WINNERS OF THE BENEATH THE SEA 2007 WORLDWIDE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO COMPETITION

[rschrager 11]

WITH OVER ENTRIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, THESE ARE THE WINNERS OF THE BENEATH THE SEA 2007 WORLDWIDE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO COMPETITION

 

Visit http://beneaththesea.org/Photo-Contest-2007-Winners.htm to see all the winning entries.

 

The Best in Show for Underwater Photography receives the David Doubilet Award for Excellence in Photography and a ten day trip on the M.V. Telita in Papua New Guinea.

This year's winner, is "Jellyfish" by Susan D. Coleman, Garden Grove, CA.

 

The Best in Show-Creative application of photography receives the Jim Church Award for Excellence in Underwater Creative Photography and a live-aboard trip aboard the S.M.Y Ondina in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.. This year's winner is Judy E. Johnson of Irving, TX with “Shrimp Dancer.â€

 

The Best in Show-Video receives the Stan Waterman Award for Excellence in Underwater Videography and a live-aboard trip for two on the Caribbean Explorer II. This year's winner is Leandro Blanco of Madrid, Spain, for his video, “Clown Struck.â€

 

 

2007 COMPETITION WINNERS

 

David Doubilet Award: "Jellyfish" by Susan D. Coleman, Garden Grove, CA.

 

Conservation

1. Lawrence Alex Wu, Bangkok, Thailand.

2. Invading Species, John Kaim, Floral Park, NY

3. Hooked Ray, Gloria Freund, McLean, VA

 

Wreck

1. Ghosts of WWII, Rick J. Coleman, Garden Grove, CA

2. San Francisco Maru Tank, Roger Carlson, Redondo Beach, CA

 

General

1. Dark reflection, Mark N Thomas, Northwich, Ceshire,UK

2. Framed Angel, Martin Heyn, Seattle, WA

HON. Returning Home, Christopher Guglielmo, Palmetto, FL

 

Macro

1. Chin Stop, Pasquale Pascullo, New York, NY

2. Some Weird Shrimp, Mark H Melnick, West Hartford, CT

3. David and Goliath, David G. Porral, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

HON. The Bartender, Rand McMeins, Edmonds, Wa.

 

Marine Life

1. Friends, Steven Kovacs,Bonita Springs, Fl

2. You lookin' at me?, Orhan Aytur, Ankara, TURKEY

3. Grey seal, Mark N Thomas, Northwich, Ceshire,UK

HON. Loving Eyes Puffers, Alex Tattersall, Charminster, Dorset, UK

HON. Two Worlds, Cor Bosman, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 

Underwater Behavior

1. Fine dining, Steven Kovacs,Bonita Springs, Fl,

2. Seahorse Seduction, John Munro, Brentwood, TX

3. Mouthful, Keri Wilk, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

HON. Deep Throat, Pasquale Pascullo, New York, NY

 

CREATIVE

1. JIM CHURCH AWARD, Skeleton Shrimp Dancer, Judy E. Johnson, Irving, TX

2. Paint by Numbers, Karen Sweeney, Bokeela, FL

3. One Weird Dive, Karen Sweeney, Bokeela, FL

HON. Strange Encounters, Mathew A Cook, Waialua, HI

HON. Psychedelic Eastport, Ralph L Oberlander, Dover, NH

 

VIDEO

1. STAN WATERMAN AWARD, Clown Struck, Leandro Blanco, Madrid, Spain

2. Macro Palau, Nick Martorano, Carpinteria,CA

3. The River Runs Red, Charlie Oldfield, Nottingham, Notts, UK

 

Video Snapshot

1. It's just a game!, Lucie Winton, Eversham, AK

 

The winners of the Beneath the Sea 2007 Worldwide Photo/Video Competition will be shown at the Saturday Night Film Festival during the weekend of Beneath the Sea's Ocean Adventure and Travel Exposition, March 23rd, 24th and 25th, 2007, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

 

For more information on the Photo Contest, to enter next year's Photo Contest, or to see the winning photos please keep your eyes on the Beneath the Sea Website: WWW.Beneaththesea.org throughout the year

[Rocha 0]

Many familiar names and stunning images, well done!

 

Luiz

[yahsemtough 0]

Congrats to all those who placed.

