2011 EcoPhoto Challenge in Costa Rica August 13-20
The Costa Rica EcoPhoto Challenge will taking place later this year, from August 13-20. We are proud to be sponsoring this unique event along with EcoGuide Costa Rica and X-Ray Magazine.
The week will include both topside and underwater shooting opportunities in the oceans, mountains, volcanoes, and jungles of Costa Rica- one of our favorite places to dive. Under the waves, the area features Bull sharks, reef sharks, and other large fish, while topside the highlights include the Natural Park in Guanacaste and touring the steamy summit of Volcan Rincon de la Vieja. The categories for the underwater contest are Scenic, Big Life, Close-up, Divers and Humor, and includes prizes at local restaurants, publication of photos, and even an all-expenses-paid return visit.
For more information on signing up for the EcoPhoto Challenge, please visit the official event website or read the detailed press release below.
EcoPhoto Challenge
Underwater and Topside Event Sponsored by EcoGuide Costa Rica, Xray-Mag.com and DivePhotoGuide.com.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica, August 13th to the 20th, will be the location of the first EcoPhoto Challenge.
Most everyone that goes on vacation owns a digital camera these days. So why not combine your desire to explore Costa Rica's jungles, mountains and oceans and challenge yourself and others to see - who can get that perfect image?
This is a challenge with rewards. The winners get published, get local prizes such as dinners, tours - cash, a new camera and the chance for an all expenses paid return vacation! This challenge is for non- professional photographers.
Here is how it works. Plan your vacation for August the 13th to the 20th. Take a daily excursion, scuba or snorkel dive and throughout your day - FOCUS - your eye and your camera - on the adventures you are experiencing! Each afternoon there will be composition seminars from 4pm tp 5pm presented by Greg Johnston.
There will be two assignment stages - Topside and Underwater. Within each assignment there will be ten categories. TOPSIDE: Scenic, Action, Wild Life (animals), Nature (flora and fauna) and Humor. UNDERWATER: Scenic, Big Life, Close-up, Divers and Humor (more category details on the registration form).
This is not a challenge or assignment to take lightly as, when you return from your excursions or dives you have to review all 100 or 1,000 images you took and pick only your best of each category for that day. You will do this for two consecutive days: Tuesday, August 16 and Wednesday, August 17th. On Wednesday the 17th you will turn in your best pick for each category for judging.
Thursday night is the Awards Party! Not only will there be fantastic prizes, but you will be published in three of the most distinguished, international publications in the world and - you will be in the VIP company of the publication editors!
About the shoot locations.
Underwater: Islas Murcielagos – the Bat Islands - where you will find bridges, caverns, coral and sponges, plenty of big fish along with Bull Sharks, Black Tips and occasionally Tigers. Another favorite area is Isla Catalina where you find the Cortez angelfish, parrotfish, clown shrimp, spotted eagle rays, hogfish and bull sharks.
Topside: Parque National Guanacaste, the summit Cerro Cacao (1,659m) and Parque National Santa Rosa – one of the last areas of virgin dry tropical forest in the world with 253 species of birds, 10,000 of thousands of insects (including 3,200 butterfly species), 100 plus amphibians and reptiles, and 115 mammal species like peccary, bats, white-tailed deer, white-nosed coati, howler and capuchin monkeys; the steamy summit of Volcan Rincon de la Vieja (1,895m) plus checking out the fumaroles, bubbling mud pots and ashy grey mud of the national park that shares the volcano's name.
