EPIC Photo Contest

[Pufferpunk]

Here are the pics I sent to the #1 most prestigious photo contest in the world. Would you believe, out of the 1st group of pics I sent in (about 5 years ago) I placed as a finalist, out of thousands?!

Jellyfish

Cave Light

Clownfish

Post Larval Stage Surgenfish

Swimming Queen Angel

Coral Banded Shrimp in Green Star Coral

The Wave

 

[Pufferpunk]

And a few more for your viewing pleasure:

Bobblehead

Heeeeere's Johnny!

Best Friends

Bonaire Sunset

 

[Pufferpunk]

So which is YOUR favorite?

 

[SaraB]

Great photo's! Too many nice ones to just pick one favorite. Personally, I like the clownfish the most and everyone likes a nice sunset photo as well.

 

[icenine2005]

Great pics.... and congrats on winning the RM photo of the month too!

 

[ykh]

nice shots, i especially like the clown and the bes friens' pics. good luck in the contest.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

great pix!

 

[whiirly]

the cave is very cool

 

[Zoalander]

The wave hands down.

 

[Pufferpunk]

The wave is also my favorite. You'll never see anything like that one.

 

[NewSchool04]

I like The Wave. Looks like a one in a million shot.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Maybe looks like a winner! EPIC has great prizes & recognition. Now if I could only figure out how to sell these...

 

[MBasile]

nice!!!!

 

[Edward Smith]

Unbelievable! Great pictures, congradulations. I agree, too many great shots to have a favorite.

 

[Pufferpunk]

C'mon, you can pick one! Can you imagine the judges that have to pic 1 outa thousands like this?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I'll fess up: "The Wave" was my favorite too!

 

[snorvich]

Nice pictures! Having won this contest twice, I can assure you that there is some amount of luck involved. Sure you have to have great pictures but you also have to hit the judges artistic sense. And, of course, that is unpredictable. Getting to the finals is simply awesome. You asked about selling them. The best way by far is to contact a stock agency that does underwater representation. (I have two that represent me but income per year is S M A L L and I have nearly 30,000 images). You are much better off trying to sell above water images but again, agencies are the way to go. In any case, best of luck.

Steve

 

[Pufferpunk]

So Steve, as a winner, what is your expert opinion of these?

 

[Rkthepainter]

it would have been cool if the eel would have took a bite of the camera. now that would be a picture i'd vote for...

 

[snorvich]

As pictures or as possible winning entries? I like all the pictures but the last two are the best artistically. The sunset picture, which in effect is close focus wide angle is my favorite. In general, macro images are difficult to win with unless you get something really unusual and do it in an artistic way. The closest image you have in macro with a chance to place is Post Larval Stage Surgionfish. Wide angle are very difficult to win with and are, of course, the most difficult to do artistically. They are, however, the most saleable if you are into trying that. Your best photo contest entry and also the most saleable is Best Friends. It will not win in EPIC however. I spent years doing photo contests; they are fun but very frustrating. Also, the big ones have rules that prevent entry of a entry that has won in another contest. The most difficult one to win was the old Ocean Realm PNG contest because the judging was, shall we say, a bit biased towards images taken on a trip with one of the judges. Keep up the good work!! Nice to see your images.