Well, it's sort of real, isn't it?

January 20, 2010 2:29 PM

The 2009 winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition (also covered here in 2007 and 2008) has been stripped of his title after it emerged that his winning photo was not what it seemed. The judges decided that it was highly likely the picture was not of a wild Iberian wolf, but rather that it was of Ossian, a tame animal kept at Cañada Real Open Center near Madrid.

Although photographer Jose Luis Rodriguez vehemently denies using an "animal model", this has not prevented him from being disqualified from the competition for life. This means that there will be no winner for the 2009 competition, but you can see some more of the shortlisted entries here.

Cañada Real has a virtual tour, but the Iberian Wolf link currently only works in Spanish (Google Translate version).

Ossian is not the only animal to have been hired out in this way; indeed, providing animals for film and photography purposes is apparently big business, but there are concerns as to the welfare of the animals involved.

posted by ZsigE (40 comments total)

I relish this news, as that is a really fantastic picture that I did not take.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 2:43 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's pleasing to have a prominent example of: "Just because it's not a Photoshop Disaster doesn't mean it's not fake".
posted by mattn at 2:47 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Here's the only place I've seen pictures of the alleged wolf:
http://www.suomenluonto.fi/bbcs-nature-photo-competition-judge-admits-winner-photo-investigated-due-to-fraud-allegations
I don't really know, the wolf looks different, the rocks look different, but those two trees look very similar...
posted by samj at 2:51 PM on January 20, 2010

Fixed link, sorry
posted by samj at 2:53 PM on January 20, 2010

It's an awesome photo regardless.
posted by fire&wings at 3:05 PM on January 20, 2010 [2 favorites]

You could have just asked a mefite to debunk it, we are famous for that.
posted by wheelieman at 3:06 PM on January 20, 2010

Avatar: Best Film

It's a new virtual decade. I hope someone's making great 3D models of what's left or still remembered.
posted by vectr at 3:13 PM on January 20, 2010

Great. Now once again people will blame Cañada.

One day I will learn to resist such openings. Today is not that day.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 3:28 PM on January 20, 2010

So, the wolf-head was just photoshopped onto the butt end of a large dog that was actually jumping away from the photographer... right?
posted by JBennett at 3:33 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

If only Red Riding Hood had access to such information.
posted by Elmore at 3:44 PM on January 20, 2010

Wait! Enhance on the wolf's ear!
posted by Artw at 3:44 PM on January 20, 2010 [4 favorites]

Then again, the wolf* is probably happy. Better be 'shopped than chopped.

*Ossian, whatevs.
posted by Elmore at 3:45 PM on January 20, 2010

Fakety fake fake FAKE.

Fake.

Are we supposed to believe that this dude camped out by that nice rustic fence and waited for a wolf to come leaping by? Or that he just happened to be out for a walk when it jumped past him ("Dear Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, I never thought this would happen to me, but...")?
posted by you just lost the game at 3:56 PM on January 20, 2010 [2 favorites]

I wish I could ride that wolf as it jumped fences.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 4:04 PM on January 20, 2010 [5 favorites]

More like Canada Fake Open Center amirite?
posted by DU at 4:29 PM on January 20, 2010

you just lost the game, if you read the links, you will he set up a camera trap. Mind you, I agree; the whole thing reeked from start to finish.
posted by smoke at 4:31 PM on January 20, 2010

You ever tried to give a wolf a bath?
posted by box at 4:40 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Isn't it obvious. I can't believe it got to the point where he was given the title and then they needed 'experts' to help decide to take away the title. On a side note, the picture is pretty cool anyway, whether he followed the rules of the competition or not.
posted by rateit at 5:00 PM on January 20, 2010

I tried to photograph this wolf jumping over a fence and on his past it growled "Nice vest, the only models you'll ever meet are of the hairy dog-faced variety and you could put gravy on that shit and they STILL wouldn't lick it" and I before I could show him my vast professional portfolio to prove that I actually have a lot of runway photography under my belt he bit me and said "Get a real job, you old hippie!" and my trail guide started laughing real hard but then he got all serious and said Son, you just got bit by the ultimate were-hustler, here's this gun with a silver bullet in it, you know what you have to do with it, and I was like DAMMMMMMMN
posted by hermitosis at 5:08 PM on January 20, 2010 [3 favorites]

A real photograph of a real wolf jumping over a real fence is not a fake. Christ, half of a photographer's job is staging the photo.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:23 PM on January 20, 2010

A real photograph of a real wolf jumping over a real fence is not a fake.

Nor is it, in this case, wildlife.
posted by hermitosis at 5:25 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

This made me smile, because Ossian was in fact a fake, or at best "sort of real."
posted by Countess Elena at 5:41 PM on January 20, 2010 [2 favorites]

I was sure the picture had been discussed before when it was announced. Then I realized I was thinking about Berlin sausage fox.
posted by ErikaB at 5:46 PM on January 20, 2010

A real photograph of a real wolf jumping over a real fence is not a fake. Christ, half of a photographer's job is staging the photo.

