Last Modified 2014-Aug-18

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Underwater Photo Galleries:
When	Where
August 8-9, 2014	California, Lobos and Monterey Bay (Monterey Shootout 2014) Overcast both days topside. Some long period swell running, surgy. All shots with Nikon Micro 105mm f/2.8 AF-S VR. (see descriptions for details)
May 28, 2005	California, North Monastary Beach (for the 24th Annual California Beach Dive Photo Competition) A sunny day topside. Fairly flat water (nothing bigger than two foot surf), Vis 25-30' horizontal, maybe 50' vertical, some surge in the shallows. Two dives: Macro first with 105mm (13 shots, I couldn't find cooperative sculpins); WideAngle second with 17-35mm (24 shots).
July 18, 2004	California, Point Lobos, Bluefish Cove A beautiful day topside [sunny warm, lite wind, flat water] and underwater [80' vertical vis, 40-60 horizontal vis, no surge, lots of life]. I shot 20 pictures with the 105mm during my two dives.
April 23-25, 2004	California, Channel Islands (Santa Cruz Island and Santa Rosa Island)(preliminary images) A fair trip considering the miso soup (10' to 15' visibility in most locations; but, that's the breaks when you have sunny/warm topside conditions) in which we dove; some interesting shots.
May 24, 2003	NCUPS Beach Photo Competition Another challenging competition: poor visibility, I couldn't find the subjects I wanted to shoot. I only shot 17 frames during the two hour-long dives I did along the breakwater wall. Cabezon 1, 2(same as #1, slightly different exposure), 3; I might add a few more shots.
April 25-27, 2003	California, Channel Islands (San Miguel Island and Santa Cruz Island) Three days of diving and I only shot two rolls of 36 while underwater. (pretty poor sites on the second and third days) I might add a few more images as I scan them.
October, 2002	Browning Passage area of Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. I stayed at God's Pocket on Hurst Island. (five days, September 29 to October 3)
May-August, 2002	Juvenile Painted Greenling California, Pacific Grove, Coral Street in 45' (west of the mouth of the cove about 150m)
April 13,2002	California, Carmel (3 dives on the Cypress Sea) Subjects: School of Rockfish in giant kelp, giant kelp, orange cup coral, club tip anemone, fish eating anemone, spotted rose anemone, reef scenes, stub nose sculpin, sunflower star All wide angle shot with 18mm nikkor in a housing(2 rolls of 36), all macro shot with 105mm nikkor micro in a housing(1 roll of 36). (Kodak EliteChrome 100 extra color, EBX)
Oct. 21-23, 2001	California, Channel Islands (3-day trip on the Conception to Santa Cruz island and Anacapa island) Subjects: Anacapa, One-spot fringehead, Coralline sculpin, Cabezon, Horn shark, Black-eyed Gobie, Monterey Dorid, Clown Nudibranch, Sea hare, Red Urchin, Purple Urchin, Brittlestars, Fragile star, Red gorgonian, Simnia (spindle cowrie) A good trip. Most of the group was hunting lobster, scallops, and fish; so the boat went to game spots, not scenic ones. (I shot 6 rolls of 36, Kodak EktaChrome 100VS)
Sept 12-15, 2001	California, Channel Islands (4-day limited load photography-only trip on the Vision to the southern and northern islands) Subjects: sarcastic fringehead, giant black sea bass, california sea lions, crevise kelpfish, spanish shawl, decorated warbonnet, coralline sculpin, brittle star A killer trip. We spent two days at Santa Barbara Island and two days at Anacapa. (I shot ten rolls of 36, Kodak EktaChrome 100VS)
May-August 2001	California, Monterey Furry Hermit Crab
April 14-21, 2001	Saba, Statia, & St. Kitts in Eastern Caribbean Subjects: spiny lobster, blenny & christmas tree worm, brittle star, rock beauty angelfish, orange cup coral, stingray, fairy basslet, barrel sponges, squirrelfish, hawks bill sea turtle, flamingo tongue, red hermit crab, yellow headed jawfish
2000	California, Monterey and Channel Islands Subjects: giant kelp, fish-eating urticina (anemone), crevise kelpfish, nudibranch eggs, tube dwelling anemone, san diego dorid, moonglow anemone, bat star, umbrella crab, coralline sculpin, giant green anemone, monterey dorid, rainbow nudibranch, proliferating anemone, salp ring, purple jelly, divers, hydrocoral, copper rockfish, blue-ringed top snail, fragile star, garibaldi, california spiny lobster, pacific halibut, angel shark, kelp bass, island kelpfish, sand dab, mossheaded warbonnet, stubnose sculpin, spindle cowrie (simnia), california scorpionfish Everything shot with housed Nikon N90s and a pair of ikelite 50 sub strobes mounted on 5"-5" ultralight arms Monterey (January to April) and (June) -nikkor 60mm f/2.8 AF-D micro for everything Monterey (September) and (December) -nikkor 105mm f/2.8 micro for the fish shots -nikkor 60mm f/2.8 AF-D micro for Jelly and Snail -nikkor 20mm f/2.8 AF-D for all wide angle (TTL for close focus wide angle) Channel Islands (July 20-22 with Optiquatics) -nikkor 60mm f/2.8 AF-D micro for everything Channel Islands (November) -nikkor 105mm f/2.8 AF-D micro for everything

