Many moons ago, when I first joined NPN, there was a strict ban on posting anything that was “man-made”. That rule has since been relaxed, and I am OK with that – man is, after all, part of nature.
However, I am really disturbed by the entries in the “Night Lights” Weekly Challenge that were totally devoid of anything “nature” – and, in fact, in some cases the very anithesis of nature, like fireworks. An image of fireworks was also duly honored as the “Editor’s Pick”, even though the image (beautiful as it is) contains not a shred of nature.
Full disclosure: I hate fireworks. They terrify animals, and potentially start fires. On a personal level, I suffer from PTSD contracted from a stint disarming landmines in Angola after the Cuban – South African proxy war. Explosions are not fun for me.
I am not asking for any action to be taken.
Hello Pieter,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the “Night Lights” Weekly Challenge.
You’re correct that in general, ‘hand of man’ is not allowed in the Weekly Challenge unless stated otherwise in the description. For this particular challenge, man-made elements, including fireworks, were specifically allowed:
I understand your concern about maintaining our focus on nature photography, and I appreciate your perspective on the impact of fireworks on animals and fire safety.
I’m very sorry to hear about your PTSD from your experiences in Angola. Your openness helps us understand the personal impact these images can have.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Your input is valuable as we continue to shape our community and challenges.