In the exciting world of underwater photography, Scuba Diving magazine recently concluded its 16th annual Through Your Lens Underwater Photo Contest.
With an unprecedented number of entries this year—over 2,600 captivating images—the judges faced the daunting task of selecting the winners.
“In June 2020, with a special permit, I went on an expedition to document marine life and the effects of reduced sea traffic due to C.O.V.I.D-19. After two hours in the water with a school of silky sharks near the surface, our captain yelled, ‘Whale sharks, right behind you!’ – a 12-meter-tall female. The surprise was doubly when I found out about 50 remoras were peacefully enjoying a free ride in her mouth! “
Amongst the remarkable submissions, one photo stood out and claimed the top prize. Taken by Evans Baudin, a French marine wildlife expert, the winning image captured a breathtaking moment in Baja California, Mexico.
The photograph showcases a colossal 39-foot female whale shark calmly carrying an astonishing 50 fish within its cavernous mouth. The gentle giant seemed unperturbed by its unusual passengers, graciously offering them a ride to their destination.
“As a diver, you will never forget your first huge shark. I felt incredibly grateful to have come across this beautiful whitehead shark in the Red Sea. As we neared the final minutes of our dive, she and her ‘entourage’ slowly circled our group, peacefully watching each of us, before they took off into the sea again. “
Notably, Baudin was conducting research on the impact of COVID-19 on marine life during his dive in Mexico, making this capture even more extraordinary.
Evans Baudin’s remarkable photograph shares the spotlight with the winners of four other categories: Behavior, Macro, Wide Angle, and Compact Camera. The level of competition was exceedingly high, as evidenced by the impressive entries that received honorable mentions.
As a reward for their exceptional talents, all the winners were granted exciting diving adventures aboard various vessels.
“As a SeaLife camera brand ambassador, I always have the DC2000 with me, in addition to my DSLR gear, to take a few side shots. I find it very interesting to see what I can capture with a tiny camera like the SeaLife and how much I can achieve the images I capture with my DSLR. This juvenile miracle bird was sitting on a palm leaf, a trendy subject of experimentation. The dive was done near Anilao, Philippines, with Crystal Blue Resort and the support of photographer Mike Bartick.”
Additionally, the second and third-place winners in each category were awarded state-of-the-art camera equipment from renowned brands Cressi and SeaLife.
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of underwater photography by exploring more breathtaking images from the 16th annual Scuba Diving magazine photo contest.
“On the surface at the entrance of the cenote, I didn’t know any kind of space underneath the small pool. It was only when I went down and positioned outside the sunlit area that the dark space was revealed. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I perceive the enormous size of space. My friend, suspended in that cloud and illuminated by the rays of the sun, appeared so small that I spent the whole dive shooting from a distance, trying to capture the tiny diver in the wide-open space.”
“On the surface at the cenote’s entrance, I had no idea what sort of space lay beneath the small pool. Only when I descended and positioned myself outside the area lit up by sun was the dark space revealed. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I perceived the huge dimensions of the space. My buddy, hanging above that cloud and lit by sun rays, appeared so small that I spent the whole dive shooting from distance, trying to capture the tiny diver in that huge space.”
“A humpback whale calf travels through the emerald-blue waters of Tonga, accompanied by its giant mother and her escort. As the leviathans whirled right below me, the calf rose to the surface for fresh air. I reattached my free fins and took a quick shot. A split second later, the mother appeared to save her child from the bubble-blowing stranger. “
“You never know what you will find when you dive into the black water. One night, it could be tiny larval fish, a mako, or another fluffy shark, but mostly you’re looking for plankton to find tiny critters as you drift with the current over deep water.
“Sepiola biro strata is one of two species of cuttlefish that inhabit the northern waters of Japan. During the day, it hides in the sand and can only be found by chance. But at night, it goes hunting. Despite their small size [about an inch], these cuttlefish are predators, catching shrimp and crabs. There are usually many of them in July, on sandy bottoms, at depths of 15 to 40 feet. I met this beauty during a night dive. Its colors are simply stunning. “
Massimo Giorgetta / Diving magazine, Honorable Mention.
“Sepiola birostrata is one of two species of cuttlefish resident in the northern Sea of Japan. During the day, it hides on the sandy bottom and can be found only by chance. But at night it goes hunting. Despite their small size [around an inch], these cuttlefish are predators, catching shrimps and crabs. There are usually a lot of them in July, above the sandy bottom, at depths from 15 to 40 feet. I managed to meet this beauty during a night dive. Its color was simply gorgeous.”
“In this Cuban archipelago, among the mangroves, lives a small colony of American crocodiles. To make a series of photos, I had to go in the water with them for three days, studying the currents, the light and the clarity of the water. Then I waited until the crocodile was in the right position against the backlight. The idea was to have the best contrast between the reflection of the sun and the color of the water.”
“Captured during a daytime dive at Blairgowrie Pier in Port Phillip Bay, Australia, this shorthead seahorse was feeding near the surface and freely swimming from one floating piece of weed to the next. I’m not sure if the seahorse mistakenly grabbed hold of the pipefish with its tail, confusing it for a piece of weed, or if this was deliberate. The pipefish immediately struggled to break free from the seahorse’s grip. This interaction lasted only about 10 seconds, which was just enough time to set up the shot.”
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