Competition Results:

Northern California Underwater Photo Society Beach Comp (link) May 29, 2004 One day competition: Visibility was about 10 feet (3 meters), surgy (the typical challenging conditions for this contest) Second Place in Open Normal/Wide Angle "Untitled" Lingcod head shot shot (the ling was over 36" long). Housed nikon n90s w/105mm macro lens (f/11, 1/125s, edge lit with two Ike 50 strobes(one diffused)), Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 40 feet along the wall. Honorable Mention in Open Macro "I want your house" Two black-eyed hermit crabs interacting, the shell of one of them had barnacles open and feeding. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm macro lens (f/16, 1/250s, edge lit with two diffused Ike 50 strobes), Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 25 feet along the wall.

2003 Ford Seahorses Underwater Photo Competition (link) February 16, 2003 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Cold Saltwater "What A Maroon" Extremely detailed variegated maroon-kelp colored Coralline Sculpin shot at 1:2 to 1:3. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm macro lens (f/22, 1/60s, edge lit with two Ike 200 strobes, Kodak Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 (EBX)) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 30 feet along the wall.

Underwater British Columbia Photographic Society (link) December 2002 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Cold Water Macro "Got Attitude" A Coralline Sculpin. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm f/2.8D and two Ikelite 50 strobes, Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 (f/22, 1/60s, TTL) Location: California, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara Island on the north side at 50 feet.

SEA 2002 (link) November 2, 2002 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Advanced Underwater California "Copping an Attitude" (see Dec 2002 above)

Northern California Underwater Photo Society Beach Comp (link) June 8, 2002 One day competition: Visibility was about 5 feet (1.5 meters), surgy Honorable Mention in Open-Marine Life "Untitled" Lingcod head shot shot. Housed nikon n90s w/60mm macro lens (f/16, 1/250s, edge lit with two diffused Ike 50 strobes) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 25 feet along the wall.

2002 Ford Seahorses Underwater Photo Competition (link) February 16, 2002 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Cold Saltwater "Bad Attitude" (see Dec 2002 above) Honorable Mention in Animal Behavior "Zoom" A California Sea lion blowing bubbles as he zoomed by. Housed nikon n90s w/24mm behind an 8" dome and two Ikelite 200 strobes, Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 (f/8, 1/60s, TTL) Location: California, Channel Islands Santa Barbara Island on the south side at 50 feet.

