Triple Blowout at the Shootout!

We go down for our last dive of the competition at my beloved Anton's. I specifically asked for this dive at this time as the sun is at its best for wide angle (my chosen category). This time I decide to do a backward roll with my camera. On all the previous dives I had the camera handed to me. The camera was fine on the previous dive although I had to replace my one strobe during the off gas period since my left strobe seemed to have packed up. I feel a bit of a surge as I fall back, but assume everything is OK and start with my normal ritual of turning on strobes and checking camera arm position. I check for confirmation that there is no water in the housing chamber and that the pilot light is on indicating communication between camera and strobe. With a chill I realise that something is wrong as I see no light!. I am already 12 metres down and dropping. I do not see any water, but as I turn the camera anxiously I see the water in the dome, not a lot, but enough, my dive is over, I abort and bolt for surface, no time for a safety stop today! The dive boat picks me up and I assess the damage. It looks bad...I know my new D7 is history.

The annual Sodwana Shootout has become the premier underwater photographic competition in South Africa. The cream of underwater photographers congregate for four days in South Africa's diving capital. It has indeed become a wonderful occasion where old friends meet, new acquaintances are made, many new tricks are learnt and taught, but most importantly serious competition takes place. The competition is now in its eleventh year having started in 2000 and during that time have launched the career of most of South Africa's best known underwater photographers.

My wife Sue and I have a long association with the shootout. In 2002 I bought her a starter Sea and Sea underwater camera. Everyone said you have to have a camera in the Red Sea and we were due a trip. We always liked taking family photo's before that but that was it. Now we were introduced to an entirely new adventure.

Sue decided to enter the 2003 Shootout. She and my prospective son in law, Steve, went down early in the week. He acted a s spotter. I only drove down on the Thursday night to support her. In the meantime I had bought myself a housing for my Sony P5 at Male airport in the Maldives. (The best place in the world to buy any diving equipment). I naturally had a few dives and took some photos, but it was too late to enter. In fact there was no digital section and common consensus amongst the experts was that digital had a long way to go before it could beat film. (Strangely, I was not convinced about it.) On the Saturday night Sue wins the Novice section and I guess that got us hooked or was it because Steve and I ended up late into the night celebrating. We met some new friends too.

A year passes sweetly and again we make the trip down. Work only permits me two days, but again it is most enjoyable. Sue now has a better camera and the whole emphasis is in finding a "subject". In the meantime we have been advised to try Reef Teach as dive operator. This is when we met Neville Ayliff, the Sodwana diving legend. We have been diving with Reef teach ever since.

I am now a competitor too and one of the first digital entrants. No winners, but we have a great time. We decided to go fully digital in 2005 as making color slides or prints were getting expensive and it was not fun to wait to see if you "got" the shot. Digital changed all that. With DLSR and compacts you can SRA (Shoot, Review, Adjust). Yes it was dangerous taking expensive cameras down under, but that was what was done anyway with film.

Talk in 2005 was still that there should be two categories and that film will always have its place. (have you seen the blues are better on film we are told with knowing nods) Sadly or belatedly in 2006 there was no special class for film. All the film cameras had bit the dust in less than two years! (Wise words guys!). By 2006 we have started to come down for the full week. Find a subject and try and hope for the best. Sadly again we were also rans. We did have a good time though with the many friends. It has now also become clear that one need to know some photoshop. No shop no prize! . We also end up spending both Decembers of 2005 and 2006 for three weeks at Sodwana. Not only do we make more friends, we also now get to know the reefs really well.

We were there again for 2007 and I even had some models working with me. I took some good pictures, but sadly had lots of back scatter on the best ones and I did not have the foggiest idea how to fix that. My friends were having a beer, so I ended up with no time to fix it anyway. I got a highly commended though as I got a fantastic shot of a large school of resident slingers at Anton's. Now that was a golden hour, if ever there was one. So much activity and shots to take. I think in retrospect I was in a hurryIn 2008 we again participate complete with model. This has now really become an enjoyable annual pilgrimage. I have decided that I am permanently learning. Somehow the weather is not great and I probably did not adjust my white balance properly. I think I entered the wrong photo's proving again how important selection is. Meanwhile Sue is struggling, good photos but no wow! We leave empty handed. By now it has become clear that starting photography underwater is a difficult business. During the competition you need at least three good skills;

• Excellent diving;
  
• Good photography skills; and
  
• Good Photoshop skills.
  

