Beneath The Sea Photo Competition Winners

Thought so, there is a similar yellow variety on a wall dive on Maratua atoll, at about 25-30mm in length. There are the white and brown varieties too, but slightly smaller.

Anymore shots from that trip you can post?

That is interesting. I too had obviously misunderstood the category to be shots with a digital camera. They should be more clear about that on there competition rules. Very well exposed shot.

When they introduced the category last year I wrote to them and asked. Their interpretation is that "digital" only refers to the type of media that the image is submitted on. Not the type of camera used.

Here's another shot from Basura. I entered this shot in BTS as well but it didn't place.

Beautiful... I can imagine Craig booking flight as I type!

Oh hey no hard feeling at all here I just assumed it was different. I learned something new today. Again congrats and well done. Also that last shot is a beauty too.

I believe that Digital shooters can enter film competitions too - it's not that hard to get a slide made from a digital file, lots of labs do it nowadays.

But should we encourage this cross-polination? Not sure.

Cheers

James

James,

Now that I understand their (and EPIC's?) definition of a digital entry, and as this information filters down to film shooters (Like Mandarinfish) I'll bet that category will become the most competitive of the group as the subject matter is open.

You are probably right Rand.

I think most of us went about thinking that the contests were adding these categories for, and because of, digital cameras. There never was a category for digital entries. With the advent of the digital camera market I wrongly assumed that the addition of digital categories was a reaction to that change in the marketplace.

I have got to start thinking out of the box more. (Damn I hate it when I am wrong) :oops: LOL

Your plonked if there's a sunball!

Gives everyone the chance to 'manipulate' on an equal footing too.

nevermind :roll:

My personal opinion is that it is not fair for film shooters to scan their slides and enter them in the digital contest.

My reason: Film shooters already have contests of their own to enter! Why should they be allowed to compete in the digital category if they did not have to go through the "trials and tribulations" of buying a digital camera system, strobes that work with it, etc.

Why even create a digital category at all if film shooters can enter? I would call it the "Film Shooting, Scanning, and Photoshop" category.

(No offense to you Larry, as we know you shoot both)

This is what we decided when we created the digital contest for HUPS. Shots must be taken underwater, using a digital camera.

Any contest I am going to enter must have those rules.

Cheers

James

James that is exactly what I was saying to Bob in a PM. It just makes no sense to me to add the category. Then, could we not take a digital image...manipulate the heck out of it. Then have a slide made (this now being the point the image was captured on slide) and then enter it in a film category. Would that not be the same?

I'm with you on this brother james.

No disrespect or discredit to Larry as he asked the rules and abided by exactly what they told him. Therefore his entry is legit and won fair and square. This is not about Larry but, about the rules.

I absolutely agree the two should be kept seperate in this kind of competition. However, scanned slides should be allowed too, but only in Film catagories (proof of original supplied if image is placed). This allows the entrant to present an image in the way he or she wants to instead of sending a slide with crap composition. From an organisers standpoint, they have no slides to lose, and in seconds the files can be erased. Normally, a scan degrades the quality of an original slide.

Shoot-outs are different, and rules are easy & obvious.

BTW: I gave yoU the idea :mrgreen:

Personally, I would like to see contests evolve along the lines of allowing digital entries in all categories. Lets eliminate seperate slide and digital categories and let the best image win.

I didn't enter the digital category because I thought it would be somehow easier to win. From the entries I've seen this year and last I think the opposite is true. At this point the digital category may be the most competitve of all. The simple fact is that it's just a lot simpler for me to burn a CD and enter it than entering slides. This year I did not submit any slides to BTS. It's a matter of convenience and it also lets me enter my best stuff whether I shot it with a film or a digital camera.

I agree with you Bob and Larry. You should be able to enter your slides in digital format in film categories. It only makes sense on so many fronts interms of convenience and should be more efficient for the organizers.

And I capitalized the U but for yoU we can share. Not the change in my signiture now.

As one of the former organizers of an U/W photo competition, and having had debates both warm and heated about rules, it's interesting to see the latest controversy. The rules vary widely between contests. There are some fabulous prizes up for grabs, so people get very competitive. Nobody ever agrees totally on the rules. Most rules state you can't manipulate the image, but how would one check with a digital image? Also, one can say that digital shooters could get a slide made, but frankly a slide from a digital file is very expensive ( here in the Great White North it's $25 in Canuck bucks), so it's not an option many will take. In this instance, the entrant followed the rules. People should nicely suggest a change to the organizers.

My attitude is that there be a digital category for digital cameras, and a creative category for manipulated images taken on either film or digital cameras, presented in the same format: either all digital files or all slides, to level the playing field, due to differences in projection quality.

My beef is with the vastly differing definition of professional, but that's a whole other discussion! And hey, we use a U in colour :mrgreen: on the west coast of the Dominion, too, Todd and Bob. Methinks the copyright may have to shared with some wetpixelians down under, as well.

Ahh but Marli it is a capital "U" not the standard "u"....

Yes Marli, we put the U in emphasis!

Okay, we've pretty well settled the "U" issue. Could we now take up a more substantive issue, like driving on the wrong side of the road? Or at least those repulsive jellied eels!

Ooh, I can feel the flames licking me now.

Jim