Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
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Aquatica announces HD WAVE housing for Sony XR500V/520V
Aquatica has announced the HD WAVE underwater video housing for Sony HDR-XR500V/520V high-definition camcorders. The new housing is machined from a solid block of marine-grade aluminum, is black anodized for corrosion protection, and is textured with a polyurethane powder coat paint for durability. It provides angled access to the camera’s built-in angled viewfinder, and features all-mechanical controls for reliability.
The HD WAVE is rated to 300 feet and retails for $2,395, including a wide-angle port. Continue reading for a bunch of product photos and for the full press release.
Photographing models in a swimming pool
There is an interesting discussion in the Wetpixel forums about how to photograph a model in a swimming pool. Does one use topside studio lights or underwater strobes? What does one use for a backdrop? What lenses work best? How do you prevent bloodshot eyes in your model?
Check out the thread for advice from our experts and for photos from one member’s first and second shoots, including images of the lighting system and underwater backdrop.
The history and impact of African shark nets
Thomas Peschak, chief photographer of the Save Our Seas Foundation, has a 15-page article in Africa Geographic about shark nets at beaches at the subtropical waters off KwaZulu Natal (KZN), South Africa [PDF, 1.2MB]. The SOSF website features an informative 11-minute video about the history and impact of shark nets.
KZN is one of only a handful of places in the world where shark nets are still used. Many people wrongly believe that these nets are a continuous barrier that prevent sharks from approaching beaches. In reality they are gill nets designed to entangle, suffocate and kill sharks. In fact 40% of sharks are caught on the beach side of the nets on their way back out to sea… Between 1978 and 2008 the nets caught 33,684 large sharks and the present day haul is 600 sharks every year.
The web page also features a lot of historical images; if you’re curious about the environmental impact of shark nets off the southern cape of Africa, it’s definitely worth watching.
Enter your video in the Sensational Seas Two DVD contest
In March of 2009, we announced New World Publications’ call for entries for its upcoming DVD, Sensational Seas Two. Scheduled for release in March 2010, the DVD is another exciting collaboration between filmmakers, photographers and multi-media artists who have donated their work for the benefit of ocean-related non-profit organizations.
Wetpixel has a video slot reserved for the DVD, which means that our readers have two ways of competing for entry into Sensational Seas Two! Enter our free contest to be the Wetpixel feature in the DVD. The deadline for entry is June 15, 2009. Good luck! Continue reading for full contest details…
Wetpixel.com speed increase, today!
I’ve just swapped out part of the server infrastructure behind Wetpixel, and the new software is much, much faster. Everyone should see a tremendous speed increase all over the site. In particular, I’m told that the speed increase is particularly dramatic for those of you outside of the United States. Those of you who are part of Team Wetpixel shouldn’t see any change in the forum speed—you’re browsing ad-free, and that is where most of the slowdown came from.
Click around a bit and leave a message in the discussion thread if you have any comments about load times, or if you see anything strange.
Photos from SDUPS Film Festival evening
SDUPS (and Wetpixel) member Allison Vitsky spent the evening of April 25th running around taking photos of people who attended the SDUPS Film Festival. There are quite a few household names in the list of honorees who attended. Luckily, all of the photos are captioned so we can associate faces with some of the names we’ve seen printed so many times—and, it’s an opportunity to see why Wetpixel admin Matt Segal was asked for his ID before being allowed to enter the DEMA show floor…
Saltwater crocodile attack in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
The facts around a saltwater crocodile attack at the “blue-water mangroves” in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia have been divulged by the diver who was attacked and by witnesses who were on the M/V Ondina, the live-aboard dive vessel they were on.
we found out that croc came out of nowhere, and grabbed diver from side, damaging his hand and neck and trying to pull victim to the deep place - typical behaviour. Buddy tried to fight croc with his hands (he had no knife in his disposal) and said that he poked an eye of croc with finger, but did not succeed and surfaced to call for help. Apparently croc finally released his hold then victim was able to reach his knife and stab eye with it…
Click through to read the entire discussion. The Wetpixel Ultimate Indonesia expedition had been diving at that very site just the month before; many of our group were actively looking for a crocodile in the mangroves, but none of us saw one.
Leandro Blanco wins SDUPS 40th Annual Film Festival
SDUPS has announced that Leandro Blanco has won the 40th Annual Film Festival with his film, “Voices We Shall Never Hear,” a powerful, emotional collage of underwater imagery—both concrete and abstract—interspersed with disturbing images of humans and their effect on the marine ecosystem (and each other). I was in the audience, and the short film was made even more powerful by its display on the enormous screen in the auditorium. I suspect that Leo’s film won by a landslide.
We’ve embedded the film in this entry, but you can also see it as a DiveFilm HD podcast [direct].
UPDATE: Allison Vitsky has posted photos from the evening’s event.