Bird Photographer of the Year Will not Elaborate on Why It Disqualified Winner

Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 has disqualified one in every of its Silver Award winners after the picture “did not meet the competition’s authenticity requirements.”

Photographer Baiju Patil’s picture, ‘Through the Marigolds’, received the Silver Award within the Birds in Flight class. Without naming Patil, Bird Photographer of the Year launched a press release over the weekend saying that it “could not be verified as a genuine raw capture” and that “the photographer was unable to provide a valid raw file upon subsequent request.”

The picture seems to point out barn swallows flying over a subject of marigolds. In the unique caption offered to the media, it says the picture was taken within the Indian village of Hiware Bazar.

“The fields of marigolds around the village of Hiware Bazar are a sight to behold, and seeing the flocks of swallows skimming over them gave me the idea for this photo,” the caption reads. “I noticed that some of the birds kept feeding over the same area and set up my camera so that I could fire it with a remote. This is one of the many thousands of photos I took and is the one I am most pleased with.”

Patil says that the picture was taken on a Nikon D4 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens hooked up, set at 14mm. The digicam settings are listed as: 1/250 of a second, f/10, and ISO 200.

PetaPixel has requested Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) precisely what edits or components led to the picture’s disqualification, however the competitors says it’s “unable to comment further on the individual involved, as doing so could create legal implications.”

Patil’s picture has been faraway from the BPOTY website, however the photographer’s Facebook post celebrating his achievement stays on-line.

“Thrilled to share that I’ve been honored with the Silver Award – World Bird Photographer of the Year 2025!” Patil wrote on October 6. “This photograph — captured in the vibrant marigold fields of India — celebrates the harmony between birds and nature. Every moment spent observing, waiting, and connecting with the wild brings me closer to the beauty of life around us.”

Since BPOTY received’t reveal what bought the picture thrown out of the competitors, it’s pure to take a position whether or not the picture is a composite of various pictures or maybe synthetic intelligence was used.

In BPOTY’s competition rules, it says shortlisted entrants should submit a RAW file, or an “original untouched JPEG for authentication and forensic purposes.” The rule particularly forbids “composited images or AI-generated images” in any class. Sky-swapping, eradicating pure components, or misrepresenting nature are additionally not allowed.

PetaPixel requested BPOTY why the picture has solely simply been disqualified now, when the outcomes had been revealed in September. The response from BPOTY is written in full beneath.

“Our verification process includes a review of all awarded entries against the submitted raw files prior to announcement. In this instance, the file appeared consistent with a genuine raw capture at that stage and therefore passed initial checks,” writes the director of BPOTY, Will Nicholls.

“After results were made public, new information came to light that prompted an extensive technical review and ultimately led to the disqualification.

“It is technically possible to edit an image and then export it in a way that produces a file with a raw extension, which can appear and behave like an original unprocessed file. In rare cases, this can make verification challenging, as the file may pass initial checks designed to identify standard raw data. This is a growing issue across the photography industry, and we continue to refine our verification tools and processes in response to these developments.

“It’s important to note that many entries are removed each year during judging for rule violations — including composited scenes, manipulation, or the use of captive subjects — as part of our ongoing commitment to integrity and fairness. While such cases are until now never visible to the public, they reflect a robust and well-controlled process that operates behind the scenes to maintain the highest possible standards. One disqualification prior to announcement in over 10 years of the competition operating is testament to the fact that we in fact catch most cases of rule violations.”