We are happy to announce that the winner of the RSDS Photo Competition for July 2023 has been chosen. Congratulations to Ben Oakes with his photo "Shell-fish".
Ben wins a free stay at the RSDS village of his choice. You can view the winning photo, and all the July participants here.
If you would like a chance to win, simply register on our website and upload your photos from our competition page. Each day we choose a 'photo of the day' from the selection of entries. Anyone can register on our website and vote on photos entered into the competition. At the end of the month our Photo Pro and photography workshop leader, Paul ‘Duxy’ Duxfield, looks at the votes and chooses a winner from the highest scoring photos. Full terms and conditions and prize details are available here.
Congratulations again to Ben, and good luck to all those participating in the coming months!
From Paul Duxfield, our competition judge:
Splashes of colour. That’s what grabbed my gaze whilst perusing this months selection of underwater delights. I find it really interesting that themes seem to arise each month in what should be an entirely random selection of underwater photographs put forward to compete alongside one another. Last month it was Hawkfish, and this month it’s strong colour.
The Red Sea is renowned for it’s vivid demonstration of natures palette.
Theres a very specific blue that is the typical back drop, and then you’ve got all the other colours on display in the marine life, from Clams, Corals and Crustaceans, to a plethora of fish in every imaginable hue and shade. So it’s no wonder that all this to see, is a magnet for underwater photographers and as a compositional element in its own right.
So lets cut to the chase and get on to my final choices this time.
I was immediately drawn to two pictures which have made the selection process.
And they are Jane Morgan’s Butterfly Fish, a synchronous pair that are a lovely yellow set off against that Red Sea blue.
The fish have composed themselves and the symmetry is uncanny, with them mirroring each other, and it’s this alongside the colour which has drawn me to this picture. Simple and very aesthetically pleasing to the eye, diagonally positioned which is always a strong compositional device.
My other pick is equally colour infused but also quite unusual for a couple of reasons.
The red sparkly background seems either lit from behind and out of focus or the shooter Ben Oakes is utilising something reflective I’m not quite sure of in all honesty. Either way it’s a very striking and unique look which provides a counterpoint to the bright yellow of the clownfish. Talk about a way to elevate a simple and common subject from the mundane!
And the icing on the cake for me is that Ben has been lucky and observant enough to realise that the fish is holding a tiny shell in its mouth, this for me was what clinches it as the eventual winner.
Colour and uniqueness in harmony, very good indeed Ben and commiserations to Jane for a very close contender in the runner up spot.
Duxy has been running escorted photo workshops in Marsa Shagra for the last years. Next Year he will be back with a new one. Why not join him for Fotofest from June 13-20 2023 - full information?
He will be at the Marsa Nakari location alongside Sarah O’Gorman critter spotter extraordinaire, for a fun filled five plus days of easy going diving informal talks and photo clinics daily, with help and advice on composing, shooting and editing your shots to take them to the next level.
For those with GoPro’s, compact cameras, mirrorless and DSLRs there will be something for everyone.
It really doesn't matter if you're a complete beginner or regular underwater shooter, I like to keep things fun and exclusive and non intimidating.
It’d be great to see you there in June 2024.
