Special Post SEASPACE Meeting
Super Macro Photography
Presented by Jack and Sue Drafahl

Our special post-SEASPACE meeting June 9th will feature Jack and Sue Drafahl sharing techniques for Super Macro Photography.  As professional undersea journalists, lecturers and multimedia producers, the Drafahls have spent years perfecting their skills and sharing their captured images of the sea.  They have written numerous articles for publications, including Skin Diver, Petersen's Photographic, Sport Diver, Rangefinder, Dive Training, Diver, Photo Lab Management, Outdoor Photographer, Family Photo, Focus on Imaging, National Geographic World, National Wildlife Federation, Cousteau Dolphin Log and many more.  They have written two books, Digital Imaging For The Underwater Photographer and Photo Salvage with Adobe Photoshop.  Two additional books, Advanced Digital Camera Techniques and Step-by-Step Basic Digital Photo Guide will be released in Spring 2003.

Sharing their hard-earned knowledge about underwater and digital photography, they have conducted seminars worldwide on all aspects of photography, both surface and underwater.  Some of these seminars include various diving conferences: Beneath The Sea, Our World Underwater, DEMA, Scuba Show and SEASPACE.

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Drafahls from previous column

Their audiovisual presentations have been shown at underwater film festivals from coast to coast.  For ten years, Jack and Sue Drafahl were the producers of large screen multimedia productions of the Reaching Out Awards for the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association DEMA).  They continue to produce digital video productions for the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and Women Divers Hall of Fame.

HUPS is very fortunate to have such talented photographers/speakers as presenters at our special June meeting.  Jack and Sue plan to share secrets to successful super macro photography.  We all know how difficult it is to capture those images at 1:1 or greater magnification.  Come out and take home some tips to help you capture images of the tiniest critters.

For more information on the Drafahls check out http://www.jackandsuedrafahl.com/.

As usual the meeting will be at the Bayland Community Center starting at 7:00 PM.  A map and directions are at the end of this newsletter.

Photo by Jack & Sue Drafahl ©2003

President's Message

We just got back from a quick trip to Grand Cayman.  Continental just started direct flights from Houston to Grand Cayman, so we decided to burn some frequent flyer miles.  This was my 6th trip to the Cayman Islands.  We had a fun time and enjoyed some good dives.

My brother and I did three night dives.  Sue, her friend Connie and little Reed stayed in the condo while Danny and I braved swarming mosquitoes and rough beach entries.  I am a big fan of night dives.  There is always something new or exciting found on these dives into the darkness.

The area behind our condo had a decent reef with hard corals and tons of fan corals.  The first night dive was uneventful.  We saw the usual suspects, sleeping parrotfish, flamingo tongue cowries, eels, lobster, big crabs, octopus, etc.

On the second night dive I decided I was going to find something new.  I have always liked the vibrant purple of fan corals.  They make a great background for macro photos.  I decided that I would search every sea fan in hopes of finding and photographing a new critter.  After closely examining every sea fan I encountered I finally hit the jackpot.  I found a beautiful clingfish.  It was about an inch long purple in color with big red eyes.  It looked great on that purple fan.

I went to take a photo and something was wrong.  No flash.  I tried everything.  Switching the camera and strobe on and off, wiggling the sync cord connectors, setting strobe to manual and still nothing.  Here I am with some rare, beautiful fish with awesome negative space and I can’t photograph it.

I studied it best I could so that I could attempt to look it up in an ID book.  I just knew it was new to science.  After all I have made hundreds of Caribbean dives often searching sea fans and I had never seen this little beauty.

The next evening I was ready for another night dive, this time with a functioning strobe.  I thought it would be very unlikely to find that rare little cling fish again, but I would give it a try.  Again I searched every fan.  I finally found one.  I managed to take several shots before it moved into a crevice at the base of the fan.  Wow.  I found two of those rare little guys.  What luck.  Continuing my search I found two more.  Maybe these little guys aren’t as rare as I thought.

So, maybe I didn’t discover a new fish.  It’s already in the Paul Humann book.  My whole point here is to make an effort to find something new on every dive.  Search in places you don’t normally look.  No matter how many dives you have done, I guarantee you have not seen it all.  Look around those anemones, check those fan corals, examine those sponges.  These are the places you will find the tiny treasures.

See Ya June 9th,
David

Taking a Wider View on UW Photography
Jesse Cancelmo
By Dennis Deavenport

Yes, it seems that we all gained something useful out of Jesse Cancelmo’s May 5th presentation on The Why, the What, and the How-To of Wide Angle Photography.  There’s just no substitute for going to the right doctor for the right cure.  Jesse certainly has good medicine to offer to all of us who end up treating our wide angle lenses like a good case of small pox.  I drag mine out every now and then just to prove to myself and the rest of the world that I’m really clueless when it comes to using this expensive hunk of glass and metal when it’s located about 30-50 feet closer to the center of the earth than the top of the body of water surrounding me.  It’s one thing to read about the techniques that make for bullet-proof wide angle photography but there’s really no substitute for being shown and taught by one of the best underwater photographers and teachers in Houston and Texas.  The time he spent studying at Brooks Institute/Underwater Photography was obviously well spent.

