BSoUP's Splash-in Competition 1992

by Brian Pitkin

Reproduced from in focus 45 (August 1992)

Each year the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) organises a unique photographic competition at Fort Bovisand Underwater Centre. This year's event was generously sponsored, for the sixth year running, by AGFA-Gevaert Ltd, who supplied all of the film and processing chemicals.

Saturday 6 June saw 50 enthusiasts assemble to register for the event and collect a roll of the new RS 50 PLUS or RS 100 PLUS Agfachrome slide film to expose in Plymouth waters before 4.30 p.m.

John Souness, winner 'On the Day', with the BSoUP Trophy and a prize of Mike Wong's book 'Sipadan'.

The sea conditions were reasonably good with NW winds veering NE 4-5 and visibility up to 10M, albeit slightly spoiled by a light bloom of plankton. If the sun had shone as well it would had been a perfect day. As it was the sky remained stubbornly overcast, but for a very brief period after lunch which preceded a mirror like calm.

Having loaded their films into a variety of different cameras, the participants dispersed. Some sought clear shallow waters farther offshore while others ventured into the rock pools and shallow gullies around the harbour. One group took off on the 9-o-clock Bovisand shuttle to the wreck of the James Eagan Layne. Wherever they dived, most agreed that there was an unusual abundance of marine life as compared to previous years.

By tea time. all but one of the films had been returned and the task of loading the film ready for processing began. Mark Webster, Kevin Cullimore, Les Kemp and David Nardini had drawn the short straws for this and spent an agonising half hour in complete darkness winding film after film onto the processing spirals. Once ready, Mark and Kevin were joined by Peter Ladell, as time keeper, for the chemical magic which followed. Four hours and two separate processing sessions later, the dry, sleeved films were returned to the photographers. They had to choose two or three of their best for projection and judging.

Whilst the processing continued downstairs in the bowels of the Fort, a display of prints was mounted in the room adjacent to reception for judging by anyone present. Each was given a voting slip and asked to choose their favourite three pictures in order of preferences.

By 10-o-clock all of the slide entries taken on the day were in carousels for projection and judging by the audience present. The slide show began with the 15 entries in the Humour category and was followed by the 68 entries in the main category. All slides were projected twice before the voting slips were collected and counted.

THE WINNERS

Third place in the British Prints category went to DAVE PEAKE for a close-up of a Jellyfish with small fish fry hiding amongst its stinging tentacles, which scored 23 points. Second place, with 25 points went to KEVIN CULLIMORE for his Pike and diver shot. The winner of the Ocean Optics Trophy, a gold medal, two Capital Radio T-shirts, donated by Capital and two tickets for the Marine Conservation Society's Seas Fit for Life Extravaganza, was LES KEMP for his beautiful composition of a Plumose anemone taken under Swanage Pier, which scored 41 points.

In the Open Prints category, third and second place went to CHARLES HOOD for his wide-angle shot of an Anemone and clown fish and portrait of a turtle, which scored 27 and 28 points respectively. LES KEMP's British Waters winning shot scored more points than any of the Open Waters prints and was therefore declared the overall winner. Les was presented with the Greenaway Marine Trophy, a gold medal, a Capital Radio sweat shirt and a pair of tickets for the Capital Radio Festival show of his choice, donated by Capital.

Third place in the Humour slide category on the day went to TONY ROOD who scored 74 points for his sky scraper scene. Second place with 11 points went to CHRIS LAWRENCE for his fly Sun reader. The winner with a thumping 125 points was JAN MALONEY for Bovi Disney. Jan was presented with the Aquamatic Trophy and a Gold Medal plus a Capital Radio sweat shirt, donated by Capital, by Mr BRIAN GREAVES of AGFA-Gevaert Ltd.

Third place on the day went to MARTIN EDGE who's pipe fish and diver portrait shot scored 20 points. Second place on the day went to last year's winner KEVIN CULLIMORE who's double exposure shot of a tube worm scored 26 points. The winner of the BSoUP Trophy, a gold medal and a copy of Mike Wong's book "Sipadan, Borneo's Underwater Paradise" was JOHN SOUNESS for his double exposure of a squat lobster, which scored 49 points.

Pike by Kevin Cullimore. Kevin's shot came second in the British Prints category.

Jellyfish with fish fry by Dave Peake, which came third in the British Prints category.

John started diving and taking underwater photographs over thirty years ago, building his own housing, as was the norm then. His business in the smoked fish trade took him away from the hobby until just a couple of years ago when he sold the business to become a consultant in the food industry. It was then that he acquired a Pentax SP7 and an Ikelite housing and returned to the sea. He had never previously entered a photographic competition, although confesses that he acted as boatman for Dave Peake in the competition two years ago. John, who lives in Cornwall, spent about an hour with the squat lobster before returning it unharmed to its lair. He used an Ikelite A1100 strobe to light the little chap.

Turtle by Charles Hood. Chalie's print came second in the Open Prints category.

Clown fish in anemone by Charles Hood. Charlie came third in the Open Prints category.

THANKS

The Society is grateful to Mr Brian Greaves for presenting the winners with their awards and prizes; to AGFA-Gevaert Ltd for continued sponsorship; to Capital Radio and the Marine Conservation Society for providing prizes and to all the staff at Fort Bovisand for their hospitality.

Thanks also go to Mark Webster, David Nardini, Les Kemp, Kevin Cullimore, Mike Maloney, Viv Turner, Peter Ladell, Jon Field, John Langford Paul Naylor and Jan Maloney for invaluable help on the day.