines are based on the assumptions that, generally speaking:

  • a good quality DSLR and lens combination, should produce better quality images; and
  • post-processing can improve the appearance of an image.

What Level Should I Enter?

BLP Members are free to choose the level to enter a Photo competition. The appropriate level is based on the general standard of the photographer. In other words, you may not change levels based on the quality of a particular photo. The guidelines are designed to assist a member in making his or her decision, but are not definitive or compulsory.

Entry Level

Member has:

  • an entry-level camera
  • nil to basic post-processing software/skills
  • less than two years experience as a photographer

Intermediate Level

Member has:

  • some post-processing software and skills (but can be improved)
  • two or more years experience as a photographer

Advanced Level

Member has:

  • two or more years experience as a photographer
  • two or more years experience as a bird photographer
  • intermediate to advanced post-processing skills
  • sufficient experience to act as a Mystery Reviewer for this category

If a member is still unsure which level to enter, they can send a small portfolio of images (no more than 4 images), together with details of their camera equipment, photographic experience and photo-editing software, to the Photo Competition Co-ordinator who will then suggest which level is most appropriate.

Can I Change Between Levels, and If So, When?

Moving Up

Generally, moving between levels will only be considered at the end of a calendar year, which takes into account the yearly Awards process.  Gold medal winners from the yearly Awards must move up a level (except for those already at Advanced level), commencing with the first competition after the announcement of the awards.

Moving Down

We anticipate that there may be times when a photographer feels that they can no longer compete at a higher level, for a variety of reasons. From the commencement of photo competition # 4 for 2016, (planned commencement date 11 July), members may only go down a level with the approval of the Photo Competition Co-ordinator, following a request from the member.

CONTACT US

The easiest way to contact us is by emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Our People page, in the About Us section, contains email links to each of the committee members.