Highline College Students

Connect with Highline College

It is not too late to enroll in spring quarter classes. The quarter starts April 1 and web enrollment is open through April 3.

Underwater Photography Challenge

Home/Underwater Photography Challenge
Underwater Photography Challenge 2023-12-13T14:14:05+00:00

Underwater Photography Challenge

This photo challenge focused on bringing divers to Redondo Beach to highlight the unique ecosystem that is right under the MaST Center Aquarium. The Underwater Photography Challenge images had to be taken underwater at Redondo Beach from August through October. These photos give the public the opportunity to view animals in their natural habitat underwater, which many people do not have the privilege of seeing unless they are a diver. We hope that the Underwater Photography Challenge will bring Highline College, divers, and the surrounding community together to appreciate the amazing animals that call Redondo Beach home!

Categories

  • Triptych – 3 photos that together tell a story or otherwise pair together.  Often presented as 3 vertically oriented images.  Any Triptych submission should be converted into one image by the photographer.
  • Splash of Color – a photo that showcases the colors of Redondo.
  • Human Impact – a photo demonstrating positive or negative human impacts.
  • Wide Angle – a photo showing a subject or scene 1 foot across or larger.
  • Macro (subcategories) –
    • Textures & Patterns – a photo capturing textures and patterns close up.
    • Eye – a photo that showcases one or more eyes from creatures living at Redondo.
    • Suckers – a photo highlighting the “sucker” on an animal (think off the arm).
  • People – a photo that showcases people in the water.
  • In the Shallows – a photo taken above the 15ft safety stop.

Each photographer may submit a total of 3 images.  Each triptych counts as 1 image. All photos must be composed to include at least 50% underwater.

Red Octopus - Don NovielloExcuse me? Excuse me, sir? Boop - Ariel GliboffA Hooded Nudibranch Feeding in the Eel Grass - Daniel HershmanStubby-Squid-Supper-coonstripe-shrimp
Other Fish in the Sea Shell - Ariel Gliboff
Hiding in Garbage - Justin WarnerShark in the Bottle Field - Leland JansenI backlit a stubby squid to highlight its translucent skin and make its red chromatophores pop against the reddish-brown kelp in the background.
This is My Home Now - Blair KauferThe Eye of Darkness - Barry Saver
Peering into the Eye of the Sole - Daniel HershmanPigment and Papillae - Leland Jansen

Jurors

Rus Higley – Director, MaST Center Aquarium

Aeriel Wauhob – Community Engagement Coordinator, MaST Center Aquarium

Emily Bjornsgard – Lead Aquarist, MaST Center Aquarium

Sam Watson – Highline College Underseas Technology Alumni ‘76

Dr. John Mosby – President, Highline College

Matt Mahoney – Mayor, City of Des Moines

Jurors will select the following:

  • Top 3 of each category
  • Jurors’ Favorite
  • Redondo Beach Award

Sea Worthy Award voted on by the public visiting the MaST Center Aquarium or on our social media platforms.

Eligibility and Entry

The 2023 Underwater Photography Challenge is open to all scuba photographers. All photographs must be taken at Redondo Beach, WA from August 1st through October 31st, 2023 at 11:59pm PST.

We have adopted the conservation rules established by EPIC®**. Marine life should never be stressed or endangered for the sake of a photo or video. Any entrant suspected of exhibiting the following behavior will be disqualified: a. Diver(s) visibly damaging the environment (eg: dangling or dragging gear, excessive silting); b. Animals with signs of stress (eg: inking octopus); c. Animals moved to an unnatural environment or risky location; d. Animals being fed; e. Marine life being touched; ** The jurors will be asked to interpret this guideline and disqualify any images that are suspect of poor behavior.

Split shots or over under images are allowed, but all photos must be composed to include at least 50% underwater.

All entries must be submitted by the submission deadline using the submission guidelines.

Each participant is responsible for their own safety and the proper operation of their diving and photographic equipment. Highline College MaST Center Aquarium and its partners are exempt from all liability or responsibility whatsoever for all personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, however caused, including but not limited to property liability or the negligence of the released parties whether passive or active. Each participant must use their own judgment regarding diving safety.

Color touchup, cropping, spot removal and minimal cloning are allowed.  Excessive photoshopping or merging multiple images is not allowed (except for any triptych submission, you will need to use photoshop to lay 3 images side by side.  You should adhere to the standard rules for each individual image within the triptych). You may be asked to show originals.

Exhibition organizers, jurors, their spouses and their families are not eligible to submit photos for the year that they participate.

Jurors may change the category of an image to better reward an image and correct any animal misidentification in the image title or description.

Terms

After the exhibition, the MaST Center Aquarium may use the selected images online or in the aquarium for promotion related to the MaST Center Aquarium or future exhibitions for up to 2 years with option to extend.  A photo credit  and a link to the photographer will always be accompanied with any showcasing.  The MaST Center Aquarium will not own the image.

Underwater Photography Challenge Submission Form
For questions please contact - Aeriel Wauhob, Community Engagement Coordinator

2022 Awards

Jurors’ Favorite – On the Bottle, Veronika Nagy
President’s Award – Refractions in a Golden Eye, Derek Singer
Sea Worthy Award – Dinner at Dusk, Jonathan Saenz
Eye Category:
1st – Eye See You, Annelise Pasnau
2nd – Warbonnet in the Sand, Dave Hicks
3rd – Roughback Sculpin, Brian Youngstrom
Triptych Category:
1st – Curiosity, Nirupam Nigam
2nd – Going with the Flow, Veronika Nagy
Human Impact Category:
1st – Crawled into a Bottle, Derek Singer
Animal Behavior Category:
1st – Three Stooges, Michael E Nebel
2nd – Sixgill Shark, Justin Warner
3rd – Little Red, Kennith McSweyn
Splash of Color Category:
1st – Crab, Seth Fogg
2nd – Octo by Design, Stephanie Collins Russell
3rd – Coryphella trophina, Abhishek Moothedath
Macro Category:
1st – Splendid!, Dave Hicks
2nd – Look Behind You!, Olivia Carros
3rd – Life Everywhere!, Abhishek Moothedath
Wide Angle Category:
1st – Just Passing By, Jonathan Saenz
2nd – Down on the Bottom, Annelise Pasnau
3rd – Longnose Skate, Justin Warner