News
Red Sea Diving Safari Video Competition Results
In addition to being Scubaverse.com’s Conservation and Underwater Videography editor, I am also the video workshop leader at Red Sea Diving Safari, and I help to judge their in house bi-annual video competition where each video must be shot at one of the three RSDS diving villages. The prize is a free stay at one of the villages and a free copy of my book ‘A Guide to Underwater Wildlife Video & Editing’.
Full Competition Rules, Instructions and Guidelines can been seen here.
Here are the results from the latest competition, including the winner’s video, taken from Red Sea Diving Safari’s website:
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
We would like to thank everyone who entered our video competition for the July-December 2015 period. It wasn’t an easy decision but our videography workshop leader Jeff Goodman has carefully judged the entries and made his decision!
Huge congratulations to Andre Voje for his video ‘Amazing Underwater World in Marsa Shagra Village’ which has won him a free stay at the RSDS village of his choice!
Here’s Andre’s winning video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LehAVRnJeE
Jeff has been kind enough to take the time to comment on each individual video, so we decided to share his full feedback with you:
RSDS video competition results Jan 2016 by Jeff Goodman (conservation and video editor at www.scubaverse.com)
RESULTS
The standard of the videos was very high indeed. Each film had its own merits and shortcomings of which are explained for each entry. If you have time please watch the other entrants’ videos and look at my comments. Most videos seem to be made with GoPro and it just shows what can be done with a simple fixed lens, auto exposure camera. After quite a bit of deliberation I thought the overall best video was Amazing Underwater World in Marsa Shagra Village by Andrej Voje. It was well shot and edited. The music choice was perfect for setting the tone of the video. All the images were steady, well exposed, sharp and well framed.
DETAILED FEEDBACK
Beautiful Red Sea by Marcel Kraus
Good opening with well paced relaxing music and images. Nicely framed shots which are sharp and well exposed. Great shark shot, couldn’t really have been better. Bet you were smiling at the time. I liked the way you then came to a colourful shot of the Clown fish which contrasted well. The night dive then gave a good change of pace, but next time ask your dive buddy not to use the bright torch as it gave a very over exposed hot spot.
Lots of lovely animals and the dugong ending was just perfect. Well done.
Diving Marsa Shagra by Jurgen Minnibo
Good opening and ending with divers. Music worked well and helped the pace of the film. Have a think about investing in some sort of underwater light, just to add a bit of colour to those otherwise bland shots when the sun goes in. Nicely edited.
Diving Egypt 2015 by Peter Johnson
Love the ‘Tiny Hermit Production’ header. Very classy. It grabbed my attention right from the start. Beautiful stylistic images then followed to set up the days beginning and the start of diving. All accompanied by well chosen music. Then for awhile it started to go downhill. The first underwater shot really could just be taken out as it did little for the sequence and was disappointing after the great opening.
I realise the sharks at Elphinstone can be very dramatic, but unless you are lucky and get good full frame shots then think twice about putting them up at the head of your underwater section. You want to wow your audience as soon as you get underwater and the shark stuff just didn’t do it for me. The reef images later in the film were nice and the turtles as always are great to see.
You obviously have a good eye for framing and have edited the material well, but my one overall criticism is that the entire video is too long, especially as there is no change of pace. The 14.5 minutes started to drag and could easily be cut down to 5 or 6 minutes. Try a re-edit and be ruthless. As they often say, ‘less is more’.
Diving from Dawn to Dusk by Sharon Brown
I liked the opening although the first shot was a bit short. I did like the concept of the video and the way you have shown glimpses of the reef before divers get to it was inspirational. The music is a good bright pace and compliments the images well. A good selection of daytime wildlife on the reef all well shot and composed. Then the following night sequence was just charming and made me wish I was diving instead of sitting in the office.
Just Longimaus at Elphinstone 2015 by Paul Vouwen
Liked the graphics opening and then straight into good shark images. Excellent. Quite novel to say ‘keep watching as the best shots are at the end’. Maybe the BBC should do the same. Anyway, I did keep watching and just as I was getting a bit bored by the repetitive shots and music, up came your second message which made me smile. The next series of images were so much better and woke me up again. If you ever think of a re-edit may I suggest you get rid of around a minutes worth of ‘nothing happening’ shots and keep the viewer enthralled right through. For the next step in your video making have a think about adding some narration which can be both informative as well as personal.
Amazing Underwater World in Marsa Shagra Village by Andrej Voje
I silently shudder when I see video times of more that 3-4 minutes but in this instance the 6.5 minutes went by effortlessly and kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
Very strong and captivating opening. Excellent shark images followed by beautiful shoals and reef fish. Then just as I was getting tired of the powerful music you changed it and the mood of the film was delightfully softened with exceptional turtle material. How exciting to see the turtle clearing away the sand in a mid shot followed by a sharp and well composed close up. After that the video just got better and better with wonderful wildlife and well crafted shots. The only thing that spoilt the flow of the film was the night time shot of the squid. It was beautiful in it’s own right but didn’t fit within the sequence. The dolphin at the end was just perfect. Well done.
Marsa Alam by Jasmien Vanderkerckhove
Even though the individual shots themselves are not overwhelmingly special, there is a very nice feel to this video that keeps the viewer watching. The choice of warm yet lively music combined with the constantly moving camera blend together well. The bright pace of editing also goes a long way into making the images alive and immediate. Excellent film and a real joy to watch.
Fish Everywhere by Ahmed Helal
The fast action effect with cameras like to GoPro are certainly very popular and you have used the effect extremely well for the introduction of this video. I then particularly liked the transition into slomo. Well done. Your picture transitions or mixes are particularly well chosen and match the music very well. Love the two octopus. How lucky was that! Well filmed though. Then came the boat speeding past the shark. Great stuff. I liked the novel way you ended the video with the moving photo portraits. Very nice.
Marsa Shagra 2015 by Philippe Trojani
Still photo images can often work well in a moving video production and you proved this to be so with your opening sequence. This was then followed by a selection of beautiful underwater wildlife.Good camerawork with clear sharp and well framed images. The music choice was fine but if you can, have a think sometime about adding basic narration which can help bring an image to life with interesting facts or even personal feelings from yourself.
You can watch all the entries here.
The competition is now open for the next 6 months so don’t forget to submit your latest Red Sea video for a chance to win!
See more here.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
To find out more about Red Sea Diving Safari, visit www.redsea-divingsafari.com.
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Book Review: Shells of the World
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Gear News
Go anywhere with Stahlsac
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
-
News3 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Gear Reviews4 weeks ago
GEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Blogs3 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
News3 months ago
PADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida