Winners - Underwater Photography Contests
August 2020 Photo Contest Winner and Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR NICK ROBERTSON-BROWN
WINNER: Smile! by Cedric Peneau
When judging any underwater photography competition, the first thing I do is ask of each image: Is it in focus? The main subject has to be pin sharp. Is it exposed correctly?
I then look at lighting (photography is all about light) and composition. Backscatter, hot spots of light, messy backgrounds: all might see your image lose out.
Then there are other considerations that might get you knocked out of the first round: Was the image taken underwater? After all it is an underwater photography competition! Were any animals distressed or harassed to get the image? Was any environmental damage done to get the shot?
Once I have whittled out the images that do not pass these criteria, it is time to get down to picking a winner. A shot that makes me go wow – I wish I had taken that!
A bumper month of images this month and once again the quality was superb. Here is what I thought of a selection of this month’s images…
Watching Fish by Kristijan Maurovic. Even the most common species can offer great photo moments. I love the grumpy look on this snapper.
Sweet Dream by Wayan Jhon. The amphipod, sat on the purple with a black background creates a really well put together macro image. I may have tried to manoeuvre the camera a bit lower and put the critter against the black.
King of the Hill by Alex Permiakov. I really love the lighting in this black background nudibranch portrait. The colours are amazing and the small depth of field works well on this kind of shot.
The Ship Whisperer by Jonathan Seeyave. I have seen several versions of this shot (though not on this particular wreck) and I love the way that the whole image is given perspective. The water clarity and the deep blue background really help too.
Seaweed Blenny by Magali Marquez. Blennies make such great images, they are so photogenic. Snoots work really well on these shots, even though it can be difficult to line-up the light on the subject. This is expertly done and creates a great result.
Caribbean Manta Eye by Magali Marquez. Despite the really small dof, I like this shot. Whilst much of the eye is not in focus, I am drawn to the eyes. The black background accentuates the effect too.
Pygmy Seahorse by Juho Karhu. Trying to get a really good pygmy seahorse shot can be difficult, but this image has the subject actually framed in the coral and looking directly at the camera. Lovely.
Hairy Shrimp by Juho Karhu. Orange, black and white help make this image pop-out from the screen. The focussing is excellent and the eye is pin-sharp and I do like the pattern around the eye.
Chromodoris loci by Francesco Russo. This is a great example of how a common subject can give you a great image. The colours of the nudibranch are wonderful against the flat grey background. It demonstrates that ‘species shots’ can be stunning, well done.
Odontaspis ferox by Claude Lespagne. I love sharks and the Raggie is a special one. They are usually difficult to get, head-on, like this one, but the depth of field helps the ‘smile’ to stand out.
Caribbean sheep by Melodie Caussat. This is a lovely image. It has so many components with a diagonal, the complementary colours and a black background. Beautifully done.
Under good surveillance by Miguel Ramirez. Parent and multiple offspring. Nicely captured.
Isolation by Christina Fernandez Gonzalez. Love the angle, the black background and the detail (especially in the rhinophores). The colours help too. This is beautifully executed.
A bottle of Octopus by Iris van der Zwan. I have never seen an octopus change to this bright purple and I am jealous. I love the concept of this image too, as they are notoriously difficult to get a good image of.
Sargassum by Marc Eeckhaut. I always look for these froggies whenever I am in their territory. I like the angle you have used too.
Trying to fit in by Naomi Rose. This is such an unusual shot that I had to include it on the shortlist. It is almost a shame that we cannot see what is going on but I like it the way it is too.
Smile! by Cedric Peneau. This image will catch the eye of anyone. It is clever and well executed.
Reflections by Cedric Peneau. It is the reflections that really catch the eye on this beautiful shot of two of the ocean’s most majestic creatures. The calm surface really does help to show-off this image
After much deliberation by our judge….
The results
Winner: Smile! by Cedric Peneau
Runner-up: Trying to fit in by Naomi Rose
3rd Place: Reflections by Cedric Peneau
Congratulations to those who were placed – there were a number of excellent images, and well done to all those that entered.
Scubaverse.com’s September 2020 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter as many as three of your underwater photos here.
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR NICK ROBERTSON-BROWN
WINNER: Basket star in the pure darkness by Arnaud Guillebert
Another great month full of wonderful underwater images!
When judging any underwater photography competition, the first thing I do is ask of each image: Is it in focus? The main subject has to be pin sharp. Is it exposed correctly?
I then look at lighting (photography is all about light) and composition. Backscatter, hot spots of light, messy backgrounds: all might see your image lose out.
