Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Submit your product to Wetpixel for DEMA coverage 2009

Wetpixel has been covering underwater media products at the DEMA Show since the year 2000. Each year, we have sent a small team of reporters to cover the DEMA show floor. During the first few years, we wandered around—carefree—because there were almost literally no digital photography products being announced. But last year, a team of three reporters were forced to buzz around the floor non-stop during the day, retiring to hotel rooms to write articles at night; I think we averaged around 2-3 hours of sleep per night, and by the end of the show, most people greeted me on the floor with a hearty, “WHOAH—what happened to you?!”

This year, products that you want to be covered by our Wetpixel DEMA report will require online submission. If you do not submit your products, they will not be covered in Wetpixel’s DEMA 2009 coverage. Continue reading for full details!

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Blue Heron Bridge to be closed to divers for a year?

The Blue Heron Bridge, the site where the recent striated frogfish spawning was filmed, may be in danger of being closed to divers for a year. Today, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host an Open House to inform the community about the upcoming Little Blue Heron Bridge Replacement Project. If you’re local to Palm Beach, please go and voice your opinion!

Time and location:
Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Palm Beach Shores Town Hall Street
214 Edwards Lane, Palm Beach Shores FL 33404

Monday, August 17th, 2009

NCUPS 45th International Underwater Photographic Competition

The Northern California Underwater Photographic Society proudly presents the 45th Annual SEA International Underwater Photographic Competition, and the Bob Commer Award of Excellence in Underwater Photography. This “mail-in” underwater digital still / print photography and underwater videography competition is open to amateur photographers and videographers from around the world. The prize list is impressive totaling in the tens of thousands of dollars. Previous competitions have brought in hundreds of the finest still image, print, and video entries from underwater photographers and videographers around the world!

Friday, August 14th, 2009

The Cove: Documentary about Taiji’s annual dolphin slaughter

I finally went to see The Cove, a documentary about the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. The Cove made its way around the film festival circuit this year, earning over a dozen awards—and for good reason. I had seen short clips of the water running crimson from the blood of dolphins being killed there, but this seems to be the first time anyone has taken comprehensive footage and put it together into a compelling story that will be sure to reach a wide audience.

The Cove is out in theaters now, and it should be relatively easy to find a showing; in the San Francisco Bay Area alone, it is currently playing in 5 theaters. Anyone who is interested in the ocean and its marine wildlife should definitely go see it. To take action against the slaughter, go to takepart.com/thecove/.

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Film Festival at Benthic Ecology Meeting 2010

Announcing an exciting new dimension to a scientific conference: in addition to the usual posters and oral presentations, BEM 2010 will host short films! Creators and directors ranging from professionals to amateur and student filmmakers are invited to submit their entries on topics related to marine biology and conservation. The competition will take place in the beautiful new Lumina Theater in the Fisher Center on the campus of UNC Wilmington. This is a great chance to come to a scientific conference, show your film and interact with a large group of active researchers and scientists.

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Lowepro Pro Roller 3 suitcase review

The quest for the ultimate underwater photography travel case is one that will probably never end. I have used Pelican cases, Storm cases, Lightware cases, Samsonite luggage with Pelican dividers, coolers, and more. I’m always in the market for photography bags.

I was over at Backscatter the other day and ended up coming home with a brand-new Lowepro Pro Roller 3 rolling suitcase. Aside from the name of the brand (which thieves probably associate with camera gear), this suitcase, from the outside, is like any other semi-rigid suitcase. But inside, it’s a serious photography case…

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Ultimate Indonesia underwater photography gallery online

Wepixel moderators Cor Bosman and Julie Edwards have posted a gallery of their images from the Wetpixel Ultimate Indonesia expedition earlier this year. The Ultimate Indonesia trip spanned 40 days and included Lembeh Strait, Raja Ampat, Halmehera, Ambon, the Banda Sea, and Maumere.

Check out Cor and Julie’s gallery. It features some fantastic imagery!

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

DivePhotoGuide launches monthly photo contests

Our friends over at DivePhotoGuide are launching a new, monthly underwater photo cotest series.

This contest is geared to promote friendly competition, to push photographers’ skills and to give photographers specific themes or subjects to shoot on their next dive. By always posting the themes/subjects for the next six months, they will provide underwater photographers with personal assignments and specific goals to shoot specifically for the contests, if they do not already have images to enter for the themes.

The monthly contest is free to enter. DPG will be giving away valuable prizes each month, and a grand prize at the end of each year.

Monday, August 10th, 2009

High-resolution frame grabs from RED ONE camera

As part of the Gates RED ONE underwater housing review, Howard Hall send us high-resolution TIFF screengrabs from his RED ONE. Unfortunately, at 47.5MB each, they are far too large to host in their original form. But we have converted them to high-quality, full-resolution JPGs, which you can download for your pixel-peeping pleasure.

The link to the gallery can be found at the bottom of the review, but you can also go directly to it.

Monday, August 10th, 2009

PangeaSeed Fuji Rock Festival 09, No Fin No Future

PangeaSeed, an organization in Japan dedicated to raising awareness about the global plight of sharks, has sent us a report of their summer activities, which included the Fuji Rock Festival 09 and No Fin No Future, a fundraising event featuring donated prints and photography from artists. No Fin No Future also included a screening of the award-winning documentary, SharkWater.

The report can be found on PangeaSeed’s website, and you can purchase some really cool prints at the PangeaSeed Art Mart. Seriously, if you’re into sharks, you should click through to see the prints. I want some.

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