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The Annual Beginners Portfolio Competition is held
in November and is open to members &
non-members alike, provided that they have not come first,
second or third in a national or international competition, such as
BSoUP's Open and Beginners Portfolio Competitions, Image, U/W
Photographer of the Year, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Marine
Conservation Society, Antibes festival of underwater images, Dive
Magazine’s British Underwater Image Festival etc.
The objective of the Beginners’
Portfolio competition is to identify photographers who can
demonstrate a range of skills in underwater photography. The overall
impression of the portfolio should communicate variety, not
necessarily of subject, but certainly of approach and
technique.
This year’s competition was won by Paul
Woodburn, aged 43, who lives in Gosport with his wife Lisa. Paul is
from Barrow, Cumbria and Lisa is from Belfast. Paul said he was
“Thoroughly chuffed to win”. Paul is a freelance
contractor and generally work as a Ship Draughtsman. He has
been diving since 1999 and bought his
first underwater camera in 2002 along with a copy of
Jack Johnson's book "Top Dive Sites of the World" and he
always longed to go to all the places in his book. Paul and Lisa have
been around the Caribbean, Thailand, Red Sea, Indone
sia, and the Maldives. Their favourite time of the
year to travel is over Christmas and the New Year.
Initially Paul bought a Canon G9 compact camera in an Ikelite housing
and DS125 strobe. He also started UK diving to keep in
practise. It then took him 2 years to get his first dSLR camera set
up, which he subsequently since sold last Spring. He is
currently without an underwater camera system as he is
frustratingly awaiting for the next Nikon DX system!!
In 2008 Paul launched his own website www.scubysnaps.com to share his
images and adventures. It is now in its fourth version.
Paul also loves fast cars and motorbikes and have
just bought an Aprilia RSV-1000R. He also recently changed his car to
a VW van and he is now looking forward to customising it
eventually and travelling a bit more around the UK diving with Lisa,
hopefully the skipper won't mind dog-sitting Scuby while we're
under!
It took Paul a few attempts to choose his
portfolio for this competition. He thinks selection is the hardest
part of the hobby, along with finding an agent!
All images were taken with a Nikon D90 in an
Aquatica housing with 2 Inon Z240 strobes:
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