Your Favourite Photo of 2009

Here's mine. Job changes and a new addition to the family mean that I haven't been diving since January - when I left my wife 8 and a half months pregnant and went off to the Maldives on a Martin Edge course to photograph Mantas. Mantas were in short supply on the trip but we had a great time anyway.

The highlight of the trip was the competition at the end of the week which was won, quite convincingly, by my buddy Ed - who was the most novice photographer on the trip with a photo taken on his G10. He's still chuffed to bits about it.

Anyway - here's my best of the year - I don't expect I'll have any to post for the next couple of years....

Manta

Hard choice, but this is one from Atlantis Resort in Puerta Galera, Philippines. These spadefish were congregating around the structures of the Alma Jane, a wreck dive right in front of the resort. As I moved closer for a shot, some of them turned to show their smaller profile and "hide".

Canon XTi, Seatool, Tokina 10-17, Z240 X2 (just bought a 7D and ordered a Nauticam housing)

Wooooowwww...

So many great images and talented photographers.

I will not mention Alex M. who is always posting great stuff.

Congratulations to all photographers.

My favs are the followings:

I have 2 favorite shots this year, and I sincerely can not make up my mind, so I am breaking the rule.

Coco Island last Nov. 09 (Nikon D90, Aquatica Housing, Tokina 10-17, 2 x Ikelite DS 160).

Port de la Selva, Spain in July 09 (Nikon D90, Aquatica Housing, Tokina 10-17, 2 x Ikelite DS 160).

All my apologies folks.

I chose this picture as the most relevant of 2009, for two reasons:

First, as a tribute to my diving partner who over the many years that we share this passion, has always shown great patience and dedication to put up with my demands and desires of mediocre photographer.

Second, because it was accomplished during an underwater photo competition, the 1st International Azores Open, where the images obtained during the dives may not be further manipulated in the computer and the jury assesses the picture as it stands after the photographer finish the immersion.

Won the award for best photo in the category Free Theme and greatly helped the score to win an honorable second place overall.

I hope you enjoy.

Nikon D300, Subal Housing, Tokina 10-17 and 2 x Inon Z-240.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Taken at Farnsworth Banks on the windward side of Catalina in California with an Olympus E-520, 9-18 lens, and YS110 / YS110a strobes.

Wow what an incredibly inspiring thread! Amazing images

For me I'd say this one. Because it was from a really broken up sony P&S (from my office) that kept turning off every few seconds. It was the only UW camera I had during this trip (to tag and release reef fish) and I was very skeptical I'd get anything from it. I'm very very happy with this photo. There are others I'm very happy with from this year too, but this one especially because it strengthened my resolve because in the end, what mattered most was just trying hard enough.

Stunningly beautiful images! It sure has been a great year!

I'd have to break the rule too and post three, sorry guys, but all of them a favorite from different points of view:

1st one is my favorite from a technical point of view:

Carybdea marsupialis

2nd one is a favorite from 'artistic' point of view:

Cotylorhiza tuberculata

And the 3rd is the one I personally love the most for sentimental reasons. The guy on the photo is my best dive buddy Filip and he deserved a good shot for wasting so much of his precious dive time just to guard me on the surface while I freedive deep with my camera:

Alex, I'd let you decide and pick the one that should stay in the thread...

Always tough to choose a favorite, but in this case I am overwhelmingly happy with mine! My one trip this year was to the Philippines, and it was my first real dive photography trip. I went specifically to shoot photo's and had an absolute blast doing it. I had always loved pictures of Mantis Shrimp; and desperatly wanted to get a good shot of just a plain peacock mantis shrimp (and I did!). I had missed one mantis shrimp with its bright red eggs earlier in the trip - it had scurried away upon my approach. This shot was the result of a willing shrimp, and a very long and slow approach (thank god it was only in 30 feet of water!). The shot is my favorite, and was an Honorable Mention in this years NCUPS Advanced Macro Category.

Taken with my G10 and dual Inon UCL165, no cropping:

Nikon D80, Nikon 10,5mm fish eye, 1 Subtronic Alpha, 1 Ikelite 100Ai

Marsa Abu Dabbab - Egypt

Cristian Umili

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www.cristianumili.com

Hi,

Here is my “favorite” picture for the 2009. not a lot of dives, but much better previous year.

Gadi

Wow, what a great collection. Keep them coming.

Alex

One picture from 2009 that worked for me in the sense of coming out on the computer as I wanted it to down at the Hilma Hooker on Bonaire. 5DM2, Canon 15 mm FE, natural light.

This is my favourite for 2009, taken in Seraya Secrets, Tulamben, Bali .... It was the first time I manged to take a picture of a couple of Arlequin shrimps, sitting on their source of food, a red sea-star Canon EOS-450D in Hugyfot housing, Canon 60mm macro + Canon 250D, Inon Z240 + Inon D2000 strobes - f/22 @ 1/200 sec.

Wishing the Very Best 2010 to All of You !!!!

Francesco

What a wonderful thread. Some truly inspiring images. Wishing everywhere all the best for the new year!

My favorite from 2009, from Anilao...

HI All,

Once again this year their are some great images on this thread, looking through my images I have

quite a few of my favourites & find it hard to get it down to one so I am going to show you two.

Inside the Thistlegorm with 10/17mm Tonkina & a Leopard Blenny with a 105mm Micro Nikon

I hope you like.

Andy

My most beautiful dives in 2009 was diving with sea lions in San Benedito island

And my best " souvenir " to win the price during the worshop with Martin Edge in Egypt with this turtle !!

Happy new year eveybody

Inevitably mine is an odd one! I published a book on Welsh Marine Fishes this year but was unable to track down photos of some of the fishes that were included (alive in their natural environment that is). Within a few weeks of publication I was diving at 20m on mud in a Scottish Sea Loch with my wife when she pointed out this little flatfish. It proved to be a Scaldfish, one of the missing photos, and to date remains the only photo of a Scaldfish that I have seen taken in British waters (if anyone has more I'd love to see them), so is to me, my favourite photo of 2009.

Hello everybody.

I recently came back from a trip in Guadeloupe and mainly dived in the "Réserve Cousteau".

Really a great place to go and very good diving staff.

Here's one of my best photo taken there.

Seeing the quality of the photos posted here, I think there's still a lot of room to improve myself !

But I think it is a never ending game anyway !

All the best to all of you for a great 2010 !

Photo taken with my old D70, 60mm Micro Nikon, Ikelite housing and single DS125.

 

My most beautiful dives in 2009 was diving with sea lions in San Benedito island

 

 

And my best " souvenir " to win the price during the worshop with Martin Edge in Egypt with this turtle !!

 

 

Happy new year eveybody

Héhé, très belles images