Sea creatures in their natural habitat
June 5, 2013 10:49 AM Subscribe
Winners of the 2013 contest More than 650 underwater images were submitted for the 2013 Annual Underwater Photography Contest, hosted by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Since 2005, RSMAS has conducted an Underwater Photography Contest that is open to photographers who earn no more than 20 percent of their income from photography. The contest draws international submissions and is judged by a panel of experts in underwater photography and fine arts. Eligible photos are those that have not been published or accepted for publication and must have been taken by the person submitting the entry. No pool or aquarium shots will be accepted. All photographs must be taken underwater in a natural fresh-water or salt-water environment. RSMAS also makes underwater photographs available through its Digital Atlas of Marine Species and Locations, which is a database that includes photos of specific marine species
2012 winners were featured on National Geographic's website 2011 winners 2010 winners
Since 2005, RSMAS has conducted an Underwater Photography Contest that is open to photographers who earn no more than 20 percent of their income from photography. The contest draws international submissions and is judged by a panel of experts in underwater photography and fine arts. Eligible photos are those that have not been published or accepted for publication and must have been taken by the person submitting the entry. No pool or aquarium shots will be accepted. All photographs must be taken underwater in a natural fresh-water or salt-water environment. RSMAS also makes underwater photographs available through its Digital Atlas of Marine Species and Locations, which is a database that includes photos of specific marine species
2012 winners were featured on National Geographic's website 2011 winners 2010 winners
These are amazing, and even more so now that I've been diving with some semi-pro underwater photographers -- the amount of patience and boredom and effort it takes to get these shots is pretty mind-boggling. I did a seven-day liveaboard in Belize with a guy who went on four dives a day to take pictures, and while the rest of us would merrily putter around the reefs and ooh and aah at things (or at least *glug* at them admiringly from behind our regulators), he would plant himself in one place and just snap photo after photo after photo, waiting for the right light and positioning and contrast. And sea creatures are not cooperative. He took I don't know how many thousands of photos, and at the end of the trip showed off maybe a dozen that he was happy with. And while they were beautiful I doubt any of them would place among the winning shots at this link.
I mean, I bet traditional wildlife photographers endure something similar, crouching in a bush waiting for a wolf to come out, etc. Still, this shit's hard.
posted by eugenen at 11:10 AM on June 5, 2013
I mean, I bet traditional wildlife photographers endure something similar, crouching in a bush waiting for a wolf to come out, etc. Still, this shit's hard.
posted by eugenen at 11:10 AM on June 5, 2013
That winning photo of the harp seal in the kelp forest looks like a marine Lorax.
posted by Kabanos at 11:17 AM on June 5, 2013
posted by Kabanos at 11:17 AM on June 5, 2013
This one is terrifying . Maybe the greater blue ring octopus is not the one with the incredibly deadly venom that kills you dead, but honestly, I wouldn't want to take that chance. I have nothing but admiration for the nerve it must have taken to get close enough to take that photo.
posted by Hactar at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2013
posted by Hactar at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2013
Y'all seem to be celebrating the technique and difficulty of getting these photos rather than the photos themselves, which I think is appropriate as the picture themselves are pretty dreary. Closeup of weird looking colourful creature? Check. That makes it a winner!
posted by Keith Talent at 11:27 AM on June 5, 2013
posted by Keith Talent at 11:27 AM on June 5, 2013
I fucking hate it when people call every set of good/interesting pictures ___ porn. It pisses me off. Stop it.
posted by mike_bling at 11:38 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mike_bling at 11:38 AM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
This one is terrifying.
Yeah that went through my mind as well. They are indeed very poisonous. I thought you could also be referring to the oceanic white tip photo. Those bastards are opportunity feeders and are very aggressive and unpredictable. Easily the worst shark and possibly thing to encounter in the water.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:26 PM on June 5, 2013
Yeah that went through my mind as well. They are indeed very poisonous. I thought you could also be referring to the oceanic white tip photo. Those bastards are opportunity feeders and are very aggressive and unpredictable. Easily the worst shark and possibly thing to encounter in the water.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:26 PM on June 5, 2013
eugenen: "These are amazing, and even more so now that I've been diving with some semi-pro underwater photographers -- the amount of patience and boredom and effort it takes to get these shots is pretty mind-boggling. I did a seven-day liveaboard in Belize with a guy who went on four dives a day to take pictures, and while the rest of us would merrily putter around the reefs and ooh and aah at things (or at least *glug* at them admiringly from behind our regulators), he would plant himself in one place and just snap photo after photo after photo, waiting for the right light and positioning and contrast."
Yeah, I feel the same way. If I had more dives under my belt/could dive more often I might feel differently, but for me every minute of the dive counts and I want to spend it all experiencing as much as possible. (That said, my favorite portrait of myself is the one in my profile pic which my brother took during our underwater photography class. Also on a liveaboard in Belize, as it happens!)
posted by bettafish at 3:13 PM on June 5, 2013
Yeah, I feel the same way. If I had more dives under my belt/could dive more often I might feel differently, but for me every minute of the dive counts and I want to spend it all experiencing as much as possible. (That said, my favorite portrait of myself is the one in my profile pic which my brother took during our underwater photography class. Also on a liveaboard in Belize, as it happens!)
posted by bettafish at 3:13 PM on June 5, 2013
Isabella Rossellini has her own brand of sea creature porn of a completely different variety, if you're feeling adventurous. SFW. As in, Strange For Work.
posted by bxyldy at 4:27 PM on June 5, 2013
posted by bxyldy at 4:27 PM on June 5, 2013
Very good photos. Many of them reminded me of the sheer personality fish and other creatures have (I'm used to seeing them when they are dead, just before I eat them).
posted by KokuRyu at 5:09 PM on June 5, 2013
posted by KokuRyu at 5:09 PM on June 5, 2013
the picture themselves are pretty dreary
!
I think 1,3,4,5 and 8 are gorgeous photos.
posted by mediareport at 8:05 AM on June 6, 2013
!
I think 1,3,4,5 and 8 are gorgeous photos.
posted by mediareport at 8:05 AM on June 6, 2013
I hope everyone can safely enjoy the photos now. I requested the title to be changed to Sea Creatures in their natural habitat.
posted by JujuB at 10:37 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by JujuB at 10:37 AM on June 6, 2013
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posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:54 AM on June 5, 2013