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Photo Gallery: Split-Shots

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The second feature in our new Gallery series where we let the photos tell the story… This week, Nick and Caroline focus on photo technique with split-shots.

Split-shots or over-under shots are where some of the image is above the water and some below. It is a great technique most commonly done with a wide angle or fish-eye lens in a large dome port. To attempt these shots, it is best to wait for very calm water, to help you get a smooth transitional line from above to below. If you are shooting in the shallows on a sunny day, then you may not need to use strobes, but as the top half will be brighter, it is sometimes vital to have the strobes lighting your underwater subject. When you get the shot right, these can really enhance your portfolio of images.

Tips: Use as large a depth of field as you can (small aperture of say f16); try to move your camera gently so as not to create any bubbles around the port; dunk and shoot before the water starts to run down the dome and creates smears (you can even use spit to help improve this technique). For more from Nick and Caroline, visit www.frogfishphotography.com

Image 1: Swimming Pig in The Bahamas
These wonderful swimming pigs in The Exumas in The Bahamas make the perfect split-shot subjects. The water is clear and calm and it is almost always sunny and the pigs swim around in shallow water. A perfect place to try this sort of shot, especially as they always swim with their snouts sticking out of the water like snorkels. Tokina 10-17 lens, f/13, 1/125, ISO 100. No strobe used.

 

Image 2: Manatee Pair in Crystal River, Florida
This is another perfect destination and subject for the split shot. These gorgeous creatures love to swim up to you and will get in close enough to fill the frame. The location is lovely too with trees growing around this fresh water spring. Alas, we did not get nice sunny weather, that would have made this shot so much more appealing. Nikon 16mm lens, f/9, 1/80 ISO 400.

 

Image 3: Paddy Swimming
Paddy (or any other co-operative water loving dog) makes a perfect subject when you want to practice this technique! He loves to swim and can be called in (or tempted with a ball) to get close to the camera. The sea conditions were not perfect, with some swell and waves, but we love this shot capturing just his eye out of the water as he swam along the stone jetty at Trefor Pier in Wales. Tokina 10-17mm lens, f/13, 1/400, ISO 320.

 

Image 4: Blacktip Shark & Bird
It is not often that you can get a shot of a shark swimming and a bird flying in the same shot! There is plenty that could be improved, but the opportunity was a fleeting one and the shot grabbed. This was taken at Aliwal Shoal in South Africa, where it is rare to get calm seas and split shots were the last thing on our minds. But it is a shot we love for that very reason. It is harder to hold the camera in the portrait orientation for split shots, but well worth practicing for these moments. Nikon 16mm lens, f/10, 1/160, ISO 200.

 

Image 5: Lemon Sharks in The Bahamas
This was taken lying on the platform on the back of the boat and dangling the camera in the water! There was quite a big swell and so it was hard to time when to hit the shutter button. The sharks stayed with us as we came up from an excellent dive and this was an opportunity we had to grab for the captain said we needed to head home. Tokina 10-17mm lens, f/18, 1/200, ISO 500.

 

Image 6: Caroline Surfacing in France
A great way to capture the start of end of the dive is to get a split shot of the boat (and in this case boat captain) with a diver below. This shot was taken whilst diving in France on an epic road trip and shows Caroline just about to finish the dive. Nikon 16mm lens, f/11, 1/125, ISO 250.

 

Image 7: Cuban Crocodile
A split shot does not have to be 50% above the water and 50% below. Experiment with how much you want to feature from under the water and at what angle. This shot if a very close-up portrait of a crocodile taken in Jardines de la Reina in Cuba. We wanted it to show both the underwater seagrass habitat as well as a little of the mangroves in the background. Tokina 10-17mm lens, f/16, 1/60, ISO 250.

 

Image 8: Stingrays in The Bahamas
This shot was one we planned before getting into the water, with our guide standing on a deserted small idyllic island and stingrays in the shallows. The clam water and the ability to keep the glass dome dry before taking this shot all helped, as did the sunshine. Tokina 10-17mm lens, f/20, 1/200, ISO 400.

You can now get wide angle and fish eye lenses and domes for almost every underwater camera, from a GoPro to a top end SLR, so go out and try getting a split shot. They are very rewarding when they work out, but they do take a bit of practice! Why not let us know how you get on?

Nick and Caroline (Frogfish Photography) are a married couple of conservation driven underwater photo-journalists and authors. Both have honours degrees from Manchester University, in Environmental Biology and Biology respectively, with Nick being a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a former high school science teacher with a DipEd in Teaching Studies. Caroline has an MSc in Animal Behaviour specializing in Caribbean Ecology. They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. Nick and Caroline regularly use their free time to visit schools, both in the UK and on their travels, to discuss the important issues of marine conservation, sharks and plastic pollution. They are ambassadors for Sharks4Kids and founders of SeaStraw. They are Dive Ambassadors for The Islands of The Bahamas and are supported by Mares, Paralenz, Nauticam and Olympus. To find out more visit www.frogfishphotography.com

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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