The Winner and most Highly Commended images from DIVE’s Summer ’23 Big Shot Megafauna underwater photography competition
Our Big Shot photography competition is back with a bang! We asked you to think big and enter your top marine megafauna images, and we have been blown away by an impressive array of some of the ocean’s superstars – cool sharks, majestic whales, swooping mantas and playful sea lions.
The winning shot is a stunning image of a tiger shark feasting on a whale carcass by Australian photographer Daniel Thomas Browne. A fine example of where monotone black and white enhances an image. Daniel wins a week-long trip aboard the Belize Aggressor III (worth US$3,395).
Highly commended are Francis Glassup’s powerful portrait of a Red Sea dugong, Raymond Wennekes’ dynamic image of a feeding whale shark, Marcia Rieder’s impressive minke whale, Theresa Guise’s playful false killer whales and Vanessa Mignon’s dancing humpbacks – all of whom will receive a year’s print and digital subscription to DIVE.
For our next issue, the theme is Kaleidoscopes, anything multi-coloured. The brighter, the better – from outrageous nudibranchs to psychedelic reef fish. The winning prize is a seven-night trip aboard the Raja Ampat Aggressor II, worth US$3,710.
Keep your eyes peeled and subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss the announcement when #DIVEsBigShotKaleidoscope goes live!
Winner
Tiger Shark and Humpback Whale Carcass – Daniel Thomas Browne
A tiger shark rolls its nictitating membrane to protect its eye as it feeds on a humpback whale carcass, Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay, Western Australia
Shot with: Sony A7II, 16mm fisheye converter f7.1 1/500 ISO 400
Highly Commended:
Critically endangered – Francis Glassup
A male Dugong vacuums up seagrass amongst the billowing clouds of sediment, Abu Dabbab, Egypt.
Shot with: Nikon D810, 16-35mm Nikkor Wide Angle Lens, Hugyfot Housing, 2x 161 Ikelite strobes f13 1/250 ISO 200
Midnight snacks – Raymond Wennekes
Picture is taken in the middle of the night on a liveaboard trip in the Maldives. A bright light is placed above the water which attracts plankton and krill. A true midnight feast for a whale shark.
Shot with: Sony A7R IV with Sony FE 28mm with Sony fisheye converter in a Sea&Sea MDXL-A7IV housing. f8.0 – 1/80 – ISO2500
Minke Whale – Marcia Riederer
What a breathtaking moment, during my eye-to-eye encounter with this curious dwarf minke whale at the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Shot with: Canon 5d IV; 16-35mm; Nauticam housing; f7.1, 1/200, ISO 500
School in Session – Theresa Guise
A pod of false killer whales playfully swim past in the sunny ocean, Sri Lanka. The image was taken while free diving and under permit from Sri Lanka Government.
Shot with: Canon 7DM2, Subal housing, Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens at 15mm, ambient light,f9, 1/320 sec, iso 1250.
Dancing Humpbacks – Vanessa Mignon
Every year, humpback whales migrate to Tonga in order to give birth in the warm and sheltered waters. During that time, it is possible to swim with them. It’s important to be calm and respectful when approaching them, to ensure we don’t disturb them. One day we encountered this beautiful mother and calf. They would move slowly, always staying close to each other in what seemed to be a graceful underwater ballet.
Shot with: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon EF16-35 mm f/2.8 II USM Nauticam housing F9, 1/200, ISO 320
The Best of the Rest
I See You – Oscar Ramirez
Eye-to-eye connection with a large female orca, Baja California, Mexico. A moment that will never be forgotten.
Shot with: Nikon D850, 28mm lens with wide angle conversion port, Nauticam housing; f8, 1/160, ISO 400
Goliath Grouper – Wayne McWilliams
This massive fish was curious and swam out to meet me. We both were intrigued by each other for several minutes. Palm Beach
County, Florida.
Shot with: Nikon D7000; Tokina 10-17mm; Nauticam housing; f13, 1/50, ISO 160
Baby Manatee – Wayne McWilliams
This manatee started sucking on my fin. Its version of teething. Crystal River, Florida.
Shot with: Nikon D7000, Nikon 17-35mm, Nauticam housing; f11, 1/50, ISO 500
Whale & Dolphins – Miguel Ramirez
A pod of striped dolphins and a humpback whale, Reunion Island.
Shot with: Nikon D500, Tokina 10-17mm, Hugyfot housing; f10, 1/160, ISO 400
Bahamas Triangle – Eduardo Carrasco
Two Caribbean reef sharks, Tiger Beach, Grand Bahamas.
Shot with: Sony Alpha A7IV, Sony 16-35mm, Nauticam housing, Zen Underwater 230mm dome port, two Ikelite DS230s flashguns; f16, 1/125, ISO 250
Curious Nurse Shark – Dave Lavasseur
An inquisitive nurse shark circled us during a safety stop. Vaavu Atoll, Maldives.
Shot with: Canon 5D4, Canon Fish eye 8-15mm, Nauticam housing, Zen Dome 2X Inon Z330; f 5.6, 1/200, ISO 320
Reef Manta – Daniel Thomas Browne
A reef manta feeds in the shallows with an entourage of juvenile golden trevally in Coral Bay, Ningaloo, Western Australia.
Shot with: Sony A7II, 16mm fisheye converter; f7.1, 1/400, ISO 800
Australian Fur Seal Pups – Marcia Riederer
These playful fur seal pups put on a show for the camera during a dive at Montague Island Nature Reserve, NSW, Australia.
Shot with: Canon 5d IV, 16-35mm, Nauticam Housing; f4.5, 1/200, ISO 400
Big thanks to all those who entered – the gallery remains live at this link, if you’d like to check out the complete list of entries.
The starting date for #DIVEsBigShotKaleidoscopes will be announced in the coming days – stay tuned and sign up for our newsletter using the link below to keep updated.
