News
Underwater Photography News from DIVE 2016, Part 2: Nauticam
Nauticam are part of the furniture at the Birmingham Dive Show these days and you can be sure to find their stand in the Photozone, next door to BSoUP. You can also be sure that you are going to have to wait in a crowd three-deep as people lust after the Nauticam underwater housings and all the accessories that Alex and Kat from Underwater Visions have to offer. Martin Edge was also to be found at the Nauticam stand, promoting his courses and books. Respected photographers Pash Baker and Rob White were also around to help so there was plenty for the visiting underwater photographer to get excited about.
New from Nauticam for this year’s show were housings for the Canon 5D MKIV and the Panasonic GX85. These new housings have had a make-over with new and typically good-looking styling that also makes these new housings even sleeker, and they have a new smaller vacuum testing system. Nauticam are always bringing out new & innovative products, and the Compact Macro Converter II was proving to be a particularly popular accessory with those that like their critter photography.
Aside from all the lovely Nauticam gear, there were plenty of other products to see on the stand; the Zen Tripod Base, in particular, caught our eye. It has been designed to work with housings large and small, and will provide a stable platform on which to leave you camera for remote or slow-shutter shooting. Alex also showed us the 10 Bar Laser Snoot which has a red LED to guide you on snoot positioning (something I could do with!). The LED turns off when your strobes fire, so it doesn’t ruin the image. These are available for INON strobes and also the Sea & Sea YS-D1/D2. Another snoot accessory was the FIT Multi-Snoot which fits on the end of existing FIT video lights and offers varying sized snoot options by turning the head of this accessory; an inexpensive bit of fun for macro photography.
The final bit of kit we looked at was the FIT Strobe Dome which works on selected INON and Sea&Sea strobes. A clear, air-filled, acrylic dome that will increase your light spread, and also give you a softer light across your image. As you can see, there was a huge amount to look at on the Nauticam stand and we hope to get some of these products underwater in the near future for review.
When he was not busy on his stand, Alex also spoke on the Centre Stage, giving a talk titled “No More Fiddlesticks”. We will cover all the talks from the Photozone in a separate article later this week. The final word from Alex was that he “really enjoyed seeing lots of happy returning customers”.
For more information, visit www.nauticam.co.uk.
Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.
After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.
With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.
Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!
Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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