I'm not one to spill the beans on someone, but when something like this is emailed to me, it kind of burns me up. I entered the 2009 National Wildlife Refuge photo contest a few months ago, as I photograph the Wallkill River NWR, nearby my home pretty heavily. I'm pleased to have four of my ten images receive honorable mention status. I received this email today:


Altered and Misrepresented Refuge Photo Contest Images Withdrawn

For Immediate Release
November 6, 2009

Washington, DC- The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) has withdrawn Semi-finalist recognition from five images in the 2009 Refuge Photo contest after a close review raised questions about the integrity of several images submitted by photographer Maxis Gamez of Sarasota, Florida.

“The NWRA appreciates the hard work and artistry of the many photographers who submitted accurately-represented photographs taken on national wildlife refuges, and will be vigilant to protect the integrity of its contest,” said Evan Hirsche, President of NWRA. “Photos submitted by Mr. Maxis Gamez were confirmed to have been in violation of contest rules and have been removed as a result.”

Five images submitted by Mr. Gamez received semi-finalist recognition by contest judges, and were placed in the Winning Image Gallery on NWRAs website. Shortly afterward, contest staff became concerned that several images were potentially in violation of contest rules regarding significant digital alterations as well as the stated location of the images. NWRA promptly investigated the matter, and Mr. Gamez admitted to digitally altering one image and misrepresenting the location where another was taken. The photographer declined NWRAs request to provide the original photographs as evidence in support of his claims, and asked that his images be withdrawn from the contest.

Contest rules stipulate that photos must be taken at a refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System or at a refuge-associated Waterfowl Production Area, and prohibits digital alterations that add any elements or objects that do not exist in the original scene.

The winning images from this years contest can be seen here:

http://refugeassociation.org/contest/ContestHome.html

BTW. my four images are #82-85 at the listed thread. Many of you saw them here first. And congrats to Les Zigurski with a 4th place winner and many honorable mentions, I think he has 8 of them ! I'm disappointed to have received this about someone right here from our forum. As far as I'm concerned, there is no excuse for this kind of behavior. It must be quite an embarrassment to be implicated from Wash. D.C. too.

Herb Houghton

Congrats on your "honest" honorable mention Herb....well deserved! Seems some people make a habit bending the rules
to suit their pleasure. Hey, good to read of Les having success there as well!

Congratulations on your honorable mentions.

I recently entered a wildlife magazine photo contest and after reading the rules several times and even talking with other photographers they were very vague in what was allowed or not allowed to be done to an image.

I guess I will find out shortly if my images are accepted.

A hearty congratulations Herb!

It is a shame that some cheat but that will always happen. The cheaters that do get caught deserve all the shame and loss of cred they suffer.

I did look at most of the shots linked on the link. Some real stunning work there, I would be proud to be on that Honorable Mention list. Good on you

Tim

Photo contests have kind of bugged me and I've pretty much given up on them. I entered one of my Dall Sheep shots in a local contest and the judges didn't even know what they were looking at (they literally said they didn't know what it was...they thought it was a goat) and after the winner for the national geographic wildlife photo was a cow...a livestock cow, behind a fence..hardly wildlife. I got two shots in the "shot of the day" and was really excited for that but to see all the unbelievable shots that lost to a domesticated cow...sigh, I felt really bad for all the other photographers.

Congrats on your nominations Herb, you've got some fantastic shots and you should be proud! Don't let the cheaters bring you down

Congrats, Herb. There is always some jerk that violates the rules.

Tony

BIG congrats Herb... I do remember those images and they are certainly worthy of the recognition you have received for them.
Excellent work, very well done.

Kirk

Congrats Herb, well done.
Joe

Congratulations Herb. Well deserved recognition. Those are some GREAT pics.
Dan

Congratulations Herb.Well things like this do not surprise me these days. Digital certainly has made it a lot easier for these things to happen. Well shit happens Herb so don't let it get you down to much but glad you posted it . Also I wa glad to see Les's name on there.
Lou

Thanks for posting that Herb--it's nice to see that character still matters and that folks who whore after contest wins occasionally get their comeuppance.

And congrats to both you and Les--it's nice to see some guys who quietly do good work get recognized--I'm especially pleased that neither of you felt compelled to do one of those 'I won, I won!' posts--followed by endless efforts to keep the topics on page one of the forum.

The real satisfaction in this hobby is being out in the field, and bringing some of that splendor into our homes and the lives of others through honest images. IMHO, of course.

It'll be interesting to see if news of Maxis lack of ethics gets posted over at BPN.

HI Johnny

At BPN I posted a link to the press release and the actual text.

Maxis was a moderator on our site but was removed from the role and later banned from the site, earlier this year. Will paste link to our post but there is no discussion, comments and just the same text you have above.

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49270

Herb -

congratulations on your excellent news of recognition - - well deserved.

I am sorry to hear about the other photographer.

When I was a teenager I started competing in Show Jumping with my horses in Sweden. Going home one day I complained about something & my father got angry. Being that he had competed Nationally in Sweden & was on the reserve list for the Olympics way back when - - My father had one rule... A serious one - - - No matter what anyone else did... I had to "play" by the rules & of that there was no negotiation. So - no matter how I wanted to get even & do what others did to feel like I was competing on the same terms. I had better know the rules & compete on the terms of the rules. That meant knowing the FEI rules in our house.

There are many times in my life I've run into this situation..... I want to play by the rules others seem to create..... But I'm always told the same thing.... I am above that...

Hard to live up to - but guess what...... I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning & I can sleep soundly at night.
'
Herb - - well done & I'm thrilled for you.

Congrats Herb on your fine dedication and work that was recognized! Glad to see your shared work here on the forum, continue to enjoy the opportunities

Karl

Herb,

Add me to the list of your admirers and a hearty congratulations forr your recogntion.

Ken

Congratulations Herb on your success and for the link to these great pics.
Martin

Congratulations, Herb.
Shame that some folks would try and fool the contests.

Congratulations on the selection Herb, very well deserved. And a congrats to some other FMr's who were recognized, Les, Bruce Benson and Wade Dowdy (Commodorefirst), excellent job by all.

Doug

Congrats Herb! Wonderful images and a well deserved recognition. Also to Les, Bruce and Wade!

Congrats Herb!

When a photographer knowingly cheats in a photo contest, he is cheating on us all. Not just the other photogs in the contest are affected. This hurts all nature photographers.

I view the photographic community as a large network of trusted friends. My photo career has given me the opportunity to meet and get to know many nature photographers. They are generaly a wonderful group of people who I trust and rely on. Incidents like this tear at the very fabric of that trust. It is a sad thing for all of us. It's like getting ripped off by a friend that you trusted.

I guess Maxis has received a harsh punishment. His reputation is ruined, probably forever, and I'm sure he has lost the trust and support of most of the photo community.