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News - June 2009

Website of the Week - Claudia Soares
Splash-in 2009
Epson Red Sea - June Competition - Voting
Wild Wonders of Europe - Linda Pitkin's Mission
June's Focus On competition - Results
Photo Contest Book now on Amazon.com
Celebrate the Sea Imagery Festival - Winners
Website of the Week - Graham Smith
Elaine Whiteford - U/P Exhibition
Splash-in 2009 - Deadline
Next BSoUP meeting
Aphrodite Announce Winners
Shark kills snorkeller in Red Sea

MCS Good Beach Guide 2009
Website of the Week - Neil Rosewarn
D-Day anniversary remembered
Epson Red Sea - Monthly Competition - May
SUPS - Next meeting
BUPG - Next meeting
African Diver - Latest issue
Website of the Week - Nick Robertson-Brown
End of the line - World Oceans' Day
Aphrodite - The Cyprus Experience
DiveSearch Competition
Seasonal Seas Two

Website of the Week - Claudia Soares

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP Member's website. This week's choice is Indigo Divers the website of Claudia Soares.

Indigo Divers are an Authorised PADI dive centre established in Albufeira -  Algarve - Portugal. They offer a range of courses from total beginner, wishing to breathe underwater for the first time, to becoming a Pro with Divemaster including Speciality courses.

To learn more about Indigo Divers please visit their website at www.indigo-divers.pt/

The British Underwater Photography Championship 2009

The British Underwater Photography Championship 2009, organised by the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) in association with the National Marine Aquarium, will take place on Saturday 4 July at Mount Batten and the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, Devon.

All underwater photographers are invited to participate, whether they are members of BSoUP or not.

Prizes, trophies and individual awards will be presented for winning images in each category as judged by the audience present (see below for full details). In addition, a grand prize will be awarded by an independent panel of judges for the image selected as the best taken in local waters.

Cuckoo wrasse in kelp by Steve Lawes
Winner of the Beginners Animal Portrait category
and Overall Best Beginner 2008

Viewing and judging of the images entered will take place at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth on the Saturday night. If you want to participate in the
BBQ on Saturday evening please register your intention to attend by Wednesday 24 June latest (sooner if
possible). If you have not registered in advance we cannot guarantee BBQ tickets. If you want to take part in the Splash-In, but do not want the BBQ, you may register on 3 or 4 July, although we would prefer you to
register in advance.

Please register by one of the following methods:
registering online, emailing Martha Tressler
with a completed entry form or sending an entry form by post to Martha Tressler at the address on the
entry form. For further details please see Splash-In.

SPLASH-IN CATEGORIES

There are four categories; Close- Up, Wide-Angle, Animal Portrait and Humorous. A maximum of four images per entrant, two in any one category for the first three categories are allowed. In addition, each photographer may enter one image for the Humorous category.
Images entered in the Close- Up, Wide-Angle and Animal Portrait categories will also be entered in the overall competition for the grand prize to be chosen by a panel of judges.

Epson Red Sea - June Competition - Voting

Voting for the UK & Ireland best photographer for June is now open.

A total of fourteen photographers have entered this month and we urge you to vote for your favourite photographer based on the images submitted - usually three per entrant.

In September all the monthly winners will compete for the title of Underwater Photographer of the Year and will win an all-expenses paid trip to represent the UK & Ireland in the Shoot Out at Eilat where the top prize is $10,000.

To vote please visit www.eilatredsea.com/

For further details of the Eilat Shoot out please visit www.eilatredsea.com/?CategoryID=160

Wild Wonders of Europe - Linda Pitkin's Mission

Following BSoUP member Linda Pitkin's talk last night on the Wild Wonders of Europe project a gallery of some of the images she showed to attendees has just gone live on the Wild Wonders of Europe website. The daily blog of Linda's mission is still available.

Linda's article on her mission to Lavezzi Is. off the southern tip of Corsica published in last month's DIVER magazine has now been published on their website.

