The grand prize in the 2019 Great Outdoors Photo Contest goes to Richard Langer for the image, “Napali Storm.”
“This photograph was taken from a small helicopter over the Napali cliffs on the island of Kauai, Hawaii,” explains Langer. “To avoid the distortions that would result from photographing through the helicopter’s dome, I selected one that had no doors. This was fine for photography, but it let the rain and wind in on my wife and me. Though the weather had been stormy and rainy throughout the flight, it lifted a little as we flew over the ocean. By the end of the trip, we were drenched and shaken, but knew that we had witnessed an amazing sight.”
From Outdoor Photographer
January 13, 2020 – The prestigious Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, organized by the Underwater Photography Guide, has announced its 2019 winners. The 8th annual competition attracted an extremely high caliber of photos from oceans around the world. These photos showcase the best underwater photographs of the year. 2019 was one of the most competitive years to date. Our two new categories, conservation and blackwater diving, had an overwhelming response of incredible photos and were two of the highlights of the competition.
Exolung is a new and unique approach to shallow water diving for recreational and utility purposes. It is also enjoyable to use in the pool for training, or as a form of underwater gymnastics and yoga. The idea was to create a simple extension to the usual ABC kit (fins, mask, snorkel), being simple, robust and affordable whilst not requiring a lot of maintenance or care, and absolutely no recharge or refill required. 
She aims to study all aspects of life in the deep ocean and see how that knowledge can translate to technology and innovation. “Into Water: California” is the final stop on an around the world 360 tour that documents the work of female Explorers who’ve dedicated their careers to water related issues.
In a statement on the artist’s website, the Maelstrom series is described as “a cursory glimpse of the exchange, cycle and balance of power fundamental to the functioning of our planet and its oceans… Maelstrom encourages the viewer to reflect upon our own naivety and place as a species within the greater natural balance of power.”
Boomers Daily 