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BUPG - February meeting
Underwater photo and freediving course
Underwater Photography.com BSoUP winners 2008
African Diver - latest issue
Website of the Week - Arun "Izzy" Madisetti
BSoUP / DIVER PRINT COMPETITION AT LIDS 2009
11th International Festival U/W Picture
"PELAGOS 2009"
Shipwreck Conference
In Deep - The Northern Dive Show

DivePhotoGuide International Underwater Photo and Video Competition in association with Our World Underwater.

Winners announced!

DivePhotoGuide.com and Wetpixel.com are proud to announce the winners of the 4th annual underwater photography and video competition in association with Our World Underwater.

The competition is part of a joint series often referred to as the "Super Bowl" of international underwater imagery competitions, with world-class prizes, esteemed celebrity judges, significant media support, and the opportunity to have your images showcased to the world as some of the planet's best.

The competition is truly an international event. Entries were received from all corners of the globe. Winners alone represented 22 countries. We want to congratulate all the competitors for the high quality level of the images submitted. It was a tough competition to judge. A formal statement from the judges can be found here. Congratulations to the winners!

For full details please visit www.divephotoguide.com

Website of the Week - Kitty Jempson

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP Members website. This week's choice is 'Undersea Images', the website of Kitty Jempson.

Kitty started diving in 1997. She did an Art Foundation course in Manchester soon after learning to dive and has always been a passionate amateur photographer. 

Kitty went digital in 2005 and bought a Nikon D200 and Hugyfot housing.  After a few problems with this housing she gave in and bought the housing she 'd always really wanted, another Subal.

For further information please visit www.underseaimages.co.uk/Site/Home.html

Blue-o-two onboard competition winner

Congratulations to BSoUP Member Jim Garland on winning the Blue o two onboard competition.

Jim's winning image was selected from over 40 other photograghs taken by blue o two guests. The judges of the competition were acclaimed underwater photographer Alex Mustard and blue o two's resident dive guide and photograpy expert Dray Van Beeck.

Jim is the owner of the dedicated wreck photography website www.wreckshot.com. He is interested in wreck history and photography, particularly WW2 Aircraft.

Jim currently uses a Canon EOS 5D, Aquatica Housing, Sigma 15mm FE lens, Sigma 50mm Macro lens, Canon 24mm wide-angle lens with Inon z-240 strobes.

Focus On February 2009 - Results

Red Sea Images

Congratulations to Gareth Lock who won last night's Focus On competition with an image of divers exploring a wreck Gareth beat 41 other entries scoring 38 points.

Second place went to Arthur Kingdom with an image of a male Anthias taken with a 105 mm lens scoring 28 points.

Third place, with 21 points, went to Tony Baskeyfield for his image of a turtle.

The top 7 winners:

If you were not in the top seven and would like to know how you fared please e-mail Brian Pitkin.

BSoUP members only may view all the entries in projected order in the Competition slideshow.

Next month's competition is the annual BSoUP Members Theme Portfolio Competition.

For full details please visit Theme Portfolio Competition.

Website of the week - Jon Martin

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP Members website. This week's choice is 'Marina-Life.co.uk' the website of Jon Martin.

Although a lot of John's blog covers the marina lifestyle and natural history, a particular emphasis is on the marine environment, and particularly that found under the water. Since his first tentative breaths in the Sovereign Centre's swimming pool, he's gone on to log over 100 dives, in a variety of exotic locations, including St Lucia, Antigua, Florida, Bahamas, the Red Sea, as well as Australia's Great Barrier Reef. He's also dived in some seemingly non-exotic, but equally fascinating places, such as various locations around the UK, including Soverign Harbour's North Marina.

To learn more about Jon please visit http://marina-life.co.uk/

BSAC launch Underwater Photography Course

The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) is launching a new Skills Development Course on Underwater Photography on Monday 16th February.

The course has been developed with DIVE's photographer and BSoUP Member Charles Hood, resulting in a course that will improve and develop divers' underwater photography skills.