For more information about the Wild Wonders of Europe please visit their website.

For more information about Linda please visit her website.

June's Focus On competition - 'Macro'.

The June competition attracted a total of 29 entries, which were limited to one image per photographer.

Congratulations to Rick Ayrton who came first with an image of Jewel anemones (left).

Congratulations also to Pedro Vierya (second, below) with an image of a Mantis shrimp, Mark Atwell (third) with an image of Gobies on a whip coral, Kathy White (fourth) with a Trumpet fish trying to conceal itself alongside a whip coral, Debi Henshaw (fifth) with an image of a nudi branch and Simon Brown (sixth) with an image of a squid.

The top six - how they scored

The top six may be viewed in the Gallery.

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

If any entrant not in the top six would like to know how their image fared, please contact Brian Pitkin.

Photo Contest Book now on Amazon.com

"The World's greatest underwater photography in a coffee-table book!"

"We have compiled a collection of winning images from 10 years of the World's #1 underwater photo contest. There has never been a collection of u/w images of this quality published before, ever!"

"See these stunning images the way they were meant to be seen, printed in full color at high resolution" [editor Benny Sutton, UnderwaterPhotography.com].

To buy your copy visit http://www.amazon.com/

Celebrate the Sea

Celebrate the Sea Imagery Festival - Winners

Congratulations to BSoUP member Ross Gudgeon who was awarded the Merit of Excellence and to BSoUP member Debi Henshaw who received an Honorable mention in the Colour Prints category in the recent Celebrate the Sae Imagery Festival.

Ross wins a Asia Diver/ Puerto Galera dive package and Debi wins a Ocean Geographic Voucher for A$50

The event was held between 12-14 June at the Manila Ocean Park, Philippines

For further details plesase vitit www.celebratethesea.oneocean.com/

Website of the Week - Graham Smith

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP member's website. The week's choice is Graham Smith.

Graham's first instruction was from Martin Edge on one of his Bournemouth, England, weekend courses. At Martin's encouragement he joined BSoUP and recommends their website. Sessions with the world famous Cathy Church in Grand Cayman followed. Equipment-wise he started with the Nikonos V system and in 2004 moved on to the Nikon D100 in a Subal housing to produce digital images.

Graham's galleries contain photographs taken in the warm, crystal clear waters of the Cayman Islands in the British West Indies. Scuba diving brought him and his wife Patricia there some 9 years ago and they now spend several months each year in their home just off the famous Seven Mile Beach.

Elaine Whiteford's Exhbition

Elaine Whiteford - Underwater Photography Exhibition

An exhibition of underwater photography by BSOUP member Elaine Whiteford opens at the Stirling Smith Gallery on 20 June, 2009. The exhibition, which runs to September 6, features 50 of Elaine's underwater photographs and is supported by PADI. This is Elaine's first major solo exhibition and it is hoped that the exhibition will tour other venues after its run at the Stirling Smith. Elaine has had photo articles published a wide range of magazines. She is a contributor wildlife photographer to the Scottish Wildlife Trust and a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society.

You can keep up to date with the exhibition at Elaine's blog, http://sublimescubaphotography.blogspot.com or on her Facebook page.

The Stirling Smith's website is http://www.smithartgallery.demon.co.uk/

BSoUP Annual Splash-in Championship - Deadline

For those planning to come to the Splash-In in a few weeks, don’t forget to register by Wednesday 24th June at www.bsoup.org/splash.php. While you can register on the Friday night, 3rd July we need barbeque bookings by the 24th and it will help us to know who is coming in advance for the Splash-In itself. 

If you are still looking for accommodation we may have one or two rooms available in the Premier Inn next to the Aquarium – contact Martha Tressler.

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

Next BSoUP meeting

The next BSoUP meeting takes place on Wednesday, 17th June 2009 at 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. at our usual venue the Holland Club, Imperial College, S. Kensington, London. Directions.

