SoCal Shootout 2016 Results

PRESS RELEASE

Culver City, California – We are excited to announce the winners of the 2016 SoCal Shootout. It was an interesting weekend this year as a mix of swell and wind across the Southern California region created more challenging dive conditions with lower visibility and high surge. However, we received a high number of excellent entrants and are excited to showcase all our winners!

This year's entries really showcased some of the incredible marine life of SoCal with the Best in Show photo of two green sea turtles by Ralph Pace. In addition to those rarely seen visitors to our area, we had great entries with Mola Mola, Giant Black Sea Bass, seahorses, leopard sharks, rare nudibranchs and more.

See below for the full list of winners. All winning photos and the prizes won, can be found at:
http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com/2016-socal-shootout-results

The 2016 SoCal Shootout weekend took place September 9-11th, 2016 with participants shooting all over the Southern California waters.

Entries were judged by professional underwater photographers Mark Strickland, Andy Sallmon and Bluewater Photo owner Scott Gietler.

See all the winning photos:  SOCAL SHOOTOUT RESULTS

Over $22,000 in prizes are being awarded to the winners with top sponsors including Rocio del Mar, Quino el Guardian, Aquatica Digitial, iTorch, Atlantis Resorts, Atmophere Resort, Sea & Sea, Maluku Divers, Channel Island Divers, and Nautilus Explorer. Bluewater Travel will be organizing the winner's trips from our international sponsors. A full list of sponsors can be located at http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com/socal-shootout#sponsors

About the SoCal Shootout:
The SoCal Shootout is an annual photography competition where some of Southern California’s most active underwater photographers strive to capture the best possible photos over a three day period. Major editing is not allowed, so the competition truly tests a photographer’s ability to capture stunning imagery in-camera. Bluewater Photo, Southern California’s only dedicated underwater photography center, sponsors the event along with many top underwater photography and scuba brands, international resorts and local dive boats – all of which are excited to support the Californian scuba diving community.
   

BEST IN SHOW

RALPH PACE

OPEN WIDE ANGLE

1st: RALPH PACE
2nd: ERIK LUKAS
3rd: JIM AGRONICK
4th: MELVIN MONCRIEFF
Honorable Mention: JIM AGRONICK
Honorable Mention: RENEE CAPOZZOLA

OPEN PORTRAIT

1st: HELEN BRIERLEY
2nd: CATHY MUELLER
3rd: DESMOND HO
4th: BRUCE SUDWEEKS
Honorable Mention: DESMOND HO
Honorable Mention: BRUCE SUDWEEKS

OPEN BEHAVIOR

1st: RALPH PACE
2nd: SUSAN SCHEER
3rd: SANDRA DILDINE
4th: Bruce Sudweeks
Honorable Mention: TIFFANY POON
Honorable Mention: HELEN BRIERLEY

OPEN MACRO

1st: ERIK LUKAS
2nd: AARON HALSTEAD
3rd: TYLER SCHIFFMAN
4th: MATTHIAS SCHEER
Honorable Mention: DESMOND HO
Honorable Mention: JULIE GORDON

COMPACT MACRO

1st: KIMBERLY LANCASTER
2nd: JOHN ERICKSEN
3rd: Mical Ross
Honorable Mention: JOHN ERICKSEN

COMPACT WIDE

1st: JOHN ERICKSEN
2nd: MICHAL ROSS
3rd: JOHN ERICKSEN
Honorable Mention: DEBBIE KARIMOTO

MIRRORLESS WIDE

1st: RENEE CAPOZZOLA
2nd: TIFFANY POON
3rd: SUSAN SCHEER
4th: TIFFANY POON
Honorable Mention: CHRISTOPHER BOREL

MIRRORLESS MACRO

1st: BRUCE SUDWEEKS
2nd: BRUCE SUDWEEKS
3rd: DESMOND HO
4th: TIFFANY POON
Honorable Mention: CHRISTOPHER BOREL

EDITED VIDEO

1st: TODD KORTTE
2nd: ROBERT ARNOLD

UNEDITED VIDEO

1st: DAN MCGANTY
2nd: ROBERT ARNOLD
3rd: DAN MCGANTY

See all the winning photos:  SOCAL SHOOTOUT RESULTS