The aim of the course is to teach the basic use of a compact digital camera and housing to students with little or no knowledge and experience of underwater photography. The course requires half a day of theory instruction and dry practical, followed by an underwater practical, followed by a dry session to review the results. The duration of the underwater practical will depend on numbers and location.

The Syllabus, Intructors Manual and a powerpoint presentation for use in the classroom are available to downlaod (as a zip file) at www.bsac.com/

February BSoUP Meeting

The next BSoUP meeting takes place on Wednesday, 18th February 2009 at 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. at our usual venue the Holland Club, Imperial College, S. Kensington, London. Directions.

Photo techniques: U/W photography in the Celebes Sea, Borneo - Multiple speakers introduced by Brian Pitkin.

In November last year a number of BSoUP members participated in a photographic workshop organised by JP Trenque and Jane Morgan in the Celebes Sea, Borneo. They spent a week on the liveaboard 'Celebes Explorer' diving and photographing on the reefs of Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai and Siamil in Sabah and a week at the Maratua Paradise Resort diving and photographing the

reefs of Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban in the Derawan Islands, in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Speakers include Keith Lyall, Andy Cooper, Brian and Linda Pitkin, Mike and Jan Maloney who will talk about their images. Brian will also present a short slide show of Bill Bradley, Robert Kemp and Mark Roberts images and introduce Jo Horrocks' short video 'A taste of Borneo'.

Focus On Competition: Red Sea Images.

This month the category is Red Sea Images. The competition is open to BSoUP members only and all images must have been taken underwater in the Red Sea and should not previously have been entered into a national or international competition

Please read the Rules before submitting your entry via the online Entry Form.

Main Event: How to annoy fishermen and save our seas by Gavin Parsons

Gavin spent a large part of the summer 2008 working for the environmental organisation Greenpeace. He worked on its Oceans campaign in the Mediterranean and on a project to protect an area of North Sea. As the photographer, his role was to be among the actions and activities to record what unfolded. It turned out to be a summer of mixing it up with fishermen - and they are not as nice as Captain Birdseye would have you believe A few were friendly and liked what Greenpeace was doing, but most expressed themselves with finger gesticulations, shouts, lead weights and shotguns. Gavins presentation is a humorous look at trying to save the seas both above, on and under the waves.

Magic filters - instructional DVD now available

The DVD was filmed and produced by Peter Rowlands and follows Alex Mustard over 6 dives in the Red Sea, 3 shooting with his DSLR and 3 with my compact camera, while he demonstrates and describes the techniques he uses and the considerations, both technical and artistic that go into producing stunning available light photographs with Magic filters.

The DVD covers white balancing, subject selection, approach, exposure, composition, why you need a filter, etc. An important feature is that after each dive, we do a review of the shots and discuss in detail why some have worked and others have not. It gives you an idea of what you can expect to achieve in similar conditions. You will see all the shots, both good and bad, unadjusted straight from the camera.

More Underwater Photography.com BSoUP winners 2008

Congratulations to BSoUP Member Jim Garland who won a Gold Medal in the Wide-angle Wrecks category in the underwaterphotography.com contest 2008 with an image of the Giannis-D at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas Reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

Jim is the owner of the dedicated wreck photography website www.wreckshot.com. He is interested in wreck history and photography, particularly WW2 Aircraft.

Jim currently uses a Canon EOS 5D, Aquatica Housing, Sigma 15mm FE lens, Sigma 50mm Macro lens, Canon 24mm wide-angle lens with Inon z-240 strobes.

Congratulations also to BSoUP Member David Stephens who won a Bronze Medal in the Over/Under category in the underwaterphotography.com contest 2008 with an image of a boy fishing.

David lives in Pontllanfraith in South Wales and is also a member of the Bristol Underwater Photography Group.

After learning all the basics with a Nikonos IV, he moved onto a Nikon F90X and in 2004 decided to go digital with a Nikon D100 .

David enjoys UK diving especially Cornwall, Devon, West Wales and St Abbs.