Photo techniques: Simon Brown - Dealing with copyright infringement

"Have you found one of your images used without consent? Has a website copied your image and used it to promote their company? Has an image been reproduced on a t-shirt and is now for sale? The internet has allowed anyone to search for and use images without permission and during this month's
technical talk Simon will share a 6 step approach to dealing with copyright infringement, covering how to gather evidence to what an infringer should pay and, if all else fails, when to call in the legal heavyweights and recover damages."

Simon supplies the worldwide dive press with individual images and features, including the UK's DIVE magazine and Germany's Unterwasser magazine, Simon rarely enters photographic competitions, but last month his image of a feeding goose took top prize in the Advanced British and Irish section at the BSOUP prints contest. His eldest daughter has spent the winnings on a new set of Oceanic regulators.....he lives in Hampshire with Jane and two daughters.

To see some of Simon's work please visit
www.simonbrownimages.com

Focus On Competition: Macro - images taken with a primary macro lens or macro supplementary lens. Please note that the competitoin is limited to just ONE image per photographer in expectation on a large number of entries.

Main Event: Linda Pitkin - Wild Wonders of Europe.

Last year Linda undertook a mission for the Wild Wonders of Europe project diving out of Corsica to photograph large Dusky Groupers and other marine life. Linda and her husband Brian spent a week on a liveaboard 'MS Galiote' with a delightful group of mainly German divers exploring the Lavezzi Islands between Corsica and Sardinia. Linda will be talking about the Wild Wonders of Europe project and her own mission.

Linda is the author of four books on marine life and has contributed dozens of articles and thousands of images to magazines, other books and CD covers. She currently has an exhibition at the London Zoo and has previously exhibited at the Deep in Hull and the London Aquarium.

To see some of Linda's work please visit her website at www.lindapitkin.net

Aphrodite Announces the Lucky Winners

Aphrodite 2009, the first underwater world of images in Larnaka, Cyprus, sponsored by the Cyprus tourist organization, has finally concluded. Valuable prizes were granted to the winning photographers, including 17,000 Euro in cash, expensive underwater photography equipment, luxurious diving vacations and more. The competition was tough, the tension was high and it was a very emotional moment when the lucky winners finally got all up on stage, equipped with their huge checks and sparkling eyes. 

For further details please visit http://www.aphroditecyprus.com/

Aprohrodite Winners : Image by Razi Livnat

Shark kills snorkeller in Red Sea

A woman has died after being attacked by a shark at St Johns Reef, in the southern Red Sea.

According to Egypt's Chamber of Diving & Watersports (CDWS), the French woman was on a diving safari holiday aboard the charter vessel Lanotel, which was moored at the reef on Monday, 1 June with some other boats.

The woman was among a group of about 20 snorkellers, who were observing what was thought to be an oceanic whitetip shark, of an estimated 2.5-3m in length.

“The woman is reported to have moved away from the group and some distance from the reef, then duck-dived down towards the shark,” stated the CDWS. “On surfacing, she was bitten on the leg and was still in contact with the shark as she was pulled onto the boat. “Once on the boat, the casualty lost consciousness and died soon after.” More..

MCS Good Beach Guide 2009

Number of top quality beaches plummets

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) recently announced a 16.5% drop in the number of UK bathing beaches recommended for excellent water quality in its annual Good Beach Guide (www.goodbeachguide.co.uk), compared to last year. In total, 370 (47.5%) UK beaches are ‘MCS Recommended’ this year out of 777 tested, compared to 444 last year. This is the biggest year-on-year fall in the guide’s 22 year history and the first time since 2002 that MCS has recommended less than half of Britain’s bathing beaches.

The latest bathing water tests, conducted from May to September 2008, coincided with the seventh wettest British summer on record. Beaches failing the minimum legal standard jumped almost 50% from 53 to 78. MCS blames this steep drop in water quality on a combination of flood water mixed with sewage gushing from combined sewer overflows and polluted storm water running off farm land and city streets into rivers and the sea. More ..

