Congratulations to all the winners of the 2013 SoCal Shootout!
Winning photos and videos are posted below
Winners will be awarded amazing prizes during the next week based on points and winners' ranked choices.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors
Winners have been awarded their prizes based on a point system, with more competitive categories awarding more points, and winners with the most total points getting first choice. Winners got to rank their prize choices.
Check out the Sponsor and prize details under each winning photo!
SoCal Shootout 2013 Underwater Photo Winners
Best of Shootout
Photo by Nirupam Nigam. Fringehead in Brittlestar bed, Anacapa Island.
Nirupam won a 7-day stay at Crystal Blue Dive Resort!
Winning Photos by Category
Wide-Angle
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Wide-Angle: Liz Sullivan - Bat Ray
Liz won a 7-day stay at Club Cantamar!
Second Place Wide-Angle: Mel Moncrieff - Sea Lions, Santa Barbara Island
Mel won an I-Torch Venusian III video light!
Third Place Wide-Angle: Roger Carlson - Blue Whale
Roger won a GoPro Hero 3 Silver camera!
Fourth Place Wide-Angle: Nirupam Nigam - Garibaldi & Sunburst
Nirupam won a 7-day stay at Crystal Blue Dive Resort!
Honorable Mention Wide-Angle: Brian McHugh - Kelp Crab & Sunburst
Brian won a 2-tank local boat ticket on Marissa Charters!
Honorable Mention Wide-Angle: Ron Watkins - Diver & Metridium
Ron won an open boat ticket on Selky Charters!
Honorable Mention Wide-Angle: Michael Zeigler - Diver & Propeller
Michael won a Watershot housing for his iPhone 4 or 5, or Samsung Galaxy S3 or S4.
Honorable Mention Wide-Angle: Kevin Cushing - Kelp Forest Sunrays
Kevin won a Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe!
Macro
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Macro: Craig Hoover - Shark Eye
Craig won a liveaboard trip on the Rocio Del Mar!
Second Place Macro: Cindy Shaw - Sand Dollar Bed
Cindy won a 4-night dive/stay package with Maluku Divers!
Third Place Macro: Nirupam Nigam - Hermissenda
Nirupam won a 7-day stay at Crystal Blue Dive Resort!
Fourth Place Macro: Michelle Hoalton - Simnia Snail
Michelle won 2x boat passes with Truth Aquatics!
Honorable Mention Macro: Cindy Shaw - Purple Hydrocoral & Topsnail
Cindy won a 4-night dive/stay package with Maluku Divers!
Honorable Mention Macro: Ron Watkins - Clown Dorid
Ron won an open boat ticket on Selky Charters!
Marine Life Behavior
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Marine Life Behavior: Nirupam Nigam - Fringehead
Nirupam won a 7-day stay at Crystal Blue Dive Resort!
Second Place Marine Life Behavior: Kevin Cushing - Sea Lions
Kevin won a Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe!
Third Place Marine Life Behavior: Alonso Gonzalez Cabello - Crab Feeding
Alonso won a 2 for 1 ticket on any local Channel Islands Dive Adventures day trip!
Fourth Place Marine Life Behavior: Michelle Hoalton - Simnia Snail & Eggs
Michelle won 2x boat passes with Truth Aquatics!
Honorable Mention Marine Life Behavior: Jeff Laity - Octopus & Eggs
Jeff won a 2 for 1 ticket on any local Channel Islands Dive Adventures day trip!
Honorable Mention Marine Life Behavior: Brian McHugh - Kelp Crab & Suburst
Brian won a 2-tank local boat ticket on Marissa Charters!
Portrait
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Portrait: Kyle McBurnie - Harbor Seal in Kelp
Kyle won a 5-night stay/dive package at Wananvu Resort!
Second Place Portrait: Nirupam Nigam - Lingcod
Nirupam won a 7-day stay at Crystal Blue Dive Resort!
Third Place Portrait: David Andrew - Juvenile Kelpfish
David won a 2 for 1 ticket on any local Channel Islands Dive Adventures day trip!
Fourth Place Portrait: Cindy Shaw - Male Sheephead
Cindy won a 4-night dive/stay package with Maluku Divers!
Honorable Mention Portrait: Brian McHugh - Sea Lion Portrait
Brian won a 2-tank local boat ticket on Marissa Charters!
Honorable Mention Portrait: Craig Hoover - Swell shark & squid eggs Portrait
Craig won a liveaboard trip on the Rocio Del Mar!
Video
(Click photos to watch each video)
TIED in First Place Video: Kyle McBurnie
Kyle won a 5-night stay/dive package at Wananvu Resort!
TIED in First Place Video: Nanette Van Antwerp
Nanette won two passes for any weekday trip on the Spectre (CalBoatDiving)!