It may be a real photograph of a real, live animal but the photographer totally broke the rules.

Contest rules from the first link:

"Subjects and Ethics Only pictures of wild animals and plants and landscapes are eligible subjects. Images of domestic animals (cats, dogs, farm animals, etc) and cultivated plants (species or hybrids grown in a cultivated setting) do not count as wildlife. Pictures of captive animals (animals that do not live a free and wild existence) or involving baiting using live bait are not eligible, and any other baiting must be declared. Pictures of animal models or any other animals being exploited for profit may not be entered. Images of animals being restrained in any way are only accepted in the One Earth and Wildlife Photojournalism categories when illustrating an issue. The competition asks photographers to put the welfare of animals first and to safeguard their environment and that they do not do anything to injure or distress animals or destroy the environment in their attempt to get the shot. If the Owners or the Judges suspect that a picture was taken using cruel or unethical practices, the entry will be disqualified. "
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:04 PM on January 20, 2010

Somebody cried wolf, eh?
posted by Atreides at 6:31 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

To be fair, he did say on the application form that it was a Real wolf.
posted by Flashman at 6:35 PM on January 20, 2010

you just lost the game: Fake. Are we supposed to believe that this dude camped out by that nice rustic fence and waited for a wolf to come leaping by?

I don't know anything about this case, and I don't know much about photography. But a fair bit of National-Geographic-style wildlife photography involves "camera traps," which can be triggered remotely or even by motion sensor, i.e., entirely unattended.
posted by Western Infidels at 7:24 PM on January 20, 2010

Fakety fake fake FAKE.

Fake.

Are we supposed to believe that this dude camped out by that nice rustic fence and waited for a wolf to come leaping by?

Not only that but that this "wild wolf" just happened to hop over the fence with the multiple external off-camera strobes right next to it. Nothing unusual about that. You know... since you know exactly where the wolf will jump you can set the zoom on the flash heads and adjust your light modifiers juuuust right.
posted by basicchannel at 8:07 PM on January 20, 2010

It may be a real photograph of a real, live animal but the photographer totally broke the rules.

My comment was in response to the "fake" accusations.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:18 PM on January 20, 2010

Well, it is fake in the sense that it's not a real wildlife in the wild photograph.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 8:45 PM on January 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

I don't care, it isn't anywhere as awesome as this picture.
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:57 PM on January 20, 2010

Not only that but that this "wild wolf" just happened to hop over the fence with the multiple external off-camera strobes right next to it. (1) Nothing unusual about that. You know... since you know exactly where the wolf will jump (2) you can set the zoom on the flash heads and adjust your light modifiers juuuust right. (3)

basicchannel:

(1): Wildlife photographers don't set the camera up in a completely random place, you know. They set them up along trails. It looks like this gate or fence section was the easiest point of crossing; ergo it makes a good location.

(2): Yes, they do. See (1).

(3): If you can't do that much, you probably have no business holding a camera at night - you might hurt yourself.


That being said, FAAAAKE!(4) Probably.

(4): by which I mean "trained animal".
posted by IAmBroom at 12:06 AM on January 21, 2010

These accusations will dog him for life.
posted by gigbutt at 3:05 AM on January 21, 2010 [2 favorites]

He'll turn into a lone wolf though.

Images of animals being restrained in any way are only accepted in the One Earth and Wildlife Photojournalism categories when illustrating an issue. The competition asks photographers to put the welfare of animals first

because this isn't about illustrating an issue *harumph*.
posted by ersatz at 4:35 AM on January 21, 2010

To be honest, this was pretty obvious from the start. Anyone with at least a passing interest in the wildlife of north-western Spain (or, indeed, canis lupus signatus in particular) will know that its documented behaviour in the wild when confronted with some sort of wooden obstruction is actually to huff and/or puff and blow the obstruction down. Anyone who seriously believes otherwise is living in some sort of fairytale land.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:52 AM on January 21, 2010 [9 favorites]

Anyone with at least a passing interest in the wildlife of north-western Spain...

Love that comment, EndsOfInvention.

It needs to be delivered in the most withering tone:)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:07 AM on January 21, 2010

Well, I think it's a real, wild animal. That kind of thing happens all the time. I was just walking through the woods in Katonah, NY and I got this shot. Totally a wild wolf and . . . some girl . . . with a leash. I don't know.
posted by The Bellman at 7:21 AM on January 21, 2010

I totally understand stripping him of the award if they determined that it was a trained animal since that violated both the letter and the spirit of the competition, but that being said, as someone who has tried to tried very hard to get a reasonably good photo of my "trained" dogs that looks anywhere near as cool as this never even come close, I will just say regardless of how it was obtained, it's a cool shot and I hate am deeply jealous of people with that much more talent and skill than me.
posted by quin at 9:10 AM on January 21, 2010

Yeah, it's still a pretty cool photo. If he misrepresented what it was though then the photographer kind of pissed over getting and recognition for that.
posted by Artw at 10:01 AM on January 21, 2010

A bit late to the party but I know this would make a great t-shirt.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 9:09 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]