Sue and I have both qualified as DM's, take reasonable photos and I try and do PS. I have now also installed PS Lightroom on our computer which actually works better than Photoshop if you take half decent photos.

In 2009 we have our best Shootout! I take wonderful photos, select the wrong ones or the judges do not like mine. However Sue makes quite a comeback and wins second in Macro. I win a third in the Conservation category using my PS skills. You have come a long way baby! In 2010 we will win the World Cup!

 

So we duly arrive and start diving the Monday before the Shootout. I have a new 7D and Sue is using a 50D now. I also have mu new iMac with the latest software. Not too many competitors we are told so our hopes are up. The weather is gorgeous and Anton's is as good as ever. We try some new spots and hope all the mantas, whale sharks people have spotted recently. On Wednesday we register and meet old and new friends. We get into bed really early. As we expect to do three dives. On Thursday the weather is fine although the wind starts blowing strongly in the afternoon as we do our three dives. We download our photo's and are reasonably happy, but need better. On the last dive my left strobe appears to pack up. I improvise and take some half decent photos with my slave. Sue's camera hits "Error 99". Sue dives Bikini, Mellow Yellow and Caves to Anton's. I do Anton's, Mellow Yellow and Caves as well. We get to bed early, we are tired but happy we have some "bankers".

On Friday Sue dives Bikini twice and I dive Simon's. Unfortunately we have different subjects as she shoots macro and I like wide angle. (That way we keep the competition a bit outside the family) My strobe has now finally packed up and I go and get my spare strobe. I am ready to do the final dive. Sue in the meantime has found a great shot and she wants to go back and try and improve the shot. I feel good in attacking my favourite Anton's again. "Be careful not flood Sue" is my prophetic final words.

We get back ashore and learn that two mantas have been sighted by Sue's group. In the meantime I have a flood but I suggest that I can use my old 20D and try to at least shoot something else. So we decide to go back to Bikini despite my flood. What is the traditional advice after falling from a horse, "get back on" is it not? So off we go around three o'clock in failing light. Its only me, Sue, Charlie , Brian and Corlia. Come manta come. Unfortunately we find no manta but Charlie gets some great shots. Sue has another "Error 99". So much for our Shootout. Fortunately I have three hundred shots from yesterday and I am confident that my morning dive would yield something as the card appears to be fine.

 

We arrive at our room. I rush to download Sue's shots. I thought I had left the computer on, but it's down. I switch on but the nothing happens. Things really cannot get worse. I call for help from friends. The good thing about the shootout is that much help is always around despite the competitive atmosphere. By this time a cold shiver passes through my back. My shootout is hanging on a thread. At least i have this morning's shots. The afternoon shots were nothing. Fortunately I have my small laptop with me and download Sue's photos. I have Lightroom and CS3 on the computer so I feel bulletproof despite the obvious setback. We try four computers, but no one sees any photos. I guess Murphy the famous Irish prophet's bad omens have really hit me. We are now down to Sue's two Friday dives. She has some good shots and she feels confident. At least we have an entry. I console myself, lick my wounds, for the first time since 2003, no entry from me.

The weather deteriorates badly the Friday night and the winter cold hits Sodwana on the Saturday. I enter our photos sorry, Sue's photos and have breakfast, a midday sleep waiting for the Super 14 final. At least a South African team wins is an empty consolation. We hit the prize giving and Sue remains confident. Halfway through she comes to tell me one of the judges says her photos are too much saturated and were thrown out. No prizes for our team, we have had a triple blow out at the Shootout. I run into Charlie the overall winner. He shot his winning shot on the last dive. At least my flood contributed to something positive! Well done Charlie!

 

At last the Bulls won and now we continue to drown our sorrows talking to old friends. I talk to Megan who I have dived with many times and she now works in Barra. It is late and we have another Jack. I am sure I have had enough, but everyone else is still going strong. Megan and I reminisce about how much we love Sodwana diving. We are both convinced it is the best in the world.

" I dreammm.... of two mile" says Megan. I agree and ask which route she likes best. She likes the route Pinnacle to Four Buoy. I can only love Anton's. It's getting late, eventually we get to bed. The next day we get going on the long road back home in Fourways after 7. I have a slight headache as we drive back. The breakfast at Hluhluwe sorts that out however. I think about the week's events as we drive. Despite the significant reverse I have only positive thoughts; "I'll be back" Next time must be my time.