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Video tribute to Wes Skiles
Axel Sproul has posted a powerful tribute to the late Wes Skiles on Vimeo. It includes film shot of Wes during cave diving projects, as well as interviews with him. Wes Skiles died on July 21, 2010 while diving off Boynton Beach, FL. His career included many credits in broadcast television and film for PBS and National Geographic.
Call for entries: Wild and Scenic Film Festival
The ninth annual Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival will be held in Nevada City over 14-16 January 2011. The festival showcases environmental and adventure films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty, the challenges facing it, and the work communities are doing to help protect it. Entries for the festival are now open and close September 30.
Layang Layang Digital Photo Shootout 2011
Layang Layang Island Resort has announced that they will hold their “Digital Photo Shootout” from 20 to 26 July 2011. Last held in 2008, there will be over $30,000 worth of prizes available for the 2011 event, and the judges will include Settimio Ciprianni, Rocky Chang, Kurt Svrcula and Mike Veitch. There are only two entry categories: wide-angle and macro.
Out now: X-Ray magazine issue 37
X-Ray magazine issue 37 is now available as a free download. This issue focuses on polar diving, with articles about the Antarctic Peninsula, Greenland, the Russian Arctic and diving the Central Arctic. Polar explorer and photographer Göran Ehlmé is profiled by Peter Symes, and Lawson Wood asks “Why Digital?” in the underwater photography section.
Call for entries: Ocean Art Underwater photo competition
Underwater Photography Guide has announced its first annual Ocean Art photographic competition. There will be $62,000 worth of prizes on offer, including over 25 liveaboard and resort packages with trips on the Arenui, Solmar V, and Febrina liveaboards up for grabs. Winners will be able to choose their own prize based on what is available. The contest has 11 different categories, including novice dSLR and 3 for compact cameras.
This will be an excellent opportunity for compact camera shooters to have a real chance at winning a great prize and judges will include Martin Edge, Chris Newbert, Marty Snyderman and Bonnie Pelnar.
Information can be found on the contest page. The deadline for entries in 14 November.
Dr. Carl Safina to receive 2010 Sylvia Earle award
BLUE Ocean Film Festival has named Dr. Carl Safina as recipient of the 2010 Sylvia Earle award. The award is given annually to people who have shown outstanding advocacy for the worlds oceans. Dr. Safina has written five books about the nature of our relationship with nature, and is president of the Blue Ocean Institute. The award will be presented at a ceremony to be held at the Golden State Theater, Monterey, California on 28 August during the BLUE Ocean Film Festival.
Census of Marine Life: What lives in the sea?
The Census of Marine Life has released an inventory of species distribution and diversity in key global ocean areas. Scientists combined information collected over centuries with data obtained during the decade-long Census to create a roll call of species in 25 biologically representative regions, from the Antarctic through temperate and tropical seas to the Arctic. This information will form a baseline against which changes can be measured.
Amazing pilot whale footage by Rafa Herrero
Rafa Herrero of Aquawork has shot some amazing footage of a male pilot whale carrying a dead new-born calf. This behaviour has until now only been observed in females. The male carried the calf for several days. The footage was shot around Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Vidal Martin, a scientist who has been working with the whales in the area for 25 years explains:
“Although infrequent, it is sometimes possible to observe mothers carrying their dead calves in their mouths for days or even weeks. The interesting thing in this case is that it is a mature male who transports the body of the calf and to date this behavior had not been documented. Pilot whales live in family groups and the majority of the groups’ members remain together for life. These groups, of sometimes up to 14 animal, have a matrilineal structure, with several females and their lineage making the social nucleus. In these groups, there often are one or two adult non-breeding males whose function is not clear, but due to their bigger size may be for defence.” (Translated from the original Spanish.)