Then there are other considerations that might get you knocked out of the first round: Was the image taken underwater? After all it is an underwater photography competition! Were any animals distressed or harassed to get the image? Was any environmental damage done to get the shot?
Once I have whittled out the images that do not pass these criteria, it is time to get down to picking a winner. A shot that makes me go wow – I wish I had taken that!
Three squid by Min seok Jeon: I love squid and this shot with three against a black background really stands out. I love the colours and shapes they create as they stretch across the frame.
Hippocampus guttulatus (Cuvier, 1829) by Marco Spoto: What a lovely scene. Great that you did not disturb the worm on taking this shot. I would have liked to have seen the subject isolated more though, losing the backscatter and seabed which can distact the eye.
Turtle in its coral garden by Claude Lespagne: What I like about this image is the snorkeler at the surface looking down on the scene. It shows that you do not have to be a diver to enjoy a stunning Red Sea scene like this one.
Ghost Goby by MichaelG: I love the colours, the expression on the goby’s face and most of all the texture of the coral. Lovely use of depth of field.
Hedgehog by Sofia Tenggrono: Great use of a snoot. You have lit up just enough of the environment to show us where this nudibranch lives, but still have highlighted the subject really well. The complimentary colours are lovely.
yellow cutie by Cedric Peneau: Lovely framing of a really cute little fish. The colours jump out from my screen.
REFLET by DIDIER PASQUINI: I like the motion in the tail and the reflection in this image of the biggest fish in the sea. I always like a bit more space in front of a fish when possible – but I know this will have been hard with a big Whale Shark.
Basket star in the pure darkness by arnaud.guillebert: This is more like a fine art image than the usual underwater imagery you see. Lovely lighting showing off the texture of this basket star.
After much deliberation by our judge….
The results
Winner: Basket star in the pure darkness by arnaud.guillebert
Runner-Up: yellow cutie by Cedric Peneau
Third: Ghost Goby by MichaelG
Highly Commended: Three squid by Min seok Jeon
Congratulations to those who were placed – there were a number of excellent images, and well done to all those that entered.
Scubaverse.com’s January 2023 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter as many as three of your underwater photos here.
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR NICK ROBERTSON-BROWN
WINNER: The Herd by Cedric Peneau
Another great month full of wonderful underwater images!
When judging any underwater photography competition, the first thing I do is ask of each image: Is it in focus? The main subject has to be pin sharp. Is it exposed correctly?
I then look at lighting (photography is all about light) and composition. Backscatter, hot spots of light, messy backgrounds: all might see your image lose out.
Then there are other considerations that might get you knocked out of the first round: Was the image taken underwater? After all it is an underwater photography competition! Were any animals distressed or harassed to get the image? Was any environmental damage done to get the shot?
Once I have whittled out the images that do not pass these criteria, it is time to get down to picking a winner. A shot that makes me go wow – I wish I had taken that!
Longimanus by night by Claude Lespagne: Of the three wonderful Oceanic Whitetip Shark images you entered this month, this is my favourite. The reflection on the surface is sublime and I love the way the pilot fish really catch the eye against a dark night sea.
Underwater doughnut shop? by Bill Passmore: The detail in this simple shot of a coral head is super. I love the title too!
Little frogfish, big pollution by Cedric Peneau: I always worry about images like this one. Who put that battery there? Was it a diver in order to get a shot? I hope not. What it does to well is show how tiny this beautiful frogfish is.
The Herd by Cedric Peneau: Wow! I love this shot, there is so much going on and yet the subject is still really strong in the frame.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Sofia Tenggrono: This image really caught my eye. The focus is not what we would usually expect, but because the body and the glittering edges are the subject, it still works.
GREAT ENCOUNTER by DIDIER PASQUINI: Lovely shot that tells a story. You can imagine being this snorkeler and have an encounter of a lifetime with the biggest fish in the sea. You can imagine this image in a brochure.
Below the surface by arnaud.guillebert: These shots are so difficult to get right. This is another shot that tells a story and could grace a diving magazine. Initially you see the main shark subject, but as you spend more time, you see all the other sharks in the background.
After much deliberation by our judge….
The results
Winner: The Herd by Cedric Peneau
Runner-Up: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Sofia Tenggrono
Third: Longimanus by night by Claude Lespagne
Highly Commended: Below the surface by arnaud.guillebert
Congratulations to those who were placed – there were a number of excellent images, and well done to all those that entered.
Scubaverse.com’s December 2022 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter as many as three of your underwater photos here.
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