FRIENDLY UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHERS? YES – IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE!

The Lembeh Gulen Critter Shootout 2016 certainly generated a social media buzz over the last month with over 200,000 divers checking out the Facebook page daily. Not only were some amazing images generated under the guidance of Keri Wilk and Tobias Friedrich but this was a competition that broke geographical borders as well as social ones.

Shootouts are so often a jostle for the best image opportunity but in this case it was all about getting your team to the number one slot before individual points came into account. As a result, the competitive spirit was replaced by team spirit and photographers joined forces to put together the strongest portfolio they could for their resort. Participants got together, lending equipment, sharing tips, sacrificing their own images for the greater good in the final lineups, and making every effort to support the less-experienced members of the group. Hats off to the teams and the organisers for showing us just how loved-up an underwater photography event can be!

To view some of the incredible images that were submitted for the final vote visit the Lembeh Gulen Shootout Facebook page. Winning images will also be revealed in the next issue of Scuba Diver AUSTRALASIA!