A while back I highlighted the results of the BBC wildlife photo contest, including the photo below, the grand prize winner, of a leaping wolf. The BBC now reports that the photo was probably staged, the subject not a wild wolf but Ossian, a tame wolf who lives in a Spanish zoo. The contest winner has been stripped of his prize.
Fig. 1. Too good to be true.
h/t: Otter
Ironic that the wolf is called Ossian given the history of the supposed ancient poet Ossian (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossian )
I’m surprised that the warm-up picture didnt give the game away!
Oops, forgot the link!
http://www.cocolooby.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/picture2.jpg
funny!
HAHAHAHAAAA- made my day XD
acountability, acountability…and not funny.
It *is* still a very nice photo all the same.
Not to be smug, but in the community of european nature photographers (of which I’m not one, BTW) everybody knew the shot was staged. Minute after it was awarded, anyway… 8-). Why? Because here a wolf don’t jump. Usually he crouches under the fence.
Marco Ferrari
“…everybody knew the shot was staged. Minute after it was awarded, anyway” In the same way that all the economic commentators knew the economic crisis was coming right after it happened?
“Usually he crouches under the fence.” “Usually” ≠ “Always”?
In an event like this, which was controversial, when the answer comes, someone always will have been right, and that someone will usually say “I knew it all along!”.
“Usually” ≠ “Always”?
You’re right, but you have to be extra lucky to catch one jumping. Let’s say the jump is highly suspect.
What’s that I see on the fence, where the curved slat crosses the straight slat? It looks like a shadow to me. And if it is a shadow, then it’s cast towards the direction of the main light (the strobe that illuminates the wolf). How about it, science fans, any theories?
Hint: As Hannibal Lecter said to agent Clarice Starling – “Everything you need to solve this case is right in front of you.”
2 strobes? Not uncommon at all.