Neil Rosewarn

Website of the Week - Neil Rosewarn

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP member's website. This week's choice is Neil Rosewarn. Neil has enjoyed a passion for photography and art for the past 20 years. He studied photography at Portsmouth University and during his time there had an overwhelming urge to take his camera underwater. Being passionate about art, design and photography as well as nature, outdoor pursuits and travel; underwater photography provides Neil with a perfect medium in which to work. Travelling to Egypt, Malaysia, Seychelles, Cayman, Philippines, Micronesia and of course the Cornish coast provides a feast of visual opportunity.

To learn more about Neil and to view his images please visit http://www.neilrosewarn.com/

D-Day anniversary remembered

A series of special events have been organised in the south of England to mark the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

The BBC website includes a short video interviewing survivors of the landing and a clip of some of the tanks that didn't make it across the Channel taken by members of Southsea Sub-Aqua Club. BSoUP member Martin Davies (right) is interviewed about the sunken tanks.

To view the video please visit news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8085378.stm

To learn more about the Southsea Sub-Aqua Club's tank project please visit www.southseasubaqua.org.uk/special-projects

One of the three winning images by Trevor Rees

Epson Red Sea - Monthly Competition - May

Congratulations to BSoUP member Trevor Rees whose images submitted for the May Competition were judged the best. Trevor received 52.5% of all votes cast.

The Second place went to Robert Bailey  Robert who won the April competition received 26.3% of all votes cast for his images in May.

To view all of the images entered in the May competition please visit www.eilatredsea.com or the Adobe Web Gallery on this website.

Enter the June Competition.

Stevenage Underwater Photographic Society - Next meeting

Focus-on: 'REFLECTIONS': Don't forget that you can have underwater and land images and they don't necessarily have to be dive related.

1st Show: Festival Exhibition Image Selection 
Please upload or bring along any images you wish to be considered for display!!

2nd Show: Rolling SUPS Images 
Bob will bring the SUPS show that was put together for the Art's Guild open day.

For further details please visit http://www.sups-online.com/index.html

Bristol Underwater Photographic Group - Next meeting

The next BUPG meeting takes place on June 8th.

The Meeting (start time 2000hrs) will be at our normal venue - The Casson Centre, Rodway Road, Patchway, BS34 5DQ (map).

The monthly competition theme is 'Macro' - this covers any subject of A4 size or smaller. Send your digital files to Bob Anthony (anthonyrez30@tiscali.co.uk) and please include BUPG on the subject line.

If time allows, there will be a Forum on 'Green Water' and this will be led by Arthur Kingdon.

The main item on the programme is a presentation by Simon Rogerson (Editor of Dive magazine) on the subject of 'Wide Angle'. Expect some stunning images along with a good deal of advice on how to achieve such images.

For further details please visit http://www.bupg.co.uk/

African Diver - Latest issue

The latest version of the FREE magazine African Diver is now available to download.

Issue #5 includes 'Paradisiacal Pomene, Mozambique', 'Experiencing boundless Southern Africa in Ponta Mamoli', 'Save Our Seas Foundation Awareness
Campaign', 'Diving Mauritania and Western Sahara', 'African News', 'Ponta Du Oura', 'Marine animal injuries', 'Will the Sardine run', 'The 10th annual Fujifilm Sodwana Shotout' and 'One shot - right time right place'.

To download you copy please visit www.africandiver.com

Website of the Week - Nick Robertson-Brown

Each week we are highlighting a BSoUP member's website. This week's choice is Orca Divers, the website of Nick Robertson-Brown.

Nick, Caroline and Paddy (the dive dog) are the full time members of staff and also the owners of Orca Divers. Please pop into the shop to say hello and meet them. Thier instructors have dived in all 7 continents and so can offer advice on your up-coming holidays as well as on the diving. The countries they have dived include: All UK, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Soloman Islands, Antarctica, America, all over the Caribbean, as well as many other European destinations.

