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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
DiveFilm HD has released two new podcasts. First, featuring strange critters and interesting shark species is Bent Jørgensen’s “Ocean Life”. This short video produced by Chilbal Film is a trailer for a three-part educational television series on the marine life of Denmark.
Second is Jon Shaw’s “Fish Rock Cave, Australia” which is about diving this interesting cave site surrounded by abundant sea life off the coast of New South Wales. DiveFilm HD Video podcast is produced in association with Wetpixel, and is a featured podcast available for free at iTunes.
Apple has announced the release of RAW Compatibility Update 3.3 for Aperture and iPhoto. This will add RAW format compatibility for the following cameras: Canon PowerShot SX1 I; Olympus E-PL1; Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2; Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10; Samsung NX10; Sony Alpha DSLR-A390; Sony Alpha NEX-3; Sony Alpha NEX-5.
The update is available via system update or support.
Issue 12 of African Diver magazine is now available for free download. This issue has articles about the Red Sea and the cold but interesting waters of the South African Cape coast. In addition, it features the fishing grounds of Algoa Bay and an article about unique marine conservation efforts in Kenya. Mike Westcott is the featured photographer, and space is also devoted to images from the Sony Winter Shootout.
Gates Underwater Products has announced the release of a Point of View (POV) housing system for the Panasonic AG-HMR10 Recorder and AG-HCK10 Camera. The housing and recorder can be separated by up to sixty feet of cable, making the system ideal for pole cam or shy critter filming. POV systems also give a unique filming perspective, as well advantages in terms of bulk, size and weight.