Third Place Video: Kevin Sullivan
Kevin won two passes on the Peace dive boat!
Honorable Mention Video: Roger Carlson
Roger won a GoPro Hero 3 Silver camera!
Compact Wide-Angle
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Compact Wide-Angle: Carolyn Wang - Oil Rigs
Carolyn won a ThinkTANK CityWalker 20 camera bag!
Second Place Compact Wide-Angle: David Thompson - Sea Lion
David won a $100 gift certificate to Bluewater Photo!
Third Place Compact Wide-Angle: Deanne Beck - Kelpfish
Deanne won Oceanic's new OCi dive computer!
Compact Macro
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Compact Macro: Deanne Beck - Anemone on Kelp
Deanne won Oceanic's new OCi dive computer!
Second Place Compact Macro: Deanne Beck - Hermissenda nudibranch
Deanne won Oceanic's new OCi dive computer!
Third Place Compact Macro: Aaron Halstead - 2-Spot Octopus
Aaron won a $125 gift certificate from Ultralight!
Compact Behavior
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Compact Behavior: Deanne Beck - Sea Lion
Deanne won Oceanic's new OCi dive computer!
Second Place Compact Behavior: Aaron Halstead - Octopus
Aaron won a $125 gift certificate from Ultralight!
Third Place Compact Behavior: Renee Capozzola - Moray Eel & Shrimp
Renee won a $200 Bluewater Travel gift certificate for her next trip!
Compact Portrait
(Click photos to view full-size)
First Place Compact Portrait: Debbie Karimoto - Lingcod
Debbie won a $250 Ikelite gift certificate!
Second Place Compact Portrait: Renee Capozzola - Lobster
Renee won a $200 Bluewater Travel gift certificate for her next trip!
Third Place Compact Portrait: Steve Murvine - Male Sheephead
Steve won a 2-tank local boat ticket on Marissa Charters!
LIST OF WINNERS:
Best of Shootout
Nirupam Nigam
Wide-Angle
1st: Liz Sullivan
2nd: Mel Moncrieff
3rd: Roger Carlson
4th: Nirupam Nigam
HM: Brian McHugh
HM: Ron Watkins
HM: Michael Zeigler
HM: Kevin Cushing
Macro
1st: Craig Hoover
2nd: Cindy Shaw
3rd: Nirupam Nigam
4th: Michelle Hoalton
HM: Cindy Shaw
HM: Ron Watkins
Marine Life Behavior
1st: Nirupam Nigam
2nd: Kevin Cushing
3rd: Alonso Gonzalez Cabello
4th: Michelle Hoalton
HM: Jeff Laity
HM: Brian McHugh
Portrait
1st: Kyle McBurnie
2nd: Nirupam Nigam
3rd: David Andrew
4th: Cindy Shaw
HM: Brian McHugh
HM: Craig Hoover
Video
1st - tied: Kyle McBurnie
1st - tied: Nanette Van Antwerp
3rd: Kevin Sullivan
HM: Roger Carlson
Compact Wide-Angle
1st: Carolyn Wang
2nd: David Thompson
3rd: Deanne Beck
Compact Macro
1st: Deanne Beck
2nd: Deanne Beck
3rd: Aaron Halstead
Compact Behavior
1st: Deanne Beck
2nd: Aaron Halstead
3rd: Renee Capozzola
Compact Portrait
1st: Debbie Karimoto
2nd: Renee Capozzola
3rd: Steve Murvine
We look forward to having you participate in the 2014 SoCal Shootout.
Sign up for the Bluewater Photo newsletter to stay in the loop!
Contest inquiries: contest@bluewaterphotostore.com
Sponsorship inquires: brent@uwphotographyguide.com
Shootout Judges
The SoCal Shootout was judged by some of the top professional underwater photographers in Southern California: Mark Strickland, Brent Durand, Scott Gietler. Mark and Scott have been published multiple times this past year in many of the world's best dive magazines and prestigious underwater photo exhibits, and are two of Southern California's best-known underwater photographers. Scott is the owner of Bluewater Photo, Bluewater Travel and the Underwater Photography Guide. Brent Durand is the editor of the Underwater Photography Guide, one of the only full-time underwater photography editors in the world.
Where did people dive?
La Jolla shores, Catalina Island, Farnsworth Banks, Palos Verdes, the Oil Rings, Santa Monica Bay, Santa Barbara Island, Santa Cruz Island, Anacapa Island.
Not a photoshop contest
Cropping and photoshop edits other than global changes were not allowed in this competition, which means all the photos you see below are pretty much straight out of the camera - a rarity in these times. Backscatter removal was not allowed.
We look forward to having you participate in next year's shootout!
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