We are happy to announce that the winner of the RSDS Photo Competition for February 2021 has been chosen. Congratulations to Wendy Poppe with her photo “Natural Beauty“!
Wendy wins a free stay at the RSDS village of his choice. You can view the winning photo, and all the February 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 Wendy, and good luck to all those participating in 2021!
From Paul Duxfield, our competition judge:
A really strong bunch of contenders this month so I’m glad that amongst this strong field there were a couple that in my opinion stood out head and shoulders above the rest.
However before I come to this pair of crackers worthy of a place in Nat Geo magazine I’d like to talk a little about the a very good also rans.
Paul Brown’s Long Nose Hawkfish was a classic example and those of us that have aimed our lenses at these skittish creatures know just how hard it is to get them to play ball
and so patience is the order of the day, alongside fast reflexes to take the shot when the time is right. Gennady Elfimov’s study of George the Moray at the Barge was a beautifully dramatic picture of this handsome and dramatic beast, i'm talking about George by the way not Genna just to be clear !
I also loved Paul Eijkmans head on portrait of a Trunkfish, always a photogenic creature but as tricky as getting a shot of a Long Nose Hawkfish waiting for one to face you like this. Eventually though I settled on the two standouts that caught my eye immediately after my first quick look.
And these were the very striking mid water shot of the Dugong complete with reflection from the surface, this shot had it all as an underwater shot and Ahmed Ahmed in any other month I reckon may well have clinched the top spot.
Unfortunately though my other choice was the amazing wildlife action sunset picture from Wendy Poppe and although sunrises can be a cliché this one was elevated from the familiar by the inclusion of the bird in flight which of course turns the shot from just a pretty picture, which it undoubtedly is, into a shot that tells a story, and so I’m giving this months first place to this outstanding image.
Very well done Wendy and commiserations to Ahmed and the others mentioned and better luck next time.
I’m getting very excited and crossing all my remaining digits that we will be able to carry out this years Red Sea Photo Camp in June, but don't worry, me, and Alphamarine Photography have a plan B in place in case we have to cancel it again this summer.
It’d lovely to see you all in the water and around the dive shade this year at Marsa Shagra, it’s been too long since I last got my fins wet, and I’m really looking forward to getting back into it all again, so fingers crossed.
- Duxy
Duxy has been running escorted photo workshops in Marsa Shagra for the last three years. These workshops are designed for camera users of all experience levels, with any type of underwater camera. Duxy is on hand to share tips and information, troubleshoot individual photography issues, escort early morning and late afternoon dives, and give talks on specific subjects. The 2021 Red Sea Photo Camp with Duxy and Alphamarine Photography will be in Shagra from June 8-19 2021 - full information.
