The results of the Southern California (SoCal) Shootout 2012 have been announced. Diver entered photographs taken at local dive sites including La Jolla shores, Catalina Island, Farnsworth Banks, Oil Rings, Malibu, Santa Monica Bay, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands from 14 to 16 September. The Best of Shootout award went to Patrick Smith with his lovely portrait of a Mola mola, which was shot with a compact camera and so won the Compact Portrait category too. Many congratulations to all the winners, and especially to the many Wetpixel members in the placings.

Bluewater Photo is proud to announce the winners of the second annual SoCal Shootout. There were many excellent entries in all categories, with photographers / videographers from Santa Barbara to San Diego. The SoCal Shootout was judged by some of the top professional underwater photographers in Southern California: Andy Sallmon, Todd Winner, Mark Strickland, Roger Carlson, Jim Lyle, and Scott Gietler. You can check out all the winning images and videos at the event’s website. Congratulations to all the winners for showing what Southern California diving is all about.

The event had entries of images shot on San Diego wrecks and reefs, Orange County oil rigs, in the Santa Monica Bay, and at the Southern and Northern Channel Islands from September 14th to 16th 2012.

The best of show was Patrick Smith, with a beautiful Mola mola image. Many congratulations are due to all the winners.

1st: Nirupam Nigum
2nd: Allison Vitsky
3rd: Kelli Dickinson
4th: Ron Watkins
5th: Allison Vitsky
HM: Brent Durand, Michael Zeigler

1st: Brian McHugh
2nd: Bill Pottinger
3rd: Ron Watkins
4th: Nayan Savla
5th: Roeland Papen
HM: Doug Klug, Nirupam Nigam

1st: Allison Vitsky
2nd: Mark Davidson
3rd: Gerard Lorenzo
4th: David Andrew
HM: Ron Watkins

1st: Roeland Papen
2nd: Ron Watkins
3rd: Kelli Dickinson
4th: Michelle Hoalton
HM: Todd Bretl, John Ochs

1st: Patrick Smith
2nd: Luz Martinez
3rd: Ann Gebhart

1st: David Thompson
2nd: Cindy Shaw
3rd: Luz Martinez
HM: Patrick Smith

1st: Cindy Shaw
2nd: Patrick Smith
3rd: Nick Hedges

1st: Patrick Smith
2nd: Stephen Zech
3rd: Patrick Smith
4th: David Thompson

2nd: Walter Marti, “Octopus eggs”
3rd: Lawrence Wang, “Life on the rigs”
HM: Roger Uzun, “Territorial”