News
Red Sea Diving Safari And Jeff Goodman Announce Underwater Videography Competition Winner
Red Sea Diving Safari has just announced the winner of the latest video competition judged by Scubaverse’s very own Jeff Goodman who runs Video workshops at all the RSDS resorts.
Jeff writes about his choice for the winner and comments on all the other entries:
“Difficult choice. Good videos by everyone. It is obvious that each entrant enjoyed their underwater experiences. Here are some comments.
Video 1. Nice opening followed by some great wildlife shots. All nicely framed with good exposure. The video had a ‘good feel’ to it and the music was the right mood for the shots. Perhaps the entire video was a little too long. Moritz obviously loves being underwater.
Video 2. Great effort but it was really difficult to see what was going on in the shot. Florian could try to get closer to the subjects and be at eye level if possible. Although the video was only a single shot there is no reason why this should not be entered into the competition but even if the action is good, the subject does have to be close so the audience can see what is happening. Dare I say, come on one of my courses and let me show you how best to film these great bits of behaviour.
Video 3. Mixed feelings about this one. It certainly showed the great excitement of seeing the Dugong and the effort needed to get some great shots of it. But, I would have like to have seen a message somewhere in the video or perhaps even narration to say that chasing such animals as the Dugong can harass it to the point of stress and panic. Although this did not look the case in this instant as the boat driver obviously knew what he was doing. What we should be trying to avoid is encouraging inexperienced drivers and their guests chasing the dugong and other marine species in a harmful way.
Having said that, the images were really nice and I am glad you had the experience of seeing this wonderful animal.
Video 4. Sascha put a lot of though into this and has put together some lovely shots. Good framing and exposure. Had a nice feel to it and certainly showed the wealth of marine life to be found on the Red Sea reefs. My suggestion would be to now try and make a few sequences of different subjects and try to move on to the next stage of your video making.
Video 5. Great video. Loved the slow motion at the beginning. Nice conservation graphics to make the video more poignant. Good choice of music but I think one track would have been enough. In others words the video could have been shorter and still put across the conservation message. All nicely shot, well exposed and framed and good animal behaviour. The written introduction to the video was good and certainly worth doing. Well done and please do keep going.
Now to make a decision on the winner. I think it has to be Video 1 from Moritz Pechtold.”
The latest entries and rules for future RSDS competitions can be seen here.
If you would like information on RSDS’s underwater Video Courses click here. You can contact Jeff directly at uwv@scubaverse.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
-
News3 months agoHone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
News3 months agoWorld’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023