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49th International Underwater
Photographic Competition Winners
Thank you very much for your participation in the 49th Annual International Underwater Photographic Competition presented by the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society. This contest is only made possible by the invaluable support of our sponsors who have provided wonderful liveaboard and land-based opportunities and other valuable SCUBA and photographic items as prizes. Please support the competition sponsors if you are considering travel or purchase of equipment.
Our judges this year were Jason Bradley, Erin Quigley, and Chris Gug. Some notes they had from this year's judging:
- Many images were over-sharpened or over-saturated
- Quite a few images were disqualified this year for over-manipulation in photoshop, or for having previously placed in other major competitions. Please carefully read our rules before entering.
- Remember that video entries can be more art (ie, music videos) than educational (voiceover, scientific names etc). We saw very little of the former this year
- For raw video entries, there really needs to be some "Wow!" factor to the subject or behavior being captured.
As of March 31, 2012, all certificates and prizes have been mailed to the winners. Thank you again for participating this year and we hope to see your entries in next year's competition.
BEST OF SHOW
Pasquale Vassallo
Napoli, Italy
"View from the Gulf"
Prize: 7-day trip on Nai'a, Fiji
OPEN
Keri Wilk
Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA
"Sargassum"
Prize: REEF Photo gift certificate
Category - WIDE
 1st Place: Clark Miller "False Killer Whales & Dolphin" Prize: 2-for-1 stay at Eco Divers Resort  |
 2nd Place: Eduardo Acevedo "Sky Lion" Prize: Backscatter gift certificate  |
 3rd Place: Francis Perez "Odontaspis Ferox" Prize: Ultralight gift certificate  |
 4th Place: Francis Perez "Castle of Basalt" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate  |
 5th Place: Allison Vitsky "Anemone" Prize: Jujee Beads gift certificate  |
 Honorable Mention: David Antoja "Jellyfish" |
Category - MACRO
 1st Place: Phil Sokol "Lionfish" Prize: 7 night stay at NAD Lembeh  |
 2nd Place: Rand McMeins "Sea Pen with a Flea" Prize: Backscatter gift certificate |
 3rd Place: Domenico Roscigno "In the Shade" Prize: Ultralight gift certificate |
 4th Place: Denis Palbiani "Magic" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
 5th Place: Tony Cherbas "Quicksilver" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
 Honorable Mention: Maxim Tomashevich "From The Darkness" |
 Honorable Mention: Eduardo Acevedo "Visitor" |
Category - BEHAVIOR
 1st Place: Borut Furlan "Hungry Worm" Prize: Russian Invictus dive watch (donated by the Van Antwerps) |
 2nd Place: Denis Palbiani "Cleaning" Prize: REEF Photo gift certificate |
 3rd Place: Tony Frank "Two Nudis with Eggs" Prize: Second Stage day trip  |
 4th Place: Borut Furlan "Big Meal" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
 5th Place: Uwe Schmolke "Dental Service" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
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 Honorable Mention: Denis Palbiani "Large Vacuum" |
 Honorable Mention: Denis Palbiani "Collectors" |
Category - COLD WATER
 1st Place: Allison Vitsky "Sunstar" Prize: REEF Photo credit towards housing |
 2nd Place: Michele Davino "Rumble" Prize: REEF Photo gift certificate |
 3rd Place: Luc Rooman "Pike" Prize: dive light from REEF Photo |
 4th Place: Luc Rooman "Lumpsucker with Eggs" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
Category - PHOTO ESSAY
 1st Place: Francis Perez "Doublet" Prize: 7-night stay at Manta Ray Bay Resort  |
 2nd Place: Jose Alejandro Alvarez "Sperm Whale Encounters" Prize: REEF Photo gift certificate |
 3rd Place: Tony Cherbas "Partners in Crime" Prize: Hollywood Divers gift certificate  |
 Honorable Mention: Jeremy Kozman "Scenes from the Solomon Islands" |
VIDEO OPEN
 1st Place: Nannette Van Antwerp "Pacific Drifters" Prize: 2-for-1 trip on the Bilikiki  |
 2nd Place: Walter Marti "Ocean Worms" Prize: Second Stage day trip |
 3rd Place: Anastasia Laity "The Philippines: Beauties & Beasts" Prize: Hollywood Divers gift certificate |
 4th Place: Walter Marti "The Removal" Prize: Hollywood Divers gift certificate |
VIDEO RAW FOOTAGE
 1st Place: Kenneth Ward "Octopus Catches a Fish" Prize: Blue Abyss gift certificate  |
 2nd Place: Matthew Berry "Snake Eel Spinning" Prize: Pelican Case |
 3rd Place: Anastasia Laity "Guadalupe Fur Sea Chasing Great White" Prize: Hollywood Divers gift certificate |
 4th Place: Walter Marti "Cuttlefish" Prize: Bluewater Photo gift certificate |
 Honorable Mention: Xavier Michalet "Torpedo Ray" |