Winning pix from BSOUP Open Portfolio

I am please to be able to announce that last week I won the British Society of Underwater Photographers' Annual Open Portfolio competition, sponsored by DIVE Magazine. This is the most prestigious annual competition in UK UW photog, and is seen as a real test because the photographer needs 6 strong images that work as a set to win. The competition is judged by a ballot of the photographers themselves. This year was the first time that digital and slide entries were projected side by side and competed against each other in a single category.

All my images were taken during 2004. 5 with my D100 and one with my F100. 4 of the images were taken in Grand Cayman (a reminder/advert for any of you considering joining the DigiJam event there in January - there are still a couple of places - http://www.oceanfrontiers.com/_/CIDnewslet...etters-200411#2). 3 taken with full frame fisheye.

Here are the six images. Although you can see them more clearly, and read abou them here: http://www.bsoup.org/Open_Portfolio/2004/OP2004.html

Alex

Congratulations Alex.......a very deserved win......I consider your work as a benchmark to work toward

Karl

3 taken with full frame fisheye.

is the d100 full frame ?

Congratulations Alex .. I really like those pics .. esp the two I had not seen from Grand Cayman ... who is that gorgeous model in your silverside shot ? Is athletic features and blue steeley glare look perfect for that shot

he he ..

still really like thath red sea fishey pic too

good job .. and and happy xmas

Congrats Alex - holy cow that is a great portfolio. I'm sure the photogenic model helped too. I think I can see his tongue ring in that shot.

Cheers

James

Congratulations Alex. Fantastic shots. If you recall, I specifically mentioned the pigmy and the fish portrait with his buddys in the background as my favorites when you first posted them here. I'm glad to see that the judges have such great taste.

Congrats Alex. A stunning set of photos.

Rand

Well done.

Congratulations, very impressive portfolio. Although that a nice girl model with a red bikini will be better in the silverside shot :wink:

How do you know Giles wasn't wearing a red bikini for that shot, hmm?

Cheers

James

Very impressive Alex! I also think that the fish portrait is unique and exceptional.

it was only a red thong .. i couldn't find a top that fitted

Truely spectacular shots! You will have to share you're insights of mating hamlets with the rest of us!

Absolutely stunning! You've inspired me yet again Alex - thankyou.

Thank you for the positive feedback.

The Bohar snapper shot is many people's favourite. It is an unusual shot because it taken with a camera to subject distance of about 2 metres with a long lens (160mm equiv on 35mm). This telephoto technique, that I wrote about in UWP Magazine 20, is something that I could never achieve on film - because it requires shooting in RAW and boosting both contrast and colour temp in post processing. Also for this shot I have my strobes pushed well forward in front of the camera.

The advantage of this technique is that it gives your images a different type of perspective. Compared with the main subject, the background is pulled closer but it also out of focus. An effect than can be exploited creatively in a number of ways.

The only downside to this technique is that other photographers will undoubtedly think that you don't know what you are doing, when they see you photographing things from a couple of metres away! They will think - who is that idiot - none of his shots will come out.

But if you can deal with that - then I think telephoto can be a fun technique on the right subject.

Alex

Another congratulations to you Alex! Exemplary performance.

I've no word to add...only WOOOOW!!! (I'm breathless)

congratulations, excellent shots!

Good work Alex, I'm impressed too. But I thought you were more a super-macro rather than long telephoto kid of shooter.