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Winners - Underwater Photography Contests

February 2022 Photo Contest Winner and Review

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

WINNER: Paper Nautilus by PJ Aristorenas

Another great month full of wonderful underwater images! It was really tough to narrow it down to the finalists here.

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!


Paper Nautilus by PJ Aristorenas: What a wonderful black water image. A challenging subject, but the lighting is just right to show off the stunning colours without overexposing the shiny silver parts. The detail is incredible.

The descending by Raffaele: I love the angle of the nudibranch heading down to the bottom of the shot. The view through Snell’s Window. The detail of the subject and the environment is really well done. A super close focus wide angle image.

Barracuda On The Move by Patricia Dusman: The panning effect of this is great. The barracuda on the move against that background makes this image stand out.

Cuttling by Suliman A.: Lovely black and white behaviour shot that makes the beautiful pattern of these cuttlefish stand out.

Eye of the Cuttle fish ! by Claude Lespagne: Lovely detail of this cuttlefish eye. I could spend a long time looking at this image.

The hunt by Giacomo Antonio Rossi: What a moment! I would have loved to have been on this trip! Orca hunting mobular rays. Incredible.

Wild and Free by Giacomo Antonio Rossi: Beautiful image of a freediver joining a pod of dolphin in clear blue water. Stunning and evocative.

Social Little Fellows by Bill Passmore: Lovely image of feather duster worms. Great they are all still out and have not been disturbs. The tips seem to glow.

Walking on the moon by Yann Toso: The eye-catching pattern on the sponge really sets off the main nudibranch subject making its way from the top of the frame diagonally across the image.

one breath for three by Alex: Stunning! The mono-finned freediver upside-down in this incredible scene really makes this image. You can image being that diver and what they must feel sharing the ocean with these magnificent whales. Add the clarifty of the blue water, the light beams and the turbulent surface – this image has it all.

Baitball by Christian Horras: A stand out image. A wonderful moving baitball being circled by sealions. The reflection on the surface makes this image even better.

Salem Express by Christian Horras: What a stunning angle for this image. One I have not seen before. The diver is perfectly positioned. The lighting perfectly handled. Bravo.

The mother of octopus by Min seok Jeon: A really interesting image. An unusual angle that really works. The eye peaking out and the up close angle catch the eye.

Shy in front of my eye by Peg Mosch: A lovely portrait of a seahorse with all the detail and intricate patterns highlighted.


After much deliberation by our judge….

The results

Winner: Paper Nautilus by PJ Aristorenas

Runner-up: one breath for three by Alex

Third: Salem Express by Christian Horras

Highly Commended: The descending by Raffaele, Cuttling by Suliman A, Eye of the Cuttle fish ! by Claude Lespagne & Wild and Free by Giacomo Antonio Rossi

Congratulations to those who were placed – there were a number of excellent images, and well done to all those that entered.


Scubaverse.com’s March 2022 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter as many as three of your underwater photos here.

  • Winner: Paper Nautilus by PJ Aristorenas

  • Runner-Up: one breath for three by Alex

  • Highly Commended: Cuttling by Suliman A

  • Third: Salem Express by Christian Horras

  • Highly Commended: Eye of the Cuttle fish ! by Claude Lespagne

  • Highly Commended: The descending by Raffaele

  • Highly Commended: Wild and Free by Giacomo Antonio Rossi

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

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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

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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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