Well, sometimes we cannot be absolutely sure. However, experienced photographers have an eye for personal style, and a vast knowledge of photography in general. Images not taken by the applicant sometimes stick out like a sore thumb! If an image is suspected of being anything other than the work of the applicant, the applicant will be contacted and asked to explain its origin in detail. All applicants must own the copyright of the images they submit and, as a consequence of the submission, give the Society permission to publish successful Award or Distinction images on its website. If an applicant does not own the copyright of all submitted images, he or she would be very unwise to allow the images concerned to be published in this way.