Our 2022 Photography Competition, ‘Species of The Deep’, is well underway, and we’ve had some amazing entries so far. If you’re still looking at entering the competition, here are a few quick and easy tips to help you with your entries.
Have a think about which animals you would like to photograph in advance, as each entry will be judged on the following criteria:
● Composition
● Technical ability
● Originality
● Emotive appeal
● Suitability for inclusion in a ‘The Deep’ calendar/prints
Remember, each entry can include three different photographs, so you may want to take extra photographs as you go to give you more options.
Top Tips
1. Be sure to take any photographs in landscape, as this will fit much better onto a calendar! We would also ask that you take photos without any flash for the welfare of the animals.
2. Animals are unpredictable and will not be still and pose. Be patient, sometimes you may have to wait to get the perfect shot.
3. Try to get close to minimise any reflections from nearby exhibits or windows, as well as giving you a sharper photograph. However, we would ask that you don’t tap on the exhibits for the welfare of animals.
4. Experiment with different camera settings etc. and see what sort of exciting photographs you can take.
5. Focus on nearby creatures. The more water between your camera and your chosen animal the softer the focus will be.
6. Try changing the angle of your camera to make your photos more interesting. The same shark or fish can look very different from different angles.
7. Give some attention to the light within the exhibit/water and around the animal, they will help you to get some interesting photos.
8. If you are photographing a species which is always on the move, shoot the spot where the animal will be not where they have been.
Most importantly, have fun with your photography!
We look forward to seeing many more jaw ‘some entries before the competition closes on 23:59 on Wednesday 31 August 2022.