Photo / Video News & Reviews
Tenerife Turtles – Small Expectations, Great Rewards
The first post from our latest travel and photo contributor Sean Chinn. Welcome to Scubaverse Sean!
It’s no great secret that for UK based divers and underwater photographers who want truly out of this world wildlife diving, you usually have to dig deep in your pocket and be prepared for a long journey with great expectations. But what about photographing exotic wildlife in warm seas, a flight no more than 5 hours away and a trip that’s kind to your bank balance?
Well at this point you’d normally expect me to say head down to The Red Sea. But not this time, this time I’m going to point you in the direction of a small volcanic Island in the Atlantic Ocean that is part of Spain.
Tenerife is a holiday destination popular with UK families and groups looking for a relatively inexpensive holiday with guaranteed beautiful, sunny weather. One of the main reasons I found myself travelling here with my family in the Summer of 2017.
I’ve recently welcomed my first child towards the end of 2016 and it was time to organise a family holiday but with a little diving fun for daddy! Tenerife was the destination of choice and early August was the time. The lure of maybe being able to get close shots of turtles being a deciding factor. Also, if I could introduce family members to the world I love and get them snorkelling with some exotic marine animals such as turtles, it would be another bonus.
I’d heard stories and saw photos of Green Sea Turtles in Tenerife but I wasn’t sure how much of a guarantee it was that I would actually get the same opportunities. I did some research and got in touch with a Tenerife-based photographer by the name of Montse Grillo. She has some truly stunning shots of turtles around Tenerife and I knew she would be able to help. Although Montse doesn’t speak much English, I am grateful for the time she took to Google Translate my message and point me in the direction of the dive shop: Club de Buceo Rincon de Arona.
Javier was the owner/dive guide and promised me turtles, as well as some big rays. He is a keen underwater photographer himself, so knows exactly what I am looking for when it comes to getting eye-catching photos. I started the day with a macro dive seeking out the abundance of eels that call the volcanic rocks home. Then in the afternoon it was time to find some turtles. The dive site was a short boat ride of no more than five minutes from the marina at Los Cristianos and set under the backdrop of dramatic volcanic cliffs along the Southwest side of the Island. The first turtle was spotted at the surface before anchor was even dropped, always a good sign that this is going to be a good dive.
It was only a shallow dive site of around 13 metres but this gave us ample water time to get plenty of photos. I don’t know the full story of the turtles in the area but I had read they are rescue turtles that are used to human interaction and stick around for small handouts of leftover squid from the fishermen at the harbour.
The turtles were certainly bold and curious, which as any underwater photographer knows is great! “When you think you’re close, then get closer” is the general rule of thumb. There was no such worry here as I found myself backing up on numerous occasions just to get the turtles in the frame.
I did two dives with the turtles and rays during my holiday and both dives were equally as fun and manic as each other. There was an abundance of fish making way as the Bull Rays worked their way through. Stingrays of different sizes would also make an appearance but the turtles were the real stars.
The second dive saw the introduction of a third, smaller turtle. There are normally only two turtles regularly at the dive site but my guide said out of all the photographers that he has dived with, I was probably the only one to get three turtles in the frame. I only managed the one decent shot of all three as I found myself struggling to back up enough to get them all in. It certainly made the dive extra exciting.
In conclusion: I wasn’t expecting much from my time underwater in Tenerife and wondered whether I’d get any decent photos. It certainly excelled my expectations and is a worthwhile dive trip to book for a cost friendly and relatively close holiday from the UK. Although I only managed four dives I was able to get many photos that were well worth keeping due to the abundance of photo opportunities. I was also able to introduce five members of my family to the joys of the ocean and get them snorkelling with turtles for the very first time. It means the world to me to share my passion with those closest to me and see how much they enjoyed the experience.
Find out more about Sean at www.greatwhitesean.com or follow him on Instagram @greatwhitesean
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.”
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.”
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.”
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
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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