The LAUPS has posted the winners of this year’s photo competition.  A number of Wetpixel members placed or earned honorable mentions in the international competition.  Particular Wetpixel friend and shark-lover Jim Abernethy took Best of Show with his photo of a Great Hammerhead.  This year, LAUPS’s contest page features comments from the judges explaining why they chose the winning images.  This is a very educational feature and something that will help future entrants to understand what makes for a “winning shot.”  Continue reading for a list of the winners, Wetpixel winners (at least the ones I know) are highlighted in bold.

BEST OF SHOW - Jim Abernethy, North Palm Beach, FL, USA “Hammerhead”

Category A MACRO SLIDES/DIGITAL

  * FIRST PLACE - Marna Zanoff, Venice, CA, USA, “Middle Earth”
  * SECOND PLACE - Alessandro Dodi, Milano, ITALY, “Arthur”
  * THIRD PLACE - Keri Wilk, Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA, “Scareface”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Istvan Juhasz, Fot, HUNGARY, “Layers”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Christine Kelbe, Richards Bay, Kwazulu Natal, SOUTH AFRICA “Dressed to Kill”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Mike Roberts, Kihei, HI, USA, “Cat Urchin”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Rand McMeins, Edmonds, WA, USA, “Rear Curtain”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Pasquale Vassallo, Napoli, ITALY, “Smile”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Paolo Rossi, Pesaro, ITALY, “Night Lovers”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Denis Palbiani, Reggio Emilia, ITALY, “Family”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Marko Zanni, Gordola, Switzerland, “Together”

Category B MACRO PRINTS

  * FIRST PLACE -Kevin Roland, Bakersfield, CA, USA, “Bangai Cardinal Fish”
  * SECOND PLACE - Denis Palbiani, Reggio Emilia, ITALY, “Mr. Red”
  * THIRD PLACE - Kelly Bracken, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Little Fella”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Jackie Reid, Lake Jackson, TX, USA, “Lizard’s Lunch”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Alessandro Tommasi, Porto Santo Stefano, ITALY, “The Net”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Patty Shales, Los Angeles, CA, USA, “Pucker Up”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Glenn Ostle, Charlotte, NC, USA, “New Guinea Clownfish”

Category C WIDE ANGLE SLIDES/DIGITAL

  * FIRST PLACE - Jose Alejandro Alvarez, Santo Domingo, DN, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA, “Door”
  * SECOND PLACE - Ross Armstrong, Whangarei, NEW ZEALAND, “Seeing-is-Believing”
  * THIRD PLACE - Ritthichart Silaraks, Bangkok, THAILAND, “Deep Jungle”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Kelly Bracken, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Pals”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Herbert Ko, Mountain View, CA, USA, “Tiger”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Jose Alejandro Alvarez, Santo Domingo, DN, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA, “Fly Like an Eagle”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Victor Zucker, Granada Hills, CA, USA, “Wreck of the Ann”

Category D WIDE ANGLE PRINTS

  * FIRST PLACE - Jim Abernethy, North Palm Beach, FL, USA “American Alligator”
  * SECOND PLACE - Alessandro Tommasi, Porto Santo Stefano, ITALY, “Fly in the Night”
  * THIRD PLACE -Franco Guala, Rovasenda, ITALY, “Tre Moschettieri”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Ernst Seeling, Vienna, AUSTRIA, “Prinz Albert”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Rand McMeins, Edmonds, WA, USA, “Zero Altitude”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Roger Carlson, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Lobster Parade”

Category E WEST COAST COLD WATER SLIDES/DIGITAL

  * FIRST PLACE - Joe Belanger, Huntington Beach, CA, USA, “Feeding Bat Ray”
  * SECOND PLACE - Reggie Brown, San Jose, CA, USA, “Looking Out”
  * THIRD PLACE - Todd Winner, Hermosa Beach, CA, USA, “Bad Day”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Todd Mintz, Regina, SK, CANADA, “Vibrant”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Matt Segal, Calabasas, CA, USA, “Sleek”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Todd Mintz, Regina, SK, CANADA, “Fire & Ice”

Category F WEST COAST COLD WATER PRINTS

  * FIRST PLACE - Glenn Ostle, Charlotte, NC, USA, “Browning Wall Octopus”
  * SECOND PLACE - Glenn Ostle, Charlotte, NC, USA, “Sculpin on an Orange”
  * THIRD PLACE - Scott Webb, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Mola”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Roger Carlson, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Ray”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Roger Carlson, Redondo Beach, CA, USA, “Oil Rig”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Frank Virga, Bakersfield, CA, USA, “Garibaldi”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Dave Nesheim, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA, “Hi There”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Krista Heide, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, “Diving Platform Grace”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Rand McMeins, Edmonds, WA, USA, “Evening Stroll”

VIDEO RAW FOOTAGE

  * FIRST PLACE - Nick Martorano, Carpinteria, CA, USA, “Eel swimming & feeding”
  * SECOND PLACE - Nick Martorano, Carpinteria, CA, USA, “Turtle with fish cleaning”
  * THIRD PLACE - Jim Abernethy, North Palm Beach, FL, USA “Leatherback with remoras”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Deanna Harwood, Rolling Hills Estates, CA, USA, “Skunk Clowns with nest”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Walter Marti, Mission Viejo, CA, USA, “Kelp Forest with Sheephead fighting”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Margaret Shoemake, North Palm Beach, FL, USA “Angels & Turtle Feeding”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Janet Crumb, Pasadena, CA, USA, “Great White in Cage”

VIDEO OPEN

  * FIRST PLACE - Janet & Dwight Crumb, Pasadena, CA, USA, “Sharks!”
  * SECOND PLACE - Mary Anne Pedoto, Hamilton, OH, USA, “Due Diligence”
  * THIRD PLACE - Nick Martorano, Carpinteria, CA, USA, “Small World”
  * FOURTH PLACE - Jim Abernethy, North Palm Beach, FL, USA “Atlantic Spotted Dolphins”
  * FIFTH PLACE - Edward Snijders, Nuth, NETHERLANDS, “Coral Clips”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Fred Heiman, Los Gatos, CA, USA, “Tigers of the Caribbean”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - Keith Tremeer, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL, “Planet Earth”
  * HONORABLE MENTION - J.D. Duff, West Palm Beach, FL, USA “Mantas Dance”