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Longwood Holidays

With their long-time association with compact camera guru, Maria Munn, Longwood are offering a series land-based photo workshops at Nuweiba in Egypt in April and June 2010 Maria’s workshops are specifically designed for compact camera shooters. Stuart Philpott’s Taba based workshops are planned for January, April, July and October 2010.

Ocean Visions

Maria Munn’s Ocean Visions photo workshops fills the niche for compact camera users. Maria runs frequent UK based course at venues in Oxford and at her home in Bromley, Kent as well as those in Nuweiba. Maria was also showing off examples of her canvas, acrylic and aluminum photo printing.

Maria Munn talking compact cameras

Maria was overwhelmed by the amount of interest in her new book which will be launched early next year titled “Underwater Photography for Beginners.” The book is aimed at both beginners and intermediates at showing how anyone with a simple point-and-shoot underwater camera and housing can get stunning results as well as using more advanced techniques using lenses and strobes. Maria used to live in Florida, USA and set up the first ever Field Station for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation in Latin America which was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico back in 2004. She now spends her time between the UK and California, USA and will be attending Beneath the Sea and Long Beach Shows next year.

Maria Munn’s forthcoming Compact Camera Book

The Underwater Channel

The Underwater Channel were shooting highlights of DIVE 2009 with presenters John McIntyre and Miranda Krestovnikoff for broadcast online on 1st November 2009.

Catch DIVE 2009 highlights on UP

The Shark Trust

Winners and finalists in the Sharks in Focus competition were announced at DIVE 2009 with an impressive stand showcasing 35 of their superb images. Richard Pierce and Ali Hood from the Shark Trust were there along with the sponsors of Sharks in Focus who comprised; Light and Motion UK, Cameras Underwater, Canon, Ocean Optics, Fourth Element, O’Three, Scuba Travel, Fuji Film, Suunto and Simply Scuba.com

Sponsors of the Sharks in Focus photo competition

Visions in the Sea 2009 at the Frogfish Photography Stand

‘Visions’ promises to be one of the UK major underwater photography events in 2009 and was being promoted at DIVE 2009 by the event’s organisers Orca Divers and Ocean Optics. Hosted in Manchester on 7th and 8th November the line-up of top speakers comprises Cathy Church, Paul “Duxy” Duxfield, Martin Edge, Charlie Hood, Maria Munn, Dr Alex Mustard, Jukka Nurminen, Mark Koekemoer and Peter Scoones.

Ocean Optics

This year Steve Warren was showcasing INON’s products to support their growing dealer network in the UK. Quizzing Steve about INON’s response to the growing prevalence of 28mm lens (35mm film equivalent) compacts, Steve showed me the UWL-128 which addresses this change. Interestingly, the UWL-128 not only accepts the INON dome unit, a popular accessory on the UWL-100 but its addition adds to the surface field of view rather than just restoring it, making this perhaps the wide angle lens of choice for the new generation of compacts.

Steve was also promoting the INON Underwater Photography Academy which certifies INON distributors in the UK to conduct INON underwater photography courses. Steve retains a high degree of control in order that standards are maintained. At their Essex base, Ocean Optics has created artificial reef and wreck scenes in a heated six metre deep pool which supports the INON UPA courses and provides a facility for individuals to practice photographic techniques.

INON Underwater Photography Academy