 

Todd

[rschrager 11]

In addition to the winning photographs, Leandro Blanco's video, “Clown Struck.†the winner of the Stan Waterman Award for Excellence in Underwater Videography and Lucie Winton's video snapshot, "It's just a game!," are now available for viewing at www.BeneathTheSea.org..

 

Bob Schrager

[kriptap 0]

This will probably cause trouble but how the heck does this image get a third place in the conservation cat??? the quality is just awful, were there so few entries??

 

Edited March 9, 2007 by kriptap

[Giles 1]

Patrick.

 

I agree with your thoughts although I personally would have picked out a few others that I am amazed placed.

 

Rather than single out the ones that placed that I don't think are anything near the quality of previous years I would say that there was probably an serious lack of entries up to the standards of previous years.

 

The judges have remained the same for as long as I can remember.

Maria Hults and Bob Ricke used to dive with me at Fisheye and are wholly nice people .. once you get to know them / used to them. I see Maria every so often at Sunset House where I know she used to dive, but have no idea who's boat she goes out on now.

 

Would be interesting to see if anyone has the cahonas to post images they entered that they feel were better entries so we can see if maybe there was something else at play rather than lack of entries.

[kriptap 0]

I would have to agree and hope that some people who entered will post there images for the rest of us to see, because something stinks here.

 

How does this photo get a first place:

 

http://beneaththesea.org/General-1st-Place...ner-Big-Pic.htm

 

And this one a third????

 

http://beneaththesea.org/Hon-Winner-Big-Pic.htm

[Scuba_SI 39]

Christopher Guglielmo <sp> (whale shot) is/was the photopro on one of the aggressors, i would think he will have entered a few images, and i would think the quality will be at of least the standard of that image.

 

The shot Cor entered also showed a lot of creativity and patience, and luck with the weather in order to get that shot of the lionfish, making it a pretty unique photo imho.

 

There are also a lot of cropped shots in there, which im surprised can be entered.

 

But there are a some nice shots in there. I would like to see some that didn't make it too.

[DANYGRAIG 0]

I would have to agree and hope that some people who entered will post there images for the rest of us to see, because something stinks here.

 

How does this photo get a first place:

 

http://beneaththesea.org/General-1st-Place...ner-Big-Pic.htm

 

And this one a third????

 

http://beneaththesea.org/Hon-Winner-Big-Pic.htm

 

Thanks for the constructive criticism - a photo taken in a UK quarry coming first, hold the front page!

Maybe the judges liked it because it was different. Ask them.

For me, diving is a hobby. I have to do a day job to pay for it. Started entering comps last year as a bit of fun, so to be placed in a comp was a fantastic surprise. The BTS comp is for amateurs I believe so maybe the winning entries were chosen to reflect this. Shame we can't all reach the exalted standards of the Wetpixelers.

No offence taken or intended by the way - life is too short.

Mark

[Scuba_SI 39]

Hi Danycraig,

 

I don't think it was meant to cause offence to you, i think what you have touched upon is quite probably the case, that folks with less experience and smallers cameras are given preference. If that's the case then it is great, and a wonderful opportunity for people with point and shoots to compete.

 

I think the surprise stated by Patrick could have been more subtle, but i think what he was trying to get across is that if it is as i have written above, it should be stated that it is not a level playing field in the competition details.

 

I hope you enjoy whatever prize you got and the fact you finished first, it is not something some moaning folks on here can take away from you!

 

Simon

[DeanB 19]

I don't think it was the fact it was taken in a quarry but ther actual photo itself. That stood the brunt.

 

To me it looks like a holiday snap that was lucky with the reflection. Don't get me wrong I probably couldn't do much better, but thats just my view. After you look at some of the photo's that go around this forum you will feel the same.

 

I am always entering comps in the Amateur (video) section of festivals, only because i do not work underwater for a living, but that does not stop me making the most of the time I have in the realm. We just have to be better and try harder than the 'Lucky few' I'm afraid. Wait until you get to the 'Newcomers' catagories..I was up against production companies with my 'self-financed' film.. You can imaging were I came

 

People on this forum are spoilt with some amazing images.. And as participants in wetpix we 'maybe' think we have to keep up with the joneses (not you Steve). But thats life. Not for me though. Just doing my thing.

