A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology has finally answered the conundrum of why hammerheads have their distinctive heads. The study, the first to test their binocular vision, the area where the fields of two eyes overlap that allows accurate perception of depth and distance, found that the area of binocular vision increases the wider apart the eyes are.

Although the hammer also provides hydrodynamic and hunting benefits, improved binocular vision is an mechanism that could drive its evolution. In addition to binocular vision, hammerhead’s have exellent 360 degree vision, and are even able to see behind them because of their distinctive, waggling swimming action.

Continue Reading

Our friends over at Dive Photo Guide have launched a new version of their popular website with a large amount of new content, while retaining old favourites like their popular galleries.The site is under development and look out for updates in the coming weeks.

Certain to be a popular feature is the new DPG Techniques Guide to underwater photography, written by the DGP staff with contributions from leading underwater photographers such as Jason Bradley, David Doubilet, Martin Edge, Alex Mustard and Aaron Wong.

Continue Reading

Doug and Lorenza Sloss announce their latest easy to follow instructional video Photoshop CS4 for the Underwater Photographer.

With 10 hours of content, real life examples, this is a guide to the correct way of using Photoshop CS4 for correcting and manipulating the underwater photographs. The cost is $99 plus shipping.

Continue Reading

Shark Savers and WildAid are collaborating on a multi-media campaign in China targeting the consumers of shark fin soup. For $100 you can fund a “Say ‘no’ to shark fin soup” bus stop billboard featuring basketball star Yao Ming, one of China’s most popular and influential citizens. For a limited time, a sponsor of Shark Savers is matching donations, so your $100 gets TWO billboards put up.

This campaign targets the largest consumers of shark fin via a local hero’s influence — fighting from the inside is the only effective way to stop shark finning in the long term.

Last year, WildAid had 200 billboards in Beijing for 3 months. In a survey, 19% of Beijingers responding remembered having seen the boards and 82% of those people said they would stop or reduce their consumption of shark fin soup. Imagine the power of 1000 billboards for an entire year. This campaign works and your billboard will have an impact!

In general, I am cynical about Western efforts to stop shark finning, but this campaign really caught my eye, and I’ve used my wallet to voice support. For $100, I just sponsored two billboards.

Continue Reading

The folks over at the Underwater Channel have posted video coverage of DEMA 2009 in 4 parts. Check it out — they cover a lot more than just underwater photography and videography (the focus of the Wetpixel coverage). Wetpixel’s booth and website are featured in part 2!

Underwater Channel coverage of DEMA 2009: [part 1] [part 2] [part 3] [part 4]

Continue Reading