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BSoUP's
Splash-in Competition 1994
by
Brian Pitkin
Reproduced
from in focus 52 (August
1994)
Each
year the British Society of Underwater Photographers organises
a national on-the-day competition at Fort Bovisand Underwater
Centre, Plymouth. This year's event, sponsored in part by
AGFA who supplied film and processing chemicals at 50% of
normal retail price, took place on Saturday 5 June and attracted
42 underwater photographers.
At
9.00 in the morning each competitor was issued with a roll
of Agfachrome 36 exposure 35 mm RS50 PLUS or RS100 PLUS slide
film to expose in Plymouth waters before 4.30 in the afternoon.
Returned films were then processed in the Fort's darkroom
by BSoUP member PETER ROWLANDS, assisted by DEBBIE PERRIN,
and subsequently returned to the competitors to make a selection
of their best slides for projection and judging during the
evening.
Additionally,
prior to the day, photographers had been invited to submit
up to three prints, to a maximum A4 size, taken underwater
anywhere in the world. A total of 54 prints were received
and these were put on display during the evening for those
present to choose their favourite three. As usual the entries
were of a high standard and en masse were a very fine sight.
Unfortunately
for those competing on-the-day, the weather was appalling,
with gale force winds raging across Plymouth harbour and whipping
the sea into a frenzy, reducing visibility inshore to virtually
nothing. Despite this a few competitors did find a quiet and
reasonably clear patch of water, although the majority of
competition entries were macro or extreme close-up shots,
as dictated by the very poor visibility.
During
the evening about a hundred people gathered for the projection
and judging. All of the slides were projected twice and the
audience invited to vote for their favourite three in each
of two categories - straight and humorous. Third place overall
went to ALAN JAMES from Bristol for his macro photograph of
a cup coral. The runner-up was CHARLES HOOD from Wimbledon,
London with a wide-angle shot of seaweed. The winner, with
a macro photograph of a strawberry anemone, was DAVE PEAKE
from Yelverton, Devon. Dave was presented with the BSoUP trophy
and a gold medal by the Society's Chairman, Brian Pitkin.
Second and third placed photographers, Charles and Alan, were
presented with silver and bronze medals respectively.
The
winner of the humour category was MARTIN PARKER from Redruth,
Cornwall, with a photograph of diver seemingly taking a dog(fish)
on a leash for a walk. Martin was presented with the Aquamatic
Trophy and a gold medal.
Third
in the British prints category was WYN ROBERTS from Llangollen,
Clwyd, with a close-up photograph of a scorpion fish. The
runner-up was GREG CASSAR from Hartfield, Sussex with a close-up
photograph of a pipe-fish. The winner, with a portrait of
a seal, was CHARLES HOOD, also runner-up on-the-day. Charles
was presented with the Ocean Optics trophy and a gold medal.
Silver and bronze medals were presented to Greg and Wyn.
Third
and second in the Open prints category was PETER ROWLANDS
from Hammersmith, London, with wide-angle photographs of a
shipwreck and a coral silhouette. Peter was presented with
silver and gold medals. The winner, with a photograph of a
diver admiring lion fish amongst a shoal of glass fish, was
KEVIN CULLIMORE from Chingford, Essex. Kevin, who retreated
to London on seeing the water and weather conditions, won
the Greenaway-Marine trophy and a gold medal.
After
the event, Brian Pitkin commented that "despite the appalling
conditions the event proved to be extremely successful and
was enjoyed by all who attended. This is due, in no small
way to the hard work of several members, particularly the
film processors, to whom the Society is extremely grateful.
We are also indebted to Alan Bax and all his staff at Fort
Bovisand for use of facilities and to Pierre Muller at AGFA
for discounted film and processing chemicals. Next year, however,
we shall hold the competition in July, rather than June, in
the hope of better conditions."
| RESULTS |
|
|
| ON
THE DAY |
|
|
|
Position |
Points |
Photographer |
Subject |
|
1 |
52 |
Charles
Hood |
Strawberry
anemone |
|
2 |
33 |
Alan
James |
Seaweed |
|
3 |
23 |
Greg
Cassar |
Cup
coral |
| HUMOROUS
SLIDES |
|
|
|
Position |
Points |
Photographer |
Subject |
| |
|
|
|
|
1 |
28 |
Martin
Parker |
Diver
& dogfish on lead |
|
2 |
12 |
Charles
Hood |
Untitled |
|
3 |
6 |
Tony
Rood |
Speedo
swimmer |
| BRITISH
PRINTS |
|
|
|
Position |
Points |
Photographer |
Subject |
|
1 |
17 |
Charles
Hood |
Seal
portrait |
|
2 |
16 |
Greg
Cassar |
Pipefish |
|
3 |
13 |
Wyn
Roberts |
Scorpion
fish |
| OVERSEAS
PRINTS |
|
|
|
Position |
Points |
Photographer |
Subject |
| |
|
|
|
|
1 |
48 |
Kevin
Cullimore |
Sweepers
& diver |
|
2 |
47 |
Peter
Rowlands |
Coral
silhouette |
|
3 |
19 |
Peter
Rowlands |
Wreck
& diver |
|
