Tooting my own horn, just found out (while on-island no less) that my latest shrimp in a tube sponge won the Silver in the compact camera category at Our World Underwater Photo Contest in Chicago last month- we're going to the Red Sea! Took this photo last October while (product placement here) staying at Capt Don's Habitat and eating frequently at Papaya Moon (no doubt their Tex Mex fare inspired me to new heights).

Where is the pic???!!!!!

bill/donna - stop being a tease and let us see the picture.

Link here. Congratulations; that's stiff competition! http://www.underwatercompetition.com/owu2008-winners.php

Why to go Bill, it really is no surprise to us!!!

Congrat's great shot! You should toot your horn! It is very difficult to get a great shot plus have it picked in a competition.
Hats off to you.

Excellent job Bill. Superb!!

Congratulations Bill! Well done.

I do believe I recall seeing you both on Bari this past October during my stay at Den Laman? All divers kinda look alike underwater though- lol. Can you describe your gear?

Saw that pic here at the OWU show myself. Amazing work.

Care to share any secrets for getting such great close-ups?

That is just fantastic. How proud we all are of you. Enjoy your Red Sea liveaboard.

congrats!!!!!!

Really nice picture Bill. Well done.

Congratulations! What a nice surprise to find out you are heading to the Red Sea while diving on Bonaire. From the photos on the web site, the competition looks like it was quite stiff--you have every reason to be really proud!

Great shot.
Nice prize.

Great shot Bill.

Thanks everyone for the good words, and I apologize for neglecting to post the site before I closed down for the night. Thank you Grunt and Cecil for rectifying my lapse.

Randy, our paths may indeed have crossed near Den Laman last October - an afternoon dive if I recall.

"Cricket in a pipe" shots (as my dear Father-in-Law calls them) with a high megapixel (>8 meg) camera is not too difficult. Be sure you have macro mode turned on, light the sponge where you have found a shrimp occupant from the side with a bright light (UK Light Cannon in this case) - preset the light's arm so it's correct - and use your perfect buoyancy/trim to hang head-down over the sponge, and slowly close the distance without quite touching the sponge with the camera - and hopefully the shrimp has stayed in its position while you have been finding yours - and snap! This really requires one of those no-current, no surge days, of course... simple, no?

Congratulations!

Great shot Bill! Funny side note, the booby that won gold in the same category was a person from my local dive photo club, they just circulated her pic at the meeting last week!

i like the pic too

a light cannon is an interesting alternative to a strobe, especially for macro...nice blue/white light, continuous (no sync or sync cord), weighs as much as a strobe but is considerably less expensive...a creative solution;)

(i flooded mine before ever learning to use it effectively in photography - don't use a pipe wrench to unscrew the case)

just a nice pic

Leaving for Bonaire in two days. Should I pack my mesh dive gear bag or can I just throw all my equipment in the back of the pickup? I'm worried about leaving the empty bad unattended on the beach or in the truck.

Barton, leave it at home, put your gear in the back of the truck... Ron

I'd pack the bag but like Ron says you probably will not use it. I generally wrap everything in the BCD for transport to and from the back of the truck. If you are staying somewhere a ways from the truck (like the Plaza) the mesh bag might be useful. I do use a mesh bag for snorkel trips.

Hi Bill and Donna!

Saw Margate bay in the topic title and it couldn't miss...had to be Bill and Donna!
We met you guys on Margate Bay two weeks ago (Eddy and Barbara from the Netherlands).

Really nice shot and congrats on your price. Margate Bay is the place to go for critters in a tube, we see loads of special shrimp there.

BTW I've updated my site with shots from February. Check them out at www.thebigblue.nl

Hope to see you again at the bay or Habitat and have BIG fun in the Red Sea!

Eddy & Barbara

great shots on your website Eddy.

And Eddy, Congratulations yourself on winning the weekly photo contest at Capt Don's - those busy little red lips are very tricky guys and difficult to photograph. (the picture is on Eddy's site).