 

Anyway well done..I do not think people can take that away from you. Just some times critisism is harder to take, especially when your on a high from winning (yes winning!!! ) an award.

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

[DANYGRAIG 0]

Thanks for the comments.

I'm old and daft enough not to take criticism personally, but it seems unfair to slag off the judges. I have never understood how judges choose one image over another - each comp has its own criteria I suppose and photography is as subjective as any other art form.

Don't know what the prize is yet

Mark

[kriptap 0]

No Offence intended to anyone, but I'll give you an idea where I'm going with it.

 

Two years ago I was asked to help out in a competition here in Cayman. The judges while looking at the entries decided that no one person could win a 1st in anything twice, so they quickly looked at all the images and deleted the ones they did not like, that left 3 for each of the 6 categories. They then noticed that a few people had won a 1st prize twice so they removed them gave the 1st to a lesser image? That's when I said "you invite people to enter all the categories but you make sure they only win one" that's not right.

 

So my apologies if you get upset but a diver in a lake with a reflection, nice shot, or a humpback whale under a boat, both composed nicely, the diver shot can be done almost any time, anywhere, the whale once in a lifetime, the whale wins every time for me and has nothing to do with being in a lake. But that's just my opinion, congras to all the winners.

 

Oh and I still can't get over that Eagle Ray image?

Edited March 10, 2007 by kriptap

[elbuzo 8]

I agree that Christopher's whale deserved a better place . I had give it best of show.

 

Just to illustrate how different are the judging in every contest , i'm posting my entries to BTS this year .

With pic # 1 i was awarded best of show at OWU contest and at BTS that same pic don't even placed as honorable mention .

 

BTS rules allows cropping to be made , sometimes i cropped my pics without take in consideration that final proportions remains the same as the original image . I just made it the way it pleased me more , i don't know if this is allowed in competitions , but i think rules are not specific in this regard in most of the cases .

I will like to know your opinions about the cropping in odd proportions .

 

By the way my favorite pic is # 2 , because was extremely difficult for me to capture that image , also i think is the most beautiful the subject i had ever came across . It was take at night in Lembeh.

 

( hope my english allow me to be understood )

[elbuzo 8]

I don't know why the pics didn't appear attached !

 

Anyway , here is the link for a gallery of 6 pics that i sent :

 

http://www.flickr.com/gp/82829856@N00/21A016

[Scuba_SI 39]

the whale once in a lifetime

 

Unless you happen to work on the turks and caicos aggressor!

[Tuga 0]

When we compete in art this is what happens. Art is too personal and subjective to be a contest. Add to that the notion that the playing field must be level and you have an unworkable situation. The orgs that run contests want to get as many entry fees as possible. Photographers that pay good money to enter, expect that they will be given the same judging standards as everyone else. Sponsors want to see lots of participation and continuously new faces in the winning circle. These are all opposing concepts so unhappy people can be expected.

 

Should a shot be considered “better†because it is of a rare occurrence? Or because the photographer used a lesser priced camera? Or because it wasn’t cropped? Or because the photographer isn’t lucky enuf to be in the water 300 days out of the year? All of these questions only come up because it’s a contest and really have nothing to do with how the image affects the viewer. Isn’t how the image affects the viewer really all that matters? Imagine Michelangelo being disqualified for using the wrong medium (the rules clearly stated no ceilings were allowed!). Picture Ansel Adams being disqualified for dodging the edges of a shot (no manipulations!).

 

As long as we look at underwater photography as a competition it will be stifled as an art. I’m not saying that we should never enter contests. I’m just saying that as long as we treat photography more like football than painting, the results will be scores instead of art.

 

Just a thought.

[DeanB 19]

I love this guy..

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

[TheRealDrew 0]

Rather than single out the ones that placed that I don't think are anything near the quality of previous years I would say that there was probably an serious lack of entries up to the standards of previous years.

 

 

It was weird that many catagories did not have 1st-3rd and honorable mentions with entries from around the world..

Edited March 12, 2007 by TheRealDrew

[DeanB 19]

Does anyone know Charlie Oldfield...He keeps popping up in festivals. Sometimes he's from 'OZ' and others, the U.K. He came third in the Stan Waterman video category..

