Wow, so apparently no one stuck to the rules of using the same lighting.
Let’s have a look at this shall we:
1st place – Gained 3kgs in 1 year (bear in mind this is for a NEW trainer). No change in bodyfat. After photos have MUCH better lighting, better posing, and are visibly zoomed in (see placement of knees in before photos vs after photos).
2nd place – No change in bodyfat or bodyweight. Tanned, better lighting, and again, zoomed in photos (again see length of torso and knee placement vs original).
3rd place – Dubious choice of lighting, but should have been 1st or 2nd regardless.
I thought this would have been obvious to the judges – evidently not. This is why I am choosing not to compete next year. FYI, I was never interested in the prizes and have no use for them, but this is pretty poor form.
I gained 5kgs, 1.25” on my legs (a big weakness), 1” on my calves (another weakness) and gained basically everywhere else as well. To do this with the amount of training experience I have had was an amazing result for me. Note that my pics are identical size and do not exploit any different in lighting (even wore the same shorts FFS).