Manta Fest is delivering the whole Yap Promise – Mantas in clear water right up in your dome, schooling sharks on the reef, high end macro opportunities, channel strafing and blue water outer reef drift dives. Guest feedback is positive about what they’re seeing in the water and what they’re learning out of it. Today we have our first departures we’re expecting a full house in the morning. The final week of this party is going to be hopping with another 40+ guests. Full boats, full bar and full SD cards with Yap media. The internet slowed down to a crawl lately and the image formatting interface is glitchy to say the least – today’s post is a bit lazy, my apologies. Personally, all of the workshops and advice floating around has me trying new things every time I’m in the water. I was talking with Tim Rock last night and one thing that I noticed is I would do a lot of the same thing each time I was shooting and saw slow improvements. After one week at this year’s party, I am trying what we learned at the classes and it shows in my photography.

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Contestant Media

We have some non DLSR shots to share from Sheila and Julie. I think the best are being saved for the contest submissions, I’ve seen some Mantas at the surface in clear water and nice caverns shots that will most likely make the judging next week. Here’s what we have today… Julie Shuttleworth A quote from Julie from her first Manta Fest… “From the West Aussie contingent this week at Manta-Fest: Brett and I have been “super-sizing” our dive days, going out for 3 dives with lunch on the boat between 2nd and 3rd dives. We’re loving the Yap reefs, where you can see everything from nudibranchs, transparent shrimp and pipefish, to moray eels, octopus, turtles and reef sharks, amongst a plethora of tropical reef fish, on one dive! With great dive conditions and visibility, we’re enjoying loads of relaxing diving – being in the water with only 2 or 3 other divers, and doing +90 minute dives with no pressure on time. Out of the water, with Manta Fest action, friendly divers, and down-to-earth informative photo pro’s, what a great week to be diving at Yap!” Sheila Ott

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Photog Training

Each afternoon and evening photographers are learning critical skills to improve our game. Yesterday was a workshop on Composition and how to frame subjects as well as some pro secrets behind those shots that make you say “wow”.  Along with the training the evening’s presentation was best shots by David and Marty at the Crow’s Nest bar with some one-on-one photoshop help. Anke, last year’s best of show winner, brought her laptop to the bar and learned how really shine up her pictures with the use of some tricks and tools of the pros.

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Act Early

There isn’t any room left after the flight from Guam tonight. If you’re considering attending next year’s Fest, the best thing to do is plan ahead to get the best deal on air and the room you want. Once Bill is out of the water, he’ll catch up on email and be booking travel in and out of Micronesia for divers around the world. Get in on free air routes and be the early bird for the next round of Manta Fest.