ISRAEL: Dozens of underwater photographers film fish, corals and fashion models in the Eilat Red Sea competition

Record ID: 397910

  • Title: ISRAEL: Dozens of underwater photographers film fish, corals and fashion models in the Eilat Red Sea competition
  • Date: 28th October 2013
  • Summary: EILAT, ISRAEL (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARK FULLER, FIRST PRIZE WINNER IN EILAT RED SEA CONTEST FOR 'FIVE BEST IMAGES' CATEGORY, SAYING: "We are in the water doing five times a day, so you're wet the whole day, it's cold at night. You don't sleep very much in the night, because you're constantly thinking about what you are going to do. So it's a lot of pre
  • Embargoed: 12th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Entertainment,Nature / Environment,Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA7IPR69AWDUM85N4H6P66M1CQL
  • Story Text: A single photograph could take hours to execute, and more so underwater. For three days, photographers trained their lenses on corals, wrecks and models as they sank to the seabeds of the Gulf of Eilat, combining diving technique with artistic expression.
    The shipwreck was a popular location at this year's Eilat Red Sea shootout, where underwater photographers from around the world hussled for three days to capture the best images.
    About 80 photographers competed in year's, amateurs and professionals.
    Most combed the seabed day and night for exotic aquatic life. A handful entered the "Fish and Fashion" category, in which the "photographer can make use of nudity, fashion and styling elements upon his choice".
    The shoots were challenging not only for the photographers, but also for their models. They were required to hold their breaths for as long as possible, while posing. In between poses, they took gulps of air from a scuba tank held by another diver.
    The stumbling blocks underwater are plentiful. The photographers could only give directions sign language. Currents could disrupt a pose, and lighting is elusive.
    The stylists had to create outfits that could be weighed down, and not float unseemingly. One model donned a sheer petticoat, with a bikini top and high-heeled sandals.
    Underwater photography, for most, is a hobby, and an expensive one. A simple camera with a waterproof casing can be bought for just several hundred dollars. But high-end systems, with multiple lenses and spotlights extending out like crab's legs, can cost up to $40,000.
    And that does not include the scuba gear.
    Winning first place, with a $10,000 prize, is pretty much as good as it gets.
    David Pilosof, who has been running the competition for eight years, said it attracts contestants not only because of the prize money but also because of Eilat's dive sites and the friendly atmosphere.
    "Eilat is considered I would say the best spot, or the best dive destination for such a competition because the dive sites that the competitors have to go, they don't need boats or other vehicles to go to. They just step off the beach and they are there," he added.
    Pictures can be color or black and white. Fish a millimeter long can take up the entire frame. But no photo can be edited. Even the slightest manipulation, a minor crop, is grounds for disqualification.
    Mark Fuller, who won first prize for the Five Best Images category, said it was not just a matter of snapping pictures.
    "We are in the water doing five times a day, so you're wet the whole day, it's cold at night. You don't sleep very much in the night, because you're constantly thinking about what you are going to do. So it's a lot of pressure if you're taking it really seriously. Very tiring. But it's worth it when you win the prize," Fuller said.
    For many, there was no price tag to a hobby like underwater photography, and the prize money was just icing on the cake.
    "Even if I did lose or win, it didn't matter anymore, I just was happy to finish, happy with the image. But as soon as I heard the name, my name announced, as the winner, the excitement just exploded and I was just so happy," said Japanese photographer Yuzuru Nasuda, who won the Eilat mayor's prize.
    The procession of divers continued into dark. The Jordanian city of Aqaba shined brightly across the bay, Egypt's Sinai nestled to south. The focus shifted to crabs, shrimps and other nighttime critters. And it is much easier to get close to fish when they sleep.
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