2001 Outdoor California Photography Award Program (Dept. of Fish & Game) February 28, 2002 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Aquatic Invertebrate "Untitled" Brown Cup Coral. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm f/2.8D behind a flat port and two Ikelite 50 strobes, Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 (f/16, 1/30s, TTL) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 35 feet along the wall. Honorable Mention in Native Plant "Untitled" Giant Kelp. Housed nikon n90s (not sure which shot placed), Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 (f/16, 1/30s, TTL) Location: California, Channel Islands, Catalina Island in the kelp canopy.

Underwater British Columbia Photographic Society (link) December 4, 2001 Mail-in competition First Place in Cold Water Macro "Untitled" A blue-ringed top snail on kelp. Housed nikon n90s w/60mm f/2.8D and two Ikelite 50 strobes, Kodak Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 (EBX)(f/16, 1/30s, TTL) Location: California, Carmel, Lingcod reef in the kelp canopy at 10 feet.

SEA 2001 (link) November 11, 2001 Mail-in competition Honorable Mention in Intermediate Normal-Wide Angle "Take Off" A wide angle view of a large stingray taking off from the bottom. Housed nikon n90s w/20mm f/2.8D and two diffused Ikelite 200 strobes, Kodak Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 (EBX)(f/8, 1/60s, strobes manual half power) Location: South Eastern Caribbean, Statia, Wreck City at 50 feet near barge.

Monterey Bay Shootout (link) August 11, 2001 One day competition: Visibility was about 5 feet (1.5 meters) First Place in Advanced-Macro (see above "What A Maroon") "Untitled" Extremely detailed variegated maroon-kelp colored Coralline Sculpin shot at 1:2 to 1:3. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm macro lens (f/22, 1/60s, edge lit with two Ike 200 strobes, Kodak Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 (EBX)) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 30 feet along the wall.

Northern California Underwater Photo Society Beach Comp (link) June 23, 2001 One day competition: Visibility was about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) Honorable Mention in Amateur-Marine Life "Untitled" Fish Eating Anemone. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm macro lens (f/22 or f/16, 1/125s, edge lit with one Ike 200 strobe) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 35 feet along the wall. Honorable Mention in Amateur-Macro "Untitled" Juvenile Sunflower Star. Housed nikon n90s w/ 105mm macro lens (f/32, 1/125s, edge lit with two Ike 200 strobes) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 35 feet along the wall.

Monterey Bay Shootout (link) August 19, 2000 One day competition: Visibility was about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) First Place in Novice-Macro (see above) "Untitled" Brown Cup Coral. Housed nikon n90s w/105mm f/2.8D behind a flat port and two Ikelite 50 strobes, Kodak EktaChrome VS 100 (f/16, 1/30s, TTL) Location: California, Monterey Breakwater at 35 feet along the wall.

Northern California Underwater Photo Society Beach Comp (link) June 24, 2000 One day competition: Visibility was about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.6 meters) Second Place in Novice-Marine Life "Untitled" Fish Eating Anemone (Urticina Piscivora, formerly Tealia Piscivora). Housed nikon n90s w/60mm macro lens. Location: California, Carmel, North Monastery Beach near the wash rock at 40 feet

Competition notes: Mail-in competitions are always much tougher to win than one day competitions because the competitors can choose from many, many photos (in most cases, thousands) and not all of the competitors have access to the areas/subjects the winners shoot. (Hey, I'd love to go dive Palau for a few months a year. But, finances dictate otherwise.) Many of the competitors have been shooting underwater for five or more years. Note: this can mean two things: a) they are a great shooter and have been continuously improving their techniques _OR_ b) they achieved a level of skill and have stagnated there. Judging for competitions is very subjective (dependant on the judges and what's entered in the competition). But, always remember: good lighting, sharp focus, excellent composition, and proper exposure will give you the possibility of getting to the final cut. Try to have something extra: personality, action, humor, and sometimes subject rarity can add an extra edge. Look at previous winning entries in competitions. (_Don't copy them_; Use them for ideas; Take notes/ask questions; Figure out how they were done; Develop your own photographic style.)

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