For further details please visit www.underwaterphotography.com/

Website of the Week - Jason Gregory

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP member's website. This week's choice is 'British Marine Life Pictures' the website of Jason Gregory.

Jason says 'I'm not a professional photographer or a marine biologist. I'm just an ordinary chap that enjoys diving, photography and the natural world. I'm BSAC trained, and live in Yorkshire, England'. To learn more about Jason and view his work please visit www.britishmarinelifepictures.co.uk/

If you are a BSoUP member and your website is not included on the BSoUP member's websites page or you have changed your web address, please send the URL of your site to the BSoUP Membership Secretary, Mike Russell.

DiverSE'09

BSAC South East, Southern and London regions proudly presents the fourth annual conference at the University of Surrey, Guildford on Sunday 15th March 2009.

We have a diverse range of top flight speakers including TV presenter, author and explorer Monty Halls, Technical diving guru Jack Ingle, Underwater photography expert Paul 'Duxy' Duxfield, Thames RNLI Helm Eamonn French, Computer expert and underwater photographer James O'Neill. There will also be a range of exhibitors including the coaching teams.

Space is limited, all 3 previous years have been complete sell outs in advance, so don't delay and book your places now. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.bsac-se.org.uk/diverse

Digital Underwater Photography Course

Blue Planet Aquarium near Ellesmere Port, are offering a discount on their Digital Underwater Photography Course. If you book before 28th February 2009, the normal price of the course is reduced from £225 to £180

Maximum group size 9 divers

Book all 9 places and only pay for 8

Lunch and refreshments provided through out the day

Certification of Level One

This course will teach you the basic use of a digital camera in underwater conditions. The day culminates with a half hour dive session where you will be able to use your new skills to capture some amazing photographs in the Caribbean Reef Exhibit.

For further details please contact Rachael Ward.

Bristol Underwater Photography Group - February meeting

The next meeting of the Bristol Underwater Photography Group (BUPG) takes place on Tuesday 17th February at 20.00 hrs at The Casson Centre, Rodway Road, Patchway, BS34 5DQ (map).

Monthly Competition - Divers

Foto Forum - Fish

Annual Print Competition

Presentation - Alor Islands - Cathy Lewis

The BUPG Splash In images will be judged at this Meeting. Further details: BUPG January Newsletter

Underwater photo and freediving course

May 9-10, 2009 in Submarine Escape Training Tank, Gosport, UK

DeeperBlue has teamed with London's Ocean Optics to offer a first-of-its-kind underwater photography and freediving course. The two-day class takes place on May 9-10, 2009 in the 30m Submarine Escape Training Tank in Gosport, UK, which is maintained at a comfortable 34°C/94°F temperature.

Ocean Optics will be providing camera equipment for participants to try out throughout the four tank practical sessions, intermixed with two freediving and two photography theory sessions. The course is open to all skill levels, but is limited to 10 individuals, so spaces will fill quickly! Continue reading for all the details, and to find a link to a short trailer on YouTube of the experience.

Underwater Photography.com BSoUP winners 2008

Congratulations to BSoUP Member Ross Gudgeon who won the silver medal in the Wide-angle Marine life category. Ross learnt to dive in December 1979 and got his first underwater camera (Nikonos III) only a few months after that. After a few film SLRs and a Nikon Coolpix 5000 he graduated to a dSLR in 2005 and currently uses a Canon 40D in a Subal housing. Ross' favourite dive site is Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, where he lives.

Congratulations to BSoUP Member Maria Munn who won a bronze medal in the Wide-angle Natural Light category Underwater Photography.com Competition 2008 with an image taken in Nuweiba with Emperor Divers in Egypt. Mari's image was taken with a Fuji Finepix F31D compact camera and an Inon Wide Angle lens on the Underwater Setting whilst doing a headstand to fit it all in!

