Winners - Underwater Photography Contests
January 2017 Photo Contest Winner and Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS NICK & CAROLINE ROBERTSON-BROWN
WINNER: Striped Catfish by Jack McKee
PHOTOLINK: https://www.scubaverse.com/contestants/striped-catfish/
When judging any underwater photography competition, the first thing we do is ask of each image: Is it in focus? The main subject has to be pin sharp. Is it exposed correctly?
We 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 we 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 us both go wow – I wish I had taken that!
January 2017
Here we go! A new year and a fresh start to the Scubaverse underwater photography competition. The top 3 images from 2016 were stunning and we are looking forward to an excellent set of images each month this year. January has certainly had some stunning entries.
Our favourites
Caroline
In my top selection of images this month are:
Nude by Glynn Phillips. This nudibranch really jumps out of you with the magnificent purple against a fairly dull background. Lovely sharp image of a favourite subject.
I have got my eye on you by Paul Ansell. Lovely shot. Fabulous eye contact and a great angle to show off this weird looking fish. Very engaging.
Dance by Dragos Dumitrescu. Lovely motion blur shot, which is one of the popular uwp techniques at the moment. You get the feeling of this juvenile fish’s dance, which is very hard to capture.
Defending the Fortress by Dragos Dumitrescu. Lovely atmosphere in this shot. Love the angle at which it was shot. It hides the worst of the sun flare and also makes the anemone tower up into the sky. Really nice.
Shaun the Sheep by Sean Chinn. These nudibranchs are tiny and so this is an exceptional head on shot that must have taken a great deal of patience to get. Such a fantastic subject. Lovely bokeh.
C47 Dakota Wreck by Caner Candemir. A great wreck image, only enhanced by the bright fish that has swum into frame. Lovely composition.
Striped Catfish by Jack McKee. This is smashing! Great eye contact. Super black background. Lovely timing to get this shot. It reminds me of Bohemian Rhapsody! Well done!
Nick
In my top selection of images this month are:
Nudi by Glynn Phillips. Beautifully lit, almost makes it glow.
The Elusive Longnose by Zoe Randle. Great use of depth of field, the letterbox framing works well too.
I have got my eye on you by Paul Ansell. Eye-level and really captures the twisted nature of this fish.
Bokeh by Paul Ansell. Great eye contact and out of focus pectoral fins add to the overall effect.
It’s so dark by Paul Ansell. A truly stylish and stark image.
Dance by Dragos Dumitrescu. Motion blur with dark bokeh background. Nice effect.
Messiah by Dragos Dumitrescu. The balanced light creates a really powerful image. A stunning shot, but I would have liked more detail on the seahorse – maybe crop a little?
Defending the Fortress by Dragos Dumitrescu. Another super balanced light shot from Dragos. It really does look like a fortress shot into the light. Wonderful.
Eye of the Clam by Maxine McKenzie. Lovely abstract of a clam using depth of field cleverly.
Cluster of Anemone by Ruairidh MacKenzie. It truly is a cluster and creates a lovely image. The one on the far right looks like a teddy bear! I would have used a bit more light to really make it pop out and I would have removed the bit of gear showing at the top.
Tiger Shark in Tahiti by Emmanuelle Camallonga. This is a lovely shot that tells a story and would look superb as part of an article about the dive.
Shaun the Sheep by Sean Chinn. This is a lovely shot of this species which seems particularly difficult to focus on.
C47 Dakota Wreck by Caner Candemir. A super shot in pristine waters. There is a lot of negative space and the photobombing wrasse would have looked better if in that space.
Striped Catfish by Jack McKee. Lovely black background shot of these dangerous animals and the focussing is pin sharp.
Hooded Cuttlefish by Jeremy Smith. This is an unusual shot but it works well. I would have removed the odd particle in the dark water.
Rainbow Turtle by Malgorzata Baranska. A super close up of a turtle’s head and the rainbow across the image really does something for it. Ambient light with a compact makes this even more special.
After much deliberations between our two judges….
As usual our two judges agreed on most of the top images, but there is always some discussion to be had as to who should top the list each month.
Winner: Striped Catfish by Jack McKee
Runner-Up: Defending the Fortress by Dragos Dumitrescu
3rd Place: Shaun the Sheep by Sean Chinn
Fancy wining some great prizes? Love underwater photography? Got what it takes? Why not enter next month? We look forward to seeing your entries!
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Scubaverse.com’s February 2017 Underwater Photo Contest is now open! Enter 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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