Full details of the 2011 Digital Shootout have now been posted on the event’s website. For it’s tenth year, the shootout was held at the Divi Flamingo Dive Resort, in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. Jeff Honda took the Jim Watt Award for the best images, with his artistic use of Snell’s window. Other winners include Mike Light, David Gordon, Peter Riekstins, Samantha Riekstins, and Boaz Meiri. Congratulations to all the participants.

The 10th Annual Digital Shootout wrapped up on June 25th at the Divi Flamingo Dive Resort in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, and was a major success. Full event coverage is now available at the event’s website. Led by a world-class training staff and representatives from major industry players, 60 guests attended for a week of intense diving and photo instruction. Hundreds of images taken during the Shootout were entered into a competition with more than $45,000 worth of prizes at stake.

Jeff Honda of Carmel Valley California took home the top honor, The Jim Watt Award, for the best image of the competition. He also won the Video and Wide Angle Unrestricted Categories. Other first place winners included Mike Light, David Gordon, Peter Riekstins, Samantha Riekstins, and Boaz Meiri. A full gallery of all the winners and finalists can be viewed here.

Although the competition is a major feature of the event, the primary purpose is learning. Led by internationally renowned underwater photographer Berkley White, a team of imaging professionals including Mary Lynn Price, Jim Decker, Erin Quigley, and Sterling Zumbrunn gave a series of seminars to help guests improve underwater photography and videography skills, as well as the post-production tools for producing finished images and videos.

Many premiere sponsors of The Digital Shootout sent staff and gear to Bonaire with the purpose of giving guests the opportunity to go diving with new equipment. On-site staff included Jim Decker and Russ Sanoian from Backscatter Underwater Video and Photo, Jean Bruneau of Aquatica Digital, Chris Parsons of Nauticam USA, Charlie Mazel and Ross Kniffin of NightSea, Ed Meyers of Canon USA, and Marissa Wiganowske of Pegasus Thruster. The on-site staff also used the Shootout as an opportunity to put new prototype underwater camera gear through its paces, in order to give feedback to manufacturers and produce forthcoming online gear reviews.

Next year, the Digital Shootout will return to the Little Cayman Beach Resort on June 16-23, 2012. Registration is now open online.

The Digital Shootout is the worldʼs best learning event - an underwater photography/ videography vacation designed to take the shooterʼs skills to the next level. For new or an intermediate shooters, the Digital Shootout is a fast-track to better underwater imaging. Most repeat guests consider the Shootout events the ultimate working vacation. In six days of seminars and diving, the Digital Shootout team will help guests dial in their underwater system and shooting techniques, preparing them to compete for thousands of dollars of incredible prizes from our sponsors.