Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
Articles
Unique convict blenny schooling behavior captured
Wetpixel member Luca Vaime of Underwater Tribe has posted a series of images of some very unique (and beautiful) schooling behavior by a large group of convict blennies (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) and posted them onto the Wetpixel Facebook group. Luca found the school during an exploratory dive in South Bacan, Halmahera in the Maluku Islands on 3 May this year and this behavior is pretty much unrecorded for this species. His favorite image shows the school in an incredible teardrop shape, and he was able to shoot a full series of the school as it moved on his Nikon D80 with a Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye.
Australia proposes 33 new marine reserves
The BBC reports that Australia proposes creating the world’s largest network of marine parks, ahead of the Rio+20 Earth summit. The intended reserves will cover a total of 3.1 million sq km of ocean, including the Coral Sea and restrictions will be placed on commercial activities, including fishing and oil and gas exploration, within them. The plan will see the number of marine reserves off the Australian coast increase from 27 to 60.
Inon puts the blue back in
Trailed by Wetpixel Associate Editor Alex Mustard in the first Wetpixel Hangout, Inon has now announced the release of their color correction filters for the Z240/Z220/D2000 and S-2000 series strobes. These filters warm the strobes color temperature from a native 5600°K to 4900°K or 4600°K, typically providing a richer shade of blue in wide-angle images. The filters are available in two versions, one for Z and D series strobes and another for S series. In addition, they are available in either a 4600°K or 4900°K versions and with -0.5 or non-diffused versions.
All the filters will be available from late June, at prices to be determined. Wetpixel is expecting a set to arrive soon, so please stay posted for test images.
New podcast from DiveFilm HD
DiveFilm HD has posted a new podcast on its iTunes page. Featuring music by Lemongrass, Jeff Honda’s “Fluorescence, Below the Surface” is a hauntingly beautiful fluorescent portrait of underwater life in the ocean. Shot with a Canon 7D, Aquatica housing, and Nightsea lights and filters.
Produced in association with Wetpixel, DiveFilm HD podcasts are available as free downloads from iTunes.
Study shows decline in plankton
A study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series has found significant changes in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. The key difference is a five-fold decline in the growth of phytoplankton, which is the basis of the entire marine ecosystem. The paper suggests that a reason for this decline is the amount of run-off in local rivers caused by an increase in rainfall. This rainfall is suspected to be a result of increasing global temperatures. Jake Kritzer, a senior scientist and director of spatial management at the Environmental Defense Fund in Boston, said the study could affect future assessments of fish stocks:
“The study by Dr. Balch and his colleagues provides one of the most compelling arguments that systematic climatic and oceanographic changes are fundamentally altering the very basis of the ocean food web, very likely beyond the capacity of assessment models trying to capture dynamics spanning many decades”. The full research paper is available to download as a pdf.
New sculptures to be added to Cancun park
USA Today reports that an additional 60 sculptures will be added to the Underwater Museum at Cancun, Yucatan, Mexico, this summer. The new works by Jason deCaires Taylor, include “The Last Supper”: This is a table set for two with plates of half-eaten fish and a centerpiece of apples and hand grenades. Its intended message is that over-fishing is threatening many of the world’s oceans. Another sculpture will be “The Listener”, which is a figure assembled entirely from casts of human ears. It will be equipped with an underwater listening device that records reef sounds.
The Underwater Museum attracts 750,000 visitors annually.
Apple to update Aperture and Final Cut Pro
Engadget reports that at the WWDC event, Apple’s showcase for new products, new versions of Aperture and Final Cut Pro have been previewed. During a presentation for the Macbook Pro laptops, which will feature 220ppi “retina displays”, Apple CEO Tim Cooke also announced that Final Cut Pro and Aperture will get boosts in pixel density. In the case of Final Cut, full-res 1080p video can be docked in a corner of the interface with all the tools exposed. It is understood that Adobe is also working on a resolution boost for Photoshop. UPDATE. The Aperture update adds native support for AVCHD video files.
Call for entries: CIWEM Photographer of the Year
The CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year (EPOTY) contest is now calling for entries. The competition is open professional and amateur photographers, aims to be an international showcase for environmental photography and video and has a category for “The Underwater World”. The competition solicits that will inspire people around the world to start taking care of the environment.
There is a total prize fund of £7,000 and full entry details are available on the EPOTY website. The deadline for entries is 31 December 2012.