Maria runs underwater photography courses in England and trips abroad for divers with compact cameras. It was Maria's dream to take wildlife photos after an accident left her with 15 fractures and unable to walk for three years. She fell in love with the ocean and has been taking underwater photographs since 2001 with a variety of compact cameras. Maria has seen a lot of places, but says 'it is hard to beat the Red Sea for diversity of wrecks together with beautifully coloured reefs as well as our favourite sharky friends although I love diving in challenging green water colder conditions like the Mexican Pacific as well'.

Congratulations to BSoUP member Gareth Millson who won a bronze medal in the Wrecks category of the Underwater Photography.com Competition 2008 with an image of a motorcycle in the hold of the S. S. Thistlegorm.

Gareth's, who has been taking underwater photographs for five years, currently uses a Canon 20D with an Ikelite housing and two Ikelite DS125 Strobes. His favourite lenses are the Canon 100mm USM Macro and Canon 10-22 wide angle.

For further details please visit www.underwaterphotography.com/

African Diver - latest issue

The latest version of the FREE African Diver is now available for downloading.

Issue 3 includes African news, Tagging whale sharks in Kenya by Ninu Njonjo, Diving inBenin by Mike Markovina, Battle at Badgat. Freediving by Trevor Hutton, AfricanDiver team takes a breath, Natal Sharks Board by Cormac McCreesh, Blood on the Reef by Cormac McCreesh and Breakbone fever.

To download you copy, please visit http://www.africandiver.com/index.html

Website of the Week - Arun "Izzy" Madisetti

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP member's website. This weeks' choice is Images Dominica' the website of Arun "Izzy" Madisetti and Simon Walsh.

Izzy qualified as a marine biologist and has spent a lot of his life doing marine research. He first began taking photos to document the life he was seeing and gradually moved to taking photos to promote the underwater environment to non divers. To view Izzy's website please go to www.imagesdominica.com

If you are a BSoUP member and your website is not included on the BSoUP member's websites page or you have changed your web address, please send the URL of your site to the BSoUP Membership Secretary, Mike Russell.

BSoUP / DIVER Print Competition at LIDS 2009

Win BSoUP trophies and some great prizes including a Red Sea holiday courtesy of Oonasdivers.

Deadline: 23 February 2009

The British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) and DIVER magazine have joined forces  to  organise a print competition to be judged by the visiting public at the London International Dive Show (LIDS) over the weekend of 28th/29th March 2009 at ExCel in London. This will replace the Print Competition previously held in conjunction with our annual Splash-in.

All Underwater Photographers will be invited to submit prints, A4 in size, to compete for BSoUP trophies and some great prizes. There are four categories: British and Irish, Overseas, Advanced British and Irish and Advanced Overseas.

Dive show visitors will be invited to vote for their favourites to chose the winner in each category, and a panel of judges will select the overall best of show to receive the special grand prize of a week's

holiday at the Southern Eco-Villages - Marsa Nakari to include flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and 5 days unlimited shore diving kindly donated by Oonasdivers

Following LIDS 2009 a selection of the best prints will be on display at the London Aquarium for several weeks. Results will be announced in DIVER magazine and on the DIVERNET and BSoUP websites.

Further details at www.bsoup.org /prints.php

11th International Festival Underwater Picture
"PELAGOS 2009"

Deadline: 7th February 2009

Rome 27th February - 2nd March 2009

The competition is open to all underwater photographers and entrance is free, there is no set theme and the competition is divided into the following categories

Environment
Macro Photography
Digital Editing

Further details at http://www.pelagos.tv/concorsi_eng.htm

pelagos.tv

In Deep - The Northern Dive Show

Competition deadline: 31st December 2008

Sunday 22nd February 2009

Park Hall in Charnock Richard, Lancashire.

With new ideas and equipment for you to try and buy, there is no better opportunity for you to browse, try on the latest gear on display and to buy diving equipment, leisure wear, books and accessories. Meet likeminded people with an interest in diving from all the major diving organisations. Expert advice will be available to answer your questions. Throughout the day you will have the choice to listen speakers on a wide range of dive related topics.

Tickets available online now. Click here for details.

Enter our free photographic competition and win up to £1500 of photographic equipment.