Photography - the beautiful game
August – September 2010  issue 119
By Dave Moran

It’s great to see a couple of West Australians picking up prizes this issue. The Aussie’s soccer skills may not be as beautiful as the Kiwi’s All Whites in the FIFA World Cup competition, but their photographic skills are knocking on the Kiwi’s door -great to see!

This issue’s competition saw a large increase in people entering their images. A total of 89 images were received. It is gratifying to see this fun competition growing and the skill levels improving. With the two categories of Novice and Advanced there is a category for you to enter - have a go you could win prizes worth NZ$150.00 plus!

The three judges want to again bring to your attention that the competition rules state: Images with watermarks cannot be judged. Putting your name on an image disqualifies you! The judges and the Dive New Zealand/Dive Pacific team look forward to receiving your personal masterpieces. Enter at: www.divenewzealand.com

This issue’s winners:

 

Advanced Category Winner Congratulations Craig Chalmers, New Zealand. Craig was checking out all the guys with sharp teeth when this mosaic moray caught his camera’s attention at New Zealand’s Poor Knights Islands. Craig receives a SanDisk Ultra 8GB Memory Card plus a SanDisk CZ36 4GB Flashdrive and an Ikelite Gift Voucher for $150.00. Judges’ comments: Very sharp and well exposed with dramatic composition. The pure negative space surrounding the bottom jaw along with contrasting background makes this a great image.

Advanced Highly Commended Tammy Gibbs, Western Australia. Tammy was checking out the little critters at Asho’s Gap at Coral Bay, Western Australia when she spotted this little blenny flitting back and forth. Occasionally it would sit up proudly on the edge of the coral to check out its surroundings. Over time Tammy got closer and closer as the blenny became accustomed to her presence - then ‘click’ she got the picture she was after! Tammy also did minor processing in Lightroom. Tammy receives a SanDisk CZ36 8GB Flashdrive and an Ikelite Gift Voucher for $100.00. Judges’ comments: A captivating shot that is crisp sharp and defines the subject well - all eye! Great use of diagonal lines - really draw the viewer into the subject. The out of focus background produced by the 105mm lens is used to great effect. A little cropping off the top and bottom would help in emphasizing the fish a bit more.

Novice Category Winner Congratulations, Stephen Journee, New Zealand. Stephen has a sharp eye to pick out this cute seahorse curled up amongst the seaweed in Island Bay’s Taputeranga Marine Reserve, Wellington New Zealand. Stephen receives a SanDisk 4GB Ultra Memory Card plus a SanDisk CZ36 2GB Flashdrive and an Ikelite gift voucher for $100. Judge’s comments: Great composition on a cryptically challenging subject. Both eyes are clearly visible and the high depth of field with tail in the foreground makes for an interesting eye-level perspective.

Novice Highly Commended Congratulations, Joe Daniels, Western Australia. Whale sharks are on every diver’s ‘must see’ wish list and Joe knew just where to find one - Coral Bay, Ningaloo, Western Australia. Joe receives a SanDisk CZ36 4GB Flashdrive and an Ikelite Gift Voucher for $50.00. Judges’ comments:With the shark just turning in front of the photographer with its tail curving away makes for good composition.  With remora under the shark and one little yellow trevally as a ‘pilot’ in front of the mouth adds further interest. Surface reflection and the sun’s rays enhance the sense of being in the ocean. Exposure is good. Slightly more space ahead of the fish would have enhanced this shot. There are a few small annoying white specks in the water which should have been taken out in Photoshop.

The View Gallery on the web site will display all the entries in the competition. A great way to get some inspiration and see what other photographers are doing.Check it out.
Next Competition Entries close for the  October/November competition 16 August 2010. It’s easy to enter online and it’s FREE. By entering you sharpen your critical judgment of your images, a great way to improve your photography! Visit: www.DiveNewZealand.com for full details on: How to enter; prizes to be won; Judging criteria and points system.

SEAFANZ is New Zealand’s premier digital underwater photographic society. Visit: www.seafanz.net or email Colin: colin@seafanz.net Phone: +64 (09) 410 3881.

SanDisk is one of world’s largest suppliers of flash memory data storage products for numerous digital devices.  It is the only company, which has the rights to develop, manufacture and sell every major flash card format for digital cameras. Visit: www.sandisk.com for information email: info@lacklands.co.nz

Ikelite Underwater Systems are a world leader in the manufacture of top quality photographic equipment: Housings, strobes, and lighting for both still and video photography. Visit: www.ikelite.com for personal service email: info@seatech.co.nz www.seatech.co.nz

Thanks: To our judges, Ross and Diane Armstrong, Colin Gans and Roger Grace for their informative comments and commitment, thus ensuring the success of this competition. We also thank our prize sponsors for their support: Lacklands Photographic Ltd and Ikelite for their continuing support.