The short course put together by Jesse was predictably well thought out, superbly organized, and professionally presented.  I remember thinking during the presentation that we were covering a lot of ground rapidly but the amazing thing was realizing that it all made sense without a sense of being rushed.  I think that Jesse believes in the old military theory of instruction: "Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them."  Well, in the "tell them" portion of the presentation, Jesse included a lot "SHOW them" examples illustrating exactly what works and what doesn’t and why it does or doesn’t.  For instance, a lot of us have heard the old rule stating that wide angle UW photography doesn’t work well with TTL.  Until Jesse explained it, I didn’t really understand why it is a bad idea.  On the other hand, he also stated that TTL metering might be perfectly OK in the right circumstances.  The key is knowing when the "right circumstances" are met.  This is just one of many topics covered in his presentation.  Afterward, I overheard several members talking about how much they had gotten from Jesse’s talk.  I would agree with this sentiment 100%.

Finally, don’t forget that Jesse’s website, http://www.cancelmophoto.com can be visited just about any time.  In there, you’ll see example after example illustrating that Jesse not only talks a good game but he is also capable of heeding his own outstanding advice.

UpComing Meetings and Events

June 9, 2003 – HUPS meeting
Post SEASPACE Meeting with Jack & Sue Drafahl - Supermacro UW Photography

July 7, 2003 – HUPS meeting
Frank and Joyce Burek – Images of Indonesia

August 4, 2003 – HUPS Meeting
Ken Knezick – Digital vs. Film for UW Photography

September 8, 2003 – HUPS Meeting
TBA

October 6, 2003 – HUPS Meeting
Ned Shimizu - Southern Japan

FOR SALE

Nikon N90S with multi-function data back.  Owned by professional architecture photographer.  Never been in an underwater housing.  Clean and well maintained.  Price $500.00.  Contact Hall Puckett.

Newsletter space permitting we offer free classified ads for HUPS members.  If you have something to sell email a short ad to suewatson@mail.ev1.net.

Don’t Miss Drafahls' Workshops at SEASPACE

There is still time to sign up for the Underwater Photography workshops at SEASPACE.  The Drafahls will teach one workshop Saturday entitled Techniques for Improving your Underwater Photography.  Sunday their workshop is entitled Digital Imaging for the Underwater Photographer.  For more information on these and other SEASPACE workshops check out http://www.seaspace.org.

Fuji Velvia 100 Coming Soon???

There are rumors that Fuji is releasing an ISO 100 version of its Velvia slide film.  This new film was to be released in Japan last month.  The new film will feature the same vibrant colors and fine grain as its much-loved ISO 50 version.  No dates for release in the USA have been provided.

Coral Reef Adventures
By Jesse Cancelmo

Check out the Spring Immersed Magazine (http://www.immersed.com) for the Howard Hall article on the making of his new IMAX film "Coral Reef Adventures."  Howard dived using a rebreather to document the reefs of Fiji at depths of 400 feet while lugging a 300-pound camera!  Now that’s what I would call technical diving.  The magazine’s front cover features his wife Michelle getting dental hygiene work done by a Peterson shrimp.  For more information on the IMAX film check out http://www.coralfilm.com/.

Thanks for the Goodies

Special thanks to Jean Himes and David Lenderman for providing treats in celebration of the HUPS 20th Birthday at the May meeting.  A big thanks to Jesse Cancelmo, the Lundquists and Bureks for providing slides and other memorabilia from the early days of HUPS.  If you missed these slides you missed out on lots of fun.  Mary Lou as a blonde, I had no idea.

Photo by Jack & Sue Drafahl ©2003

Give Something Back to the Coral

So you enjoy diving on coral reefs. Over the years coral reefs have given you hours of enjoyment.  You’ve taken thousands of photos.  A few of those photos were even keepers.  Coral reefs have given you a lot.  When was the last time you gave something to the reef?  I mean besides the weight belt you lost.

Here is you chance to give something back.  Consider making a donation to an environmental group that works with and for the coral reefs.  There are a number of organizations involved with reef conservation.  One of my favorites is the Coral Reef Alliance or www.coral.org.

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) promotes coral reef conservation around the world by working with the dive industry, governments, local communities and other organizations to protect and manage coral reefs, establish marine parks, fund conservation efforts, and raise public awareness with the mission to keep coral reefs alive for future generations.

How does CORAL work to protect coral reefs?

CORAL invests time, energy and resources in creating Coral Reef Parks -- areas set aside to protect and preserve the beauty and health of coral reefs worldwide.

CORAL contributes grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 to local organizations in coral reef areas, including the Caribbean and the Pacific.  Grants have been used to purchase outboard motors for boats used to patrol marine protected areas, help curb cyanide fishing practices, and provide emergency relief for hurricane-struck reefs.  Currently our grants support projects that strengthen Coral Reef Parks.

CORAL participates in governmental and non-governmental meetings that help create policy to protect coral reefs locally and set the global strategy for coral reef conservation.

