Winners - Underwater Photography Contests
November 2018 Photo Contest Winner and Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR NICK ROBERTSON-BROWN
WINNER: Behind a Humpback Whale by François Baelen
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!
November 2018
Lots of great entries this month that really show off the wonderful underwater world we are privileged to experience. Here are the ones I have picked out to discuss this month:
My Favourites
Manta Ray at Night by Chris Bush: This is a nice behaviour shot of a manta having fun on a night dive. They can often be seen beneath the lights of a boat filtering the small prey that is attracted to them. It is also a good shot for Manta ID purposes.
Soft Coral Macro by James Parra: this is a simple but effective way to use a black background to isolate the subject. Good use of depth of field too.
Coconut Octopus by Justin Beevor: This is a smasher of a shot! The full focussing really works giving the effect that you could be there. I love the detail, especially on the suckers, the snoot lighting which gives depth to the image and the eyes isolated by the black background. Super Shot!
Fishing Lesson by Justin Beevor: This is a lovely example of a behaviour portrait shot. A small depth of field leaves just one eye in focus.
Nudibranch Shrimp Love by Justin Beevor: Fantastic colours and contrast really bring out the nudibranch out of the frame in this shot. Another behaviour shot which shows true artistic thought.
Spanish Dancer by François Baelen: I keep trying to find a Spanish Dancer wherever I travel but they seem to be eluding me. This lovely reflection shot is stunning. It is beautifully executed and I am not jealous at all!
Behind a Humpback Whale by François Baelen:
As a general rule, the backside of a subject does not make for a good image, but just every now and then…The diver and the whale’s companion balance the image and the pectoral fins look like struts to the fluke. Impressive.
Love from a Father by François Baelen: This is a very good shot indeed. The fact that the clownfish eye and a cluster of young are in focus whilst the rest of the shot fades to bokeh is brilliant.
Disco time Goby on the colours by Deniz Muzaffer Gokmen: I really like this shot for the colours. The subject has been isolated using a black background and I love the goby’s expression. I does look rather noisy and I suspect the ISO has been pushed beyond the camera’s limits.
Thornies Secret by Deniz Muzaffer Gokmen: Wonderfully simple back-lit seahorse. the illuminated outline is just super.
My Blue Goby by Girly Misola: This is a pleasing snooted shot which really compliments the blue against black background.
Bottled Up Grouper by Christian Divina Moises: This is a cleverly created shot with the light coming through the bottle to illuminate the juvenile grouper’s face.
Mermaid meets Stoer by Margit Sablowski: A very different image from most on this site. The depth of field at the mid-point is just right and both subjects balance and complement each other.
Landscape Mexico by Margit Sablowski: I was drawn to this shot by its unusual nature. The rocks in the window framed by red create a lovely and discint image.
Seahorse by Paul Hewart: I love this unusual angle of a seahorse isolated against a dark background. I think I would have preferred the snout and eyes to be the dominant focus but the effect is still clever.
Donald Duck Shrimp by Jack Pokoj: This is an interesting image of an unusual subject. Shot against a black background and a blurry “branch”, it stands out.
Purple Rain by Jack Pokoj: This is a super shot of a beautiful subject shot against a black background but still on its natural environment. It looks like a crazy hairdo!
Intense by Mark Paul Genuino: This is a beautiful “fine-art” style shot of a nudibranch in black. I really like the large depth of field which shows off all the texture of the subject.
Stretching by Mark Paul Genuino: Another nudi shot against black. It looks like the nudibranch is shaking itself like a dog does! The colours are fabulous and the depth of field is perfect for this image.
Octopus at Night by Jack Alexander: This is a good spot. It is always difficult to get a good shot of an octopus which is out in the open, but this works.
Tell Tales by Sean Steininger: There is something compelling about this image. Another rear-end shot that works. I cannot define why I like it, but I do!
After much deliberation by our judge….
There were so many great shots, it was impossible to comment on them all, let alone select the top three! It was a tough call, but the results are:
Winner: Behind a Humpback Whale by François Baelen
Runner-Up: Coconut Octopus by Justin Beevor
Third: Love from a Father by François Baelen
There were so many amazing images this month that I also want to award a couple of Highly Commended. These go to Intense by Mark Paul Genuino & Spanish Dancer by François Baelen.
Congratulations to the those who were placed – some really nice images here, and well done to all those that entered. I cannot wait to see what December has to offer.
Scubaverse.com’s December 2018 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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