Favourite Image Of 2012

Well, it has been a year of extremes, and no Indo-Pacific diving. So, although these may not be my best shots, they represent the extremes of my underwater photo subjects.

The first, as many here seem to be unwilling to decide on just one, takes us to the extreme of which I am so fond. From another "interesting" trip, where I was actually working as an underwater photo teacher on Bonaire, where I started taking photos underwater many moons ago. After the course ended, I was able to relax and really concentrate on finding the things I like: the miniscule

Second, from a remarkably unproductive first trip to the Socorros. I did get whacked on the head by a manta, so that, at least was memorable! This is one of few shots not occupied by an over-zealous diver that was intent on getting between me and every critter that appeared. Karma intervened, when he decided to get in between a silky shark and a bait ball. Lucky that he was wearing a 7mm. Few scars will result from the bite. It did not seem to deter him from being in most of my photos.. Now, I have to get through editing 2012. I just finished 2011. Yikes. There are always some amazing shots here that humble me.

Cheers, and a Happy 2013 to everyone!

Marli

In May I took my new camera to Indonesia and had a great time.

1. GPF with Eggs, not a very rare critter in SE Asia but it's not often I see them with eggs. Sony A65, 70mm +10 SubSee

2. Nudi, I just like the colours. Sony A65, 105mm

This would be one of my favourite images for 2012, My girlfriend on the anchor line under a dive in Malta

Hello all, 2011/12 has been a remarkable time for me. Here is my fave, amongst many - Dmitry

my favorite from Isla Mujeres

1208untitled050-7.jpg by tomeyer, on Flickr

Well i just started getting into underwater photography this year, and had a few times to practice. was hard choosing a favorite because being a beginner i automatically like the ones that look decent:P but i think this is my most favorite, from one of my first dives with the camera-

_MG_2096.jpg by arielroy, on Flickr

While I try to be as critical as I can with my work, it's still difficult to pick a favourite! Here's one from a dive at a local site where my wife and I stalked the colourful little sculpins of the shallows on a calm, sunny, summer day.

Longfin sculpin

I have a few that I really like but this one brings back some good memories from the summer. We were on Alex Mustard's Red Sea workshop and specifically working to take shots of the Bohar snapper at Shark reef. Alex gave the group instructions on how to work with the school, not to divide it but that we need to work as a team. The first few dives, we definitely were not working as a team. Everyone was anxious to get a good shot and in doing so we constantly divided the big school into several smaller schools. This shot was taken on the sixth dive by which time as a group we had it down and worked to keep the school together so we could get our shots.

Here are two of my favourites. The first is from Turks and Caicos and the second from a trip with Alex Mustard to Isla Mujeres.

Had a wonderful time in Malaysia, always wanted to capture a shark against a black back ground, and felt this worked quite well.

Have a fantastic xmas and new year.

Whitetip Reef Shark by spencerjb22, on Flickr

I met this male ribbon moray at the begin and end of every dive at a housreef northern of Tulamben this oktober and made so about 50 shots. Hope it,s not blind now.

Fantastic images so far as always! Great job gang..

This is not a very good image technically or subject wise, but its one that gets you thinking. For years I have seen the result of bomb fishing and always cringed over the damage it created, however, I had never seen one of these home made bombs, until now! This one was lying in an area of fresh devastation and when we saw it we made sure to get our people out of the water rather quickly after that. However, I just had to get a picture of it! It was probably one of the most nerve wracking photos I have ever taken, i really didn't want to get close as who knows what would set it off?! I even turned off my strobes and got out of the water as soon as I snaped the pic As you can see, its made of a couple of bottles filled with kerosene and fertilizer amongst other ingredients.. Not my best image that is for sure, but its the one that made me think more than any other in 2012.

The two main ideas I exploited this year.

Half-water and long exposure.

Philippines. Balicasag.

Thailnd. Sail Rock.

It's been a sharky year.

This was my first year of trying to do anything but capture images for identification. I have one picture that's irreplaceable, and one I just like from an artistic satisfaction standpoint.

That was my husband, taking our grandson on his first "Discover Scuba" open water dive. It was an amazing thrill, to see him just having a ball, seeing what was underwater.

This was my favorite shot from 2012. It was taken off Loreto, MX, and I was just happy with the focus, lighting, framing . . . one of the first shots I looked at and wasn't dissatisfied with.

I love this thread, both to enjoy the incredible photographs that other people have posted, and also because it made me go back through my 2012 pictures and realize that I have a surprising number with which I am actually quite happy. Merry Christmas, everybody!

These are my two favorites, not because they are well executed, but because I finally homed my skills in being able to find them this past October.... taken off the East End of Grand Cayman

Wonderful images everyone! I didn’t get to go diving this year due to a long illness. It was a year ago that I found out I had some healing to do. With lots of love from my family and some great medical folks I've come out the other end in great shape. It did give me time though to go back through some of my old images and play with different processing ideas in Lightroom. The more I play with images the more I’ve come to understand again that our passion has been, is, and always will be about the light. This old previously unreleased image from 09 reinforces that thought for me. Made with the 40D and the 10-17.

Celebrating Light and Life by Jaw's Dad, on Flickr

May your holiday be the merriest of times and bring you wonder, laughter, joy and love.

Cheers my friends,

Steve

Here is my favorite after a few dives at Blue Heron Bridge recently. A guitarfish was very patient with me as I attempted this image.

Nex 7 + Nikonos 80mm + extension tubes

Hi there neighbor Steve... beautiful shot! Glad to hear you're doing well

I always look forward to this thread, and always am so impressed with the talent on this site. I wasn't too happy with my images this year. I made a camera and housing switch mid-year and had a lot of bugs to work out, not to mention small talent and little imagination!

I'm going to post 2 photos, one from the last trip with my old faithful camera, the Nikon D700. (It happens to be for sale, inquire within :-) ). It was taken at the Monterrey Shootout and won first, macro in its class.

The next is with the new camera (D800) and a housing which shall remain nameless, and which was quickly returned for another brand. The pic isn't so much a favorite but it was the first time I saw an orangutan crab with eggs.

Happy shooting in 2013 everyone! Hope to meet you on a trip!