On the pages on their website you can find more information on the courses they offer, equipment sales and servicing, underwater photography, club membership, news and diving trips.

For further information please visit their website at www.orcadivers.com/

End of the line - World Oceans' Day - June 8th

After its successful international premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Utah, The End of the Line is finally coming to UK cinema screens. Based on environmental journalist Charles Clover's book, it's a disturbing and powerful film about one of the world's most shockingly ignored problems - overfishing.For centuries we've assumed the ocean's resources to be limitless - we can take what we like but there will always be 'plenty more fish in the sea'. Now we know better - advances in fishing technology and too many boats chasing too few fish mean that we're now on the verge of losing whole species of wild fish; over the past century our fishing fleets have emptied the seas so successfully that many stocks of familiar fish such as cod, tuna and salmon are close to collapse.

The situation is so grim that unless we change our wasteful and destructive ways we could see fish stocks collapse around the world.

We can't afford to lose this essential food source - an estimated 1 billion people worldwide depend on fish for their main source of protein. Hundreds of other 'non-food' species are also threatened because they are victims of industrial fishing methods - 'accidentally' caught in nets and on long-lines, then thrown back into the sea dead or dying.The End Of The Line examines what we are doing in our relentless quest to catch fish, and points the finger at the politicians, corporations and chefs who are to blame.

At a Vue cinema near you. Further details http://endoftheline.com/things_to_do/screenings

Aphrodite

The Cyprus Experience Larnaka, Cyprus June 1-6 2009

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the city of Larnaka, are proud to announce the first International Underwater Photo Competition.The competition is open to all photographers worldwide, both amateurs and professionals.It is a ”shoot-out” competition, meaning:photographs must be taken in Cyprus, during June 2-4 2009.Prizes totaling 20,000 Euros will be awarded to the best in five categories. More prizes to come.

For more Information & Registration visit www.aphroditecyprus.com

DiveSearch Competition - Spring 2009

Deadline: Wednesday June 10th 2009

Highlighting the diving around Devon and Cornwall

The website Divesearch.co.uk is launching a series of competitions for articles and related underwater photographs on UK diving. The first of these will focus on the South West of England, focusing on Devon and Cornwall. The winner will receive a Ralf Tech Shark Tech Bag courtesy of SDS Watersports

Photographers of all abilities are welcome to participate in this competition. Up to 12 photographs may be submitted per entrant and only digital jpg format will be accepted. Photos should be no bigger than 800 x 600 pixels. Supporting text should describe the contents of the photographs and a general description of diving in the area, 500 words maximum.

Please email the text and photographs to competition@divesearch.co.uk. Filenames should comprise the photographer's name and the dive location taken. Images will remain the copyright of the photographer.

Images will remain the copyright of the photographer.  Divesearch reserves the right to display winning images for a period of up to two years in connection with the competition, either in a winners gallery or to promote future competitions.  Where displayed, each image will be credited to the photographer.  Any image use beyond these terms will be subject to a separate negotiation between Divesearch and the photographer.

Divesearch may edit any text received or alter size of photographs. Only genuine photographs from Devon and Cornwall must be submitted, manipulation of photographs is not encouraged.

Seasonal Seas Two

Deadline for submissions is June 15, 2009

New World Publications invites you to become a part of the Sensational Seas 2010 production. Sensational Seas Two follows the success of the Sensational Seas 2004 DVD by once again bringing together exceptional underwater images from both established professionals and talented amateurs. Stan Waterman will return as narrator to escort us through the exciting underwater anthology. Scuba divers are at the forefront of observation and documentation beneath the sea and often have stories to share; things so extraordinary that fellow divers should see them. If you have an exceptional underwater story, something rare or outrageous or even funny and have it captured on video, consider contributing it to Sensational Seas Two.

The proceeds of the sales will go to benefit REEF (the Reef Environmental Education Foundation), the Ocean Pal’s Foundation and a yet-to-be selected ocean conservation organization in Asia.