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BSoUP's Splash-in Competition 1997

by Brian Pitkin

Snakelocks anemone and spider crab by Peter Tatton.

Winner 'On the Day'

Horse mackerel by Peter Hewitt.

Runner-up 'On the Day'

Tompot blenny by Alan James.

Third 'On the Day'

The Annual BSoUP Splash-in took place on Saturday 5 July at Fort Bovisand Underwater Centre, Plymouth, Devon. All underwater photographers were invited to participate, whether they were members of BSoUP or not, but please note that non-members paid higher entry fees. The event was sponsored by ANDREW CHURNIN of THE DIVE EMPORIUM. Andrew generously donated gift vouchers totalling £350 to the winners!There were two classes - Slides taken 'On the Day' and Prints taken prior to the event.

The Slide class included two categories, one for serious underwater photographs and one for humour. In this unique competition, entrants were provided with a roll of 36 x 35 mm film in the morning and had until tea-time to expose it in Plymouth waters.

The winner in the "On the Day" category was PETER TATTON with a photograph of a scorpion spider crab. Peter, a dentist by profession, is BSoUP's Treasurer and also a member of St Albans diving club and St Albans & District Photographic Society. He has been diving since 1968 and taking underwater photographs for the past 18 years. He took the winning shot in 6m just off the rock pool alongside Fort Bovisand using a Nikon 801S with a 60mm macro lens in a Subal housing and an SB24 in a Cullimore housing at 1/60^th @ f11. His favourite British dive sites are the Farne Islands, St ASplashs and Salcombe. Peter was awarded the BSoUP Trophy, a gold medal and a voucher for £100

The runner-up "On the Day" was PETER HEWITT with a photograph of horse mackerel. Peter, from Middlesex, is a design draughtsman by profession is a member of the British Airways Club, Sub-Aqua Section and a member of BSoUP. He has been diving for 25 years and taking underwater photographs for the last 23 years. Peter took his photograph on the wreck of the James Eagan Layne using a Nikonos II with a standard 35 mm lens at 1/60^th @ f8-11 lit by a Sea & Sea Yellow Sub 35. Peter was awarded a silver medal.

Third place "On the Day" went to GORDON JAMES with a photograph of a Tom Pot Blenny. Gordon, from Bristol is an IT project manager with the Civil Service and a member of Clifton BSAC. Gordon took his portrait using a Nikonos 601 with a 105 mm macro lens in an Ikelite housing at 1/60^th @ f22 lit by an Ikelite 150 and an Ikelite MV flashgun at Hillsea Point. Gordon, whose favourite British dive site is Hillsea Point Rock, was awarded a bronze medal.

The winner in the humour category was MARTIN PARKER with a photograph of a surf boarder riding upside down on the surface. Martin is managing director of AP-Valves and a member of BsoUP, CornSoUP and Peninsular SAC. He has been diving for 23 years and taking underwater photographs for 6 years. He took his winning natural light shot at Cawsands using a Nikon F90 with a 20mm lens in a Subal housing. He set the camera to programme mode and the lens to auto focus, but thinks that the exposure was about 1/60^th @ f11. Martin's favourite British dive site is the Runnel Stone in Cornwall. Martin was awarded the AP-Valves Trophy, a gold medal and a voucher for £50

Runner-up in the humour category was CHARLES HOOD with a photograph entitled CrabSoUP. Third place went to KEN SULLIVAN with a photograph entitlted Concord.

The winner in the Overseas Prints category was PETER LADELL with a photograph of a moray eel with a cleaner shrimp. Peter a goldsmith by profession, is a BsoUP Committee member as well as belonging to Photosub, Challney Camera Club and 35PC. Peter has been diving for 15 years and taking underwater photographs for 14 years. He took his winning photograph using a Pentax LX with a 50mm lens and x2 diopter accessory lens in his own custom built housing lit by with Aqua F1 and Ikelite MV flashguns at 1/75^th @ f32-22 in Eilat. Peter's favourite British dive sites are the Farne Islands and St ASplashs. Peter was awarded the Greenaway Marine Trophy, a gold medal and a voucher for £100

The runner-up in the Overseas Prints category was ANDY HIRST with a photograph of a shoal of goat fish. Andy, fromBlackburn in Lancashire, took his photograph in Sipadan, Malaysia using a Nikon 801 with a 16mm fisheye lens in a Subal housing at 1/125^th @ f8-11 lit by an SB24 flashgun in a housing he designed and built. Andy, whose favourite British dive site is Weasel Loch, Eyemouth, was awarded a silver medal.

Third place in the Overseas Prints category went to LEN DEELEY for his photograph of a hawkfish. Len, a facilities manager form Wormley in Surrey, is a member of BsoUP, Photosub and Godalming Photographic Club. Len has been diving for 27 years and taking photographs for 13 years. Len took his hawkfish photograph using a Nikon F90 with a 60mm macro lens in an Aquatica housing using aperture priority, lit by an SB26 in a Cullimore housing and a slave flashgun. Len, whose favourite British dive sites are St ASplashs, St Kilda and the Western Isles, was awarded a bronze medal.

The winner in the British Prints category was CHARLES HOOD with a photograph of seals. Charles, an IT Account Manager, is a BSoUP member and belongs to EXUL (ex University of London branch). He has been diving for 18 years and taking underwater photographs for 17 years. He took his winning photograph of two grey seals playing at the surface using a Nikon F801S with a 20mm lens in a Subal housing lit by twin Sea & Sea YS50 flasguns at 1/125^th @ f8 in the Farne Islands. Charles' favourite British sites are Land's End, Cornwall and the Farne Islands. Charles was awarded the Ocean Optics Trophy, a gold medal and a voucher for £100.

The runner-up in the British Prints category was KEVIN CULLIMORE with a photograph of a pike. Kevin, from North Chingford, London has been diving for 25 years and taking underwater photographs for 20 years.. He took his photograph of a pike in Gildenburgh using a Nikon F90X with a 15 mm lens in a housing he designed and built at 1/100^th @ f11, lit by Nikon S25 in the housing he designed, built and markets. Kevin, whose favourite dive sites are Gildenburgh and Swanage, was awarded a silver medal.