11 Incredible Photos of Eyes from Sport Diver's June Photo Contest
Focusing in on the eyes of a subject brings another dimension to a photo. It helps the reader connect with the shot and gives underwater marine life more personality and flair. The submissions in the June Sport Diver Snapshots Underwater Photo Contest were no exception. Congratulations to Els Van Den Borre, who took the top honors this month with a stunning photo of a squid. Els won a sweet Gili Gear Bag Pro.
Here's a look at the winning photo and some of the shots that also blew us away this month.
JOIN THE FUN: Submit your best photo featuring patterns to our July contest
FIRST PLACE WINNING PHOTO
A beautiful close-up view of a squid.
Els Van Den Borre
Judge's Comment: "The extreme crop and sharpness of this eye draw you in to explore the unique and beautiful details of this creature, its delicate patterning, the transparent nature of the eye and the variation in iridescent coloring."
RUNNER UP
A close-up shot of a giant octopus in the Philippines
Natalie Bondarenko
Provided description: Eye of giant octopus with cleaning shrimp Anilao, Philippines
HONORABLE MENTIONS
A west Australian seahorse
Jack Sherriffs
Provided description: A seahorse found when diving at night in the Swan River of Western Australia.
Squirrelfish stand out with their large eyes.
Timothy Maynard
Provided description: Schooling red squirrel fish keeping an eye on the underwater photographer. Taken in the Cayman Islands.
A sea lion pup poses for the camera
Jason Sintek
Provided description: I found this friendly sea lion pup playing in a small cave on the island of Espiritu Santo, Sea of Cortez. It stopped for a second as seemed to know how the pose for the camera.
An eye-to-eye encounter with a grouper
Sarosh Jacob
Provided description: I encountered this very cooperative grouper in Little Cayman. He seemed very interested in his reflection from my dome port so I was able to capture this portrait just as the light rays were beaming in the background.
A cleaner wrasse sticks close to a parrotfish
Ana Cris Garcia
Provided description: A parrotfish and cleaner wrasse make eye contact with my camera on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
A beaked shrimp
Brian McDaniel
Provided description: A beaked shrimp shot taken off the Hawaiian island of Maui.
The eye of a crocodile
Eduardo Rodrigues Maris
Provided description: Photo taken last May in Indonesia.
A signal blenny in Mexico
Laurie Slawson
Provided description: Signal blenny photographed in Manzanillo, Mexico
A mosaic moray eel off the coast of New Zealand
Sarah Milicich
Provided description: A mosaic moray comes out for a look. Poor Knights Marine Reserve, New Zealand.