Live Reports: The Shootout 2018

by Abi Smigel Mullens Saturday, June 16th, 2018

Day 2 - Nudibranch Competition Day

Team Lembeh

Today was the first competition day and the subject is nudibranchs. Voting for images will open at 4am Indonesia time and 10pm Norway time. Please visit The Shootout to cast your one vote for your favourite nudibranch shot.

After a good breakfast, the Lembeh team headed out to tackle their nudibranch shots.

Full of vim and vigor

And away we went

With full boats

Opo is one of the dive guides at Lembeh Resort, an expert spotter

Getting everything right for the shot

Another photographer shoots a nudibranch subject

Wayne climbs aboard after a dive at “Nudi Falls”

Lembeh Strait is notable for both its critters and distinctive surroundings

A shot by team captain Alex Mustard, shot on the nudibranch competition day, but not of nudibranchs so as not to occupy any desirable subjects

Another shot by Alex Mustard

Team captain Alex Mustard and his daughter Isa enjoy a dip in the pool after a full day of diving

Selecting images to submit for the Nudibranch category.

Thank you for voting!!!

Team Gulen

Gulen provided us with amazing mill pond like calm conditions for the first of The Shootout’s competition days. Today’s goal is to create amazing imagery of nudibranchs, which will then be entered into a public vote that will go live at 10pm Norway time.

Surprise news this morning was that Gulen Dive Resort’s owner, Ørjan Sandnes, had decided to join the team! Local knowledge is indeed a useful thing.

So the team has been diving and capturing images of nudibranchs on Gulen’s amazing house reef all day.

Conditions are challenging, with cool green water and somewhat limited visibility, but the team has worked hard to produce images.

The good news is that there are lots of nudibranchs. Most participants did at least three dives, often of over an hour in 8°C water. Team Gulen are a hardy bunch!

In between, team captain Keri Wilk has been diving, coaching, cajoling and advising. Team members have been editing, discussing and sharing images all day.

There is an amazing collaborative spirit here, with team members freely sharing ideas, equipment and props with each other.

There is also a bunch of gear involved:

After a full day’s diving, the whole team gathered at 8pm to select the team’s entries for the contest. Judging by the lively discussion emanating, it sounds like there are lots of stunning images chose from.

Once the team has finalised their selection, these will be entered into the live public vote. This is where we ask you to view both team’s images and to pick your favourite. Please note that you are only able to vote for one image (per contest round), so view all the images and then select your favourite…

Day 1- Nudibranch Practice Day
Day 2 - Competition Day
Day 3 - Fish and Inverterbrate Practica Day
Day 4 - Fish and Invertebrate Competition Day Day 5 - Wide angle practice day
Day 6 - Wide angle competition day