CORAL partners with the dive industry to promote responsible diving and a commitment to marine conservation within the industry.

CORAL raises public awareness about coral reefs and the threats they face through various mediums including in-flight videos, educational materials such as the Coral Friendly Guidelines and Coral Reef Factsheets, and the website, which is the most visited site for coral reefs.  CORAL gathers the support of thousands of divers, snorkelers and other coral reef enthusiasts to form a strong membership that convinces funders and policy-makers of the importance of reef conservation.

Check out http://www.coral.org and give a little something back to the reef.

HUPS Members in Action

Numerous HUPS members are teaching workshops and/or seminars at SEASPACE.  Take a look and sign up for the ones of interest.  These people all deserve a big thank you for helping make SEASPACE happen.  For more information on SEASPACE check out .

Ross & Terri Whiteside – Advanced Fish ID Course
Saturday 3-6 PM Leafy Sea Dragon Room
This workshop requires a prerequisite of basic knowledge of fish families and species for the Caribbean, Florida and Gulf of Mexico.  Previous participation in fish identification classes qualifies you for this advanced workshop.  For divers actively participating in the Reef Environmental Educational Foundation (REEF) experience levels, this workshop will prepare them to obtain Level 3 status . Workshop participants will expand their knowledge of fish families and species of the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) through the use of various learning materials - slide show, handouts, reference books, and CDs.  The goal is learn to identify the top 150 fish in the TWA.  This interactive workshop will challenge the student to remember basic identification markings and observe fish behavior and habitat to correctly identify various species.  Reference materials and REEF surveying techniques will be reviewed and students will receive a CD, Marine Life of the Flower Garden Banks NMS, by Joyce & Frank Burek.  The REEF Level 3 test will also be administered for those wishing to obtain Level 3 status.

Dick Zingula – Create Maximum Value While Sightseeing Underwater
Saturday 11-2 Sea Star Room
Expert guide Dick Zingula will teach you how to see and enjoy the most marine creatures per dive.  In this workshop you will learn how to recognize and observe marine animals and understand their interactions.  Refined over years of study and presentation, Dick’s presentation will help you to understand factors of habitat, abundance and behavioral patterns.  You’ll see illustrative slides and video, and receive an informative handout.

Ken Knezick - Disaster Proof Your Dive Trip – Post 9/11
Saturday 2 PM Seastar Room
Ken offers fresh, hot-off-the-press tips on recently implemented do’s and don’ts to prevent disasters no matter where U.S. or International travel leads you.  This well paced, yet entertaining seminar combines his experiences on both a personal and professional level.  Join Ken as he humorously shares what to take, leave behind, what to say and never utter, when asked in our new sensitive environment of travel.

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HUPS at SEASPACE from previous column

Ken Knezick - A Divemaster Shares his Secrets: Tips for Enhancing the Safety, Comfort and Enjoyment of your Openwater Scuba Diving
Sunday 2 PM Sea Star Room
Everyone from beginners to old mossbacks can learn from, and contribute to, this fast moving and timely presentation.  Topics include dive equipment, boat etiquette, the Buddy System, air consumption, swimming techniques, safely dealing with changing water and surface conditions, diving with cameras, avoiding DSC, and much, much more.  Ken Knezick, NAUI Divemaster #230, relies on his own wide ranging experience (2700+ logged dives), while inviting the audience to share their own hard-earned tips and secrets for diving success.

James Wiseman – Slideshows in the Digital Age
Saturday 2 PM Leafy Sea Dragon Room AND Sunday 2PM Rock Beauty Room
Anyone interested in showing digital images will benefit from this program.  James will share the steps taken by the HUPS team to create the HUPS film festival program.  He will focus on what people really need to know when facing the prospect of pulling together a digital slideshow; i.e., the resources that are available, how to assemble a show, how to make it better, and the many options on how to format the final product for use.  The seminar will conclude with showing the 9-minute HUPS show entitled Capture the Light.  If you miss the Saturday night film festival be sure to make one the James’ seminars to see the show.

Barry Guimbellot - Advanced Digital Photography - Going Beyond Point & Shoot
Saturday 3-6 PM Sea Star Room
Okay, so he is not a HUPS member.  He is a Dallas UPS member so we will give him a break.  This workshop for underwater digital photography will be of particular value for intermediate to advanced photographers.  The discussion will cover the reasons for choosing to shoot digitally, an update of the most current equipment options, reducing shutter delay, and the concept of digital workflow.  Participants will learn include how to calibrate camera, monitor, and printer so that "what you see us what you get."  A section on lighting which will help explain how to get the best shots, how to create special affects and to understand the light coverage for your camera/strobe combination.  Digital photographers will learn how to obtain the best images with the least amount of frustration.  A gallery of underwater images will be presented, as well as a multimedia presentation to define what can be accomplished with a digital camera.

The Houston Underwater Photographic Society (HUPS) meets the first Monday of every month at 7:00PM at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonet, near Hillcroft.

Social time begins at 7:00PM for members and visitors to get acquainted. Visitors are always welcome to join us. So, stop by and see what we are all about!