Epson Red Sea 2008 Competition Webcast

The second day of the competition began with a festive ceremony, in which the 11 photographers, who were chosen to represent 11 different countries from all over the world in the "Winning & Donating" category, were assigned to a specific fish which they should make a modeling book for during the competition. This category was conceived several months ago, when 11 underwater photography websites and magazines from 11 different countries announced an annual competition open to all underwater photographers in their respective countries. Eventually, each magazine chose its winner. The winners from all 11 countries are now representing both the country and the magazine in the "Winning & Donating" category. During the ceremony, each of the photographers was asked to draw a note out of an Epson printer. Each note consisted of a name of a fish that the photographer should make a modeling book for (5 images) during the competition. As if this idea isn’t innovative (perhaps even subversive) enough, David Pilosoph (Pilo), the producer of this event, decided to spice it up even more. Therefore, when opening their notes and reading the name of the fish that was chosen for them to focus on, poor anxious photographers all found out that they were assigned to rare species that can be hardly found in the Red Sea, if at all, as Hammer Heads, Manta Rays and so on. Pilo, who seemed to enjoy this moment very much, gave the photographers a few seconds to feel miserable with their impossible assignment, and eventually revealed that this was just a (great!) joke on their expense. However, he promised that the winner WILL be photographing these fish after all, as he will be sent to a diving safari in Fiji islands, where many of these great living creatures can be found. After everyone calmed down (and began breathing again), photographers were asked to draw notes again out of the Epson printer, this time with their real assignment. This was indeed a brilliant way of breaking the ice and inspiring the photographers who compete in this category.

During the day, photographers were extremely busy underwater, till a Happy Hour was announced again in the afternoon, and free beer was provided to all participants. You would be amazed what a happy (and sometimes even slightly insane) atmosphere is created when providing free beer to a group of serious, devoted, mission focused underwater photographers.

Later that evening, the opening ceremony took place in the underwater observatory of Eilat. Food, soft drinks, wine, beer and sweets were offered to all the attendants, followed by a few short speeches, conducted by the show organizers and key players. Some important guests also attended this opening event, like the Egyptian Ambassador in Eilat, the general manager of Epson Israel and more, enhancing the prestige of this evening even more.

By the end of the day, all underwater photographers were either totally drunk or getting ready for their night dive. Actually, I cannot guarantee that there weren’t any photographers who were busy doing both...

Tomorrow is the last day in which photographers who participate in the "Eilat Shoot Out" category can take shoot their winning images. The clock is ticking, the tension arises and the beer… Oh, well. Let the beer go on!

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