 

Dive safe

 

DeanB

[Kelpfish 15]

It is an absolute crime that the whale shot under the general category got 3rd. Very dissapointing that the judges don't recognize an anytime shot versus an excellent once in a lifetime shot that may likely never be able to be replicated. Shame.

[lanwu 0]

I think i would agree that it seems to all depend on the judges...which is very bias...but at some point, judges are needed, be it public or private. Perhaps they should later open the judging to public opinion too? Is the opinion of the masses comparable to that of a few individuals with vast experience? Is photography for the few or for the public. What is the purpose exactly? And on what grounds is the competition?

 

Competitions should lay down the judging criteria very carefully so that entrants know exactly what to submit. Especially when each image costs often US$10 or more. Imagine that you sent in an absolutely fabulous image of clown fish, totally original image but the judges where looking for rarely found species & not so interested in composition?? If you'd known you'd have picked the so-so lit image of the once-thought-extinct thingy you happen to chance on. Contestants and perhaps judges too should at least know what they are competing for & against.

 

And should great photographers be handicapped just because they only dive in a lake & can't get to the other exciting destinations? DOesn't that limit the possibility of a winning image to those only privileged enough to be there, be there often, or afford to travel there? Doesn't that stint the opportunities of finding new talent?

 

More varying categories would open up the competition to everyone, as opposed to the standard WideAngle, Macro, Wreck, etc... I think that specific subjects make nicer categories...eg. Animal Behaviour, Togetherness, etc....but be specific! Also, the portfolio entries are creative & interesting to put together, like in BUIF.

 

Admittedly, I've seen images place in competitions that many people seem to disagree on its winning place.... & often worse, feel it's not even better than it's lower placed images.

 

I think most importantly, competitions should clearly announce the criteria photos are being judged on and perhaps even the judges comments on the photos afterwards. It is afterall their photography wisdom & approval contestants are seeking. That would make for a much fairer ground for all contestants.

Edited March 19, 2007 by lanwu

[gloria 0]

This will probably cause trouble but how the heck does this image get a third place in the conservation cat??? the quality is just awful, were there so few entries??

 

 

I have been an occasional but enthusiastic browser here and the kind of commentary and in Kriptaps later post deters me from returning.

 

The image of the ray is one I submitted. The entry had NONE of the digital noise I see in the posted versions. I do not know and of course regret whatever over-manipulation people might have done to ruin its appearance. Maybe people at BTS were trying to turn what was a pre-dawn dark backround shot into a high-noon one. Obviously I would not have submitted an image that flawed to a contest.

 

Kriptap one day maybe one of your images might take a hit for not pleasing everyone or for having passed through too many hands... and I hope that people who don't find it to be their favorite are kinder to you about it on public forums.

[LChan 0]

First off - congratulations to all who placed.

 

Going to the discussion with diver versus the whale...

I think that one important thing to consider is your audience.

 

If you show either image to an UW photographer compared to the general public, there will always be a difference in opinion. An UW photographer will always take into consideration the rarity of the occurrence, the difficulty in getting the shot, - because that person has experienced it.

 

the general public looks at these images and it evokes a completely different response.

 

I don't know the judges, but certainly their criteria is truly up to them. However, if you give these two pictures to a hundred people (randomly selected - say at the shopping mall), you will certainly get completely different responses.

 

Reminds me of my favorite manta ray shot in Kona. I showed it to many people. But I get more ooh and aahs from my crappy 320x240 resolution video from my Canon SD550. Pisses me off, but like they say, beauty (and art) is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Now, I need to get back to my beer......

[Drew 0]

Gloria, first of all congratulations on that prize and sorry the competition decided to manipulate your image before showing it. That is weird they'd do that.

However, one of the unfortunate facts of life with competition entries is that it won't please everyone. Someone WILL find something wrong with it or think another shot is better. It is a fact of life with being in the public eye.

Public forum opinions will vary like finger print patterns and most times, they tend to be of the palpable variety, especially when one is the subject of discussion. Constructive criticism is part of the wetpixel creed, and that's why the community has grown so much. If the comments become unsavory, tunnel vision is the best way to deal with that. Afterall, it is a personal opinion in a public forum. And we all know opinions are like (please fill in the blank), everyone's got one.

So take pride in your placing and try not to take it personally.

I have been an occasional but enthusiastic browser here and the kind of commentary and in Kriptaps later post deters me from returning.