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Winners - Underwater Photography Contests

December 2021 Photo Contest Winner and Review

Published

3 years ago

on

WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR NICK ROBERTSON-BROWN

WINNER: Fairy Palm Hydroid with Cumanotus Nudibranch by Jack Der

Wow – the last competition of 2021. It has been an incredible year for stunning images. December was another month filled with incredible images, both macro and wide angle, from all around the world.

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!

Alas I cannot discuss each and every image but here are a few that caught my eye and why:

Stay on target… by Michael Meyer Fineberg: An amazing action shot of one of my favourite macro critters! They hunt at lighting speed so well done for getting the peak of the action.

Sunset flight by Miguel Ramirez: Stunning shallow shot with a lovely view through Snell’s Window.

Perfect Smile by Miguel Ramirez: This is simple yet stunning. The blue and the yellow of the parrotfish against a black background make this stand out, but it is the toothy smile that draws the viewer in for more.

Barrel Jellyfish by Graeme Parker: Lovely subject that has been well isolated so that the detail really stands out.

Fuzzy and petty by sagi maayan: The top half of this is stunning split shot of the sunset. A good subject for the bottom half too. This is my favourite of your double exposure this month.

Mother and son by Cedric Peneau: Beautiful image of a mother and son Humpback Whales. The eye contact with mum really makes the viewer able to engage with the stunning shot. I love the surface of the water too.

Cuttlefish by Jo Cudmore: I could look at cuttlefish for hours! Incredible creature and this shot really shows off just why they are so appealing. A difficult subject to light – well handled.

Free flight by Simon Heron: This image transports the viewer into the clear blue waters of Barbados. The light rays are stunning.

Carmel is calling by Griffon Walker: Sometimes the simple subjects are the best. Great use of depth of field to bokeh out the background too.

Sunbeams and Sebastes by Sage Ono: a very atmospheric shot with stunning sunbeams shining through the kelp forest onto a silhouetted school of fish below.

Face to face by Frank Nelissen: Lovely focus and detail on this close up portrait of a turtle.

Taste test by Griffon Walker: What an extraordinary shot! Conditions look a little challenging but to get this behaviour shot at all should be applauded!

Juvenile Mimic Octopus by PJ Aristorenas: These have to be my favourite black water subjects. They look like little aliens and are a perfect photographic subject which you have nailed in this image! The detail is incredible.

Hingabe by Christian Zink: I really like this one. The flowing dress really makes what is a very atmospheric image.

Pacific white-sided dolphin by Christian Horras: Wow – what a moment! And you have captured it perfectly.

Longimanus , Red Sea. by claude lespagne: What a sad image. A stunning shark now entangled in discarded gear. This image shows the ever more common plight of marine life being affected by plastic pollution. Images like this are both striking and important to send a message.

Fairy Palm Hydroid with Cumanotus Nudibranch by Jack Der: Simply stunning! What an image – you have found a great angle to create a nudibranch image unlike any other I have seen. A tiny critter in their environment. Great focusing and lighting skills. Bravo.

b r e e d i n g by AYUB MOODUTO: Stunning shot of these baby anemonefish just as they are hatching. I really like the single egg in focus and the rest in bokeh.

Octocoral by Bill Passmore: Lovely simple composition in black and white.

After much deliberation by our judge….

The results

Winner: Fairy Palm Hydroid with Cumanotus Nudibranch by Jack Der

Runner-up: Juvenile Mimic Octopus by PJ Aristorenas

Third Place: Longimanus , Red Sea. by claude lespagne

Highly Commended: Mother and son by Cedric Peneau; Perfect Smile by Miguel Ramirez; Taste test by Griffon Walker; Pacific white-sided dolphin by Christian Horras

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 2022 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter as many as three of your underwater photos here.

  • Runner-up: Juvenile Mimic Octopus by PJ Aristorenas

  • Third Place: Longimanus , Red Sea. by claude lespagne

  • Highly Commended: Taste test by Griffon Walker

  • Highly COmmended: Pacific white-sided dolphin by Christian Horras

  • Winner: Fairy Palm Hydroid with Cumanotus Nudibranch by Jack Der

  • Highly COmmended: Perfect Smile by Miguel Ramirez

  • Highly Commended: Mother and son by Cedric Peneau

Related Topics:

Nick and Caroline (Frogfish Photography) are a married couple of conservation driven underwater photo-journalists and authors. Both have honours degrees from Manchester University, in Environmental Biology and Biology respectively, with Nick being a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a former high school science teacher with a DipEd in Teaching Studies. Caroline has an MSc in Animal Behaviour specializing in Caribbean Ecology. They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. Nick and Caroline regularly use their free time to visit schools, both in the UK and on their travels, to discuss the important issues of marine conservation, sharks and plastic pollution. They are ambassadors for Sharks4Kids and founders of SeaStraw. They are Dive Ambassadors for The Islands of The Bahamas and are supported by Mares, Paralenz, Nauticam and Olympus. To find out more visit www.frogfishphotography.com

Winners - Underwater Photography Contests

December 2022 Photo Contest Winner and Review

Published

2 years ago

on

January 3, 2023

By

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.

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Winners - Underwater Photography Contests

November 2022 Photo Contest Winner and Review

Published

2 years ago

on

December 1, 2022

By

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.

Continue Reading

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