Underwater Photography and Videography, News, Forums, Trips, Photo Contests :: Wetpixel.com

Please join me in welcoming Cor Bosman and Julie Edwards as the newest Wetpixel moderators (see all)!  Cor and Julie are both fantastic shooters, specializing mostly in macro critters in the South Pacific.  Their work can be see on their webpage at underwa.ter.net, and Julie has both the cover and a portfolio in the current issue of Australasian Scuba Diver.

The Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society (LAUPS) has announced a call for entries for their 2007 International Photo Competition. Wetpixel members have done very well in previous years, and should be interested to see the new “Behavior” category, as well an expansion of the “Cold Water” category - the deadline for entry is midnight on September 21, 2007.

The society is also celebrating its 50th anniversary at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium on August 25, from 6PM-10PM. Formed in 1957 with early membership by Zale Perry, Mel Fisher, Ron Church, and Stan Waterman, LAUPS is one of the oldest underwater photography clubs in the world. Learn more about the event and attend to meet some of the past members…

Although it is nice to come back from a dive with pretty photos of underwater subjects, there is often nothing as satisfying as capturing animal behavior. 

Jason Heller of DivePhotoGuide and I are working on an upcoming IMAGES column for Sport Diver magazine about how to photograph the behavior of underwater animals. Do you have a favorite tip or two you’d like to share? If so, head on over to our forums and let us know!  We’ll be pulling from your quotes and images for the sidebar of the article.

The results are in from the 2007 Layang Layang Underwater Photo Shootout in Sabah, Malaysia. The winners, whose photographs were judged by Stephen Wong, Kurt Svrcula, Settimio Cipriani, and Wetpixel’s own Mike Veitch, received prizes including trips to Borneo and the Maldives, Nautica sports watches, Oceanic dive computers, and Nikon cameras.

Continue for the full press release and the winning images…

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa recently lifted the ban on the sale of shark fins. During the ban, the sale of shark fins was punishable by up to two years in prison, but under the new laws, fins from sharks caught “accidentally” may be legally traded.

Wetpixel member Mark Harding (writepic) has started a petition protesting this lift on the shark fin ban. In addition to showing the petition on Ecuadorian TV this Friday, Mark will be flying to Ecuador to present the petition in person to President Correa, the Minister for Tourism, and the British and American Ambassadors in Ecuador.

Mark is asking for your help - he has posted a sample letter in the Conservation and the Environment forum, and is requesting that people supporting the ban sign up to add their name to the list - sending an email takes less than a minute and requires only your name and e-mail address.

Eco Divers has been selected by Asian Diver Magazine to host the the 2007 Ocean Odyssey Digital Photo Shootout. The competition will be held at both the Tasik Ria Resort, from November 26 - December 1, 2007, and Kungkungan Bay Resort, from November 30 - December 5, 2007.

Featuring standard categories, but open only to entries from digital cameras, winners can receive prizes including Mares regulators, Citizen dive watches, and liveaboard trips. The winner of ‘Best Portfolio’ will receive a Nikon D80 camera kit and housing. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend seminars and learn from judges Rod Klein, Mathieu Meur, Wolfgang Pölzer, Stephen Wong, and Takako Uno. Continue reading for the full press release…

Videographer Mark Thorpe (CamDiver) has posted an excellent article on shooting macro and supermacro video, which includes information on diopters, sharpness, chromatic aberration, port selection, lighting, camera stability, and more. Head on over to the forums and participate in the conversation!

Want to expand your participation at Wetpixel.com?  We are looking for folks who are interested in writing reviews for underwater photography books, DVDs, and other published media.  If you’re interested, please send Eric a writing sample and a brief bio (so we know who you are!).