August 2^nd Meeting with Mary Lou & Jackie Reid
Indonesia: Sure to Please

By Leonard Cichowski

The August meeting should be a real treat.  Mary Lou and Jackie Reid will be presenting a program on Indonesia.  This will be a two-part show with Mary Lou focusing on the Komodo Islands, from a trip aboard the Komodo Dancer in September 2003.  Mary Lou shoots a Nikonos RS underwater and Digital S2PRO topside.  Jackie will provide images from several of his trips to various parts of Indonesia.  Jackie also shoots an RS and a Nikon N90 in a Seacam Housing.  In addition, Mary Lou will provide a short program entitled, "How I Put My Digital Show Together."

Mary Lou has been a member of HUPS forever!  She joined when she was five and has wowed the club ever since!  She has held various offices in the club as well as served on the board and editor of the newsletter.  Jackie, who has been in the club almost as long, has served on the board and won Advanced Photographer of the Year too many times to count.  Both are very accomplished photographers and are willing to share their knowledge with all.

If you are new to the club, this is a "must" meeting.  There will be much to see and much to learn.  The photography of these two individuals is some of the best around!  So, do yourself a favor. . . be there.  All of us "older" members will definitely be there.

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August 2^nd Meeting from previous column

Being on the HUPS Shootout, I missed the last meeting.  I’ve heard that it was well received and held the club's interest.  I think we could’ve used several rebreathers in Bonaire.  I would like to thank Dennis Camp for making last month’s presentation.

The September meeting will feature the endeavors of the various club members who made it down to Bonaire for the 2004 HUPS shot out.  Remember, the 1st Monday in Sept is Labor Day. . . so show up on the second Monday

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.

Happy Diving,
Leonard

Pygmy Seahorse by Jackie Reid ©2004

President's Message
Expanding Our Horizons

July was another busy month for HUPS.  Twenty-four members headed off for the first HUPS Shootout on the beautiful reefs of Bonaire.  Not only was this trip the farthest away we have ventured for a shootout, but it was perhaps the largest number to participate.  Thanks to Ken Knezick of Island Dreams for not only putting this trip together for HUPS but also for sponsoring a 1-day photo/digital contest while we were down there.  Winners were: 1st place - Joyce Burek, 2nd place - Leonard Cichowski, and 3rd place - Pat Miller (see Ken’s write up for more details).

It wasn’t supposed to happen that the Shootout and the July meeting would coincide, but due to Bayland being closed for the 4th of July, it worked out that way.  So, while everyone else was at the meeting in Houston on July 11th, we decided to hold the 1st International HUPS meeting that same night.  After a few minutes discussing upcoming HUPS events, Kevin Palmer was introduced as our photo pro for the week.  He had come prepared with a 40-minute digital presentation in which he not only showed a compilation of his excellent work but used the same images to talk about how he took the shots, and why they work from a composition and interest standpoint.  Kevin was sponsored by Toucan Divers, and Plaza Resort as a special appreciation for choosing them to Host our Shootout.  Perhaps the best part of this arrangement was getting to dive with Kevin all week and actually observe how he practices his art and be able to talk with him between dives.  What a great opportunity for the group to learn how to become better UW photographers.  It was a sad time when the week was over and it was time to pack up and leave.  As a reminder, for the September meeting, the program will be a compilation of images from the Bonaire Shootout and we will determine the winners of the Shootout.

That brings me to the rest of my topic.  During our last board of directors meeting, we focused on what HUPS will be doing in the next year.  Perhaps the most exciting thing that we have to look forward to next year is that HUPS is sponsoring a dive trip to Irian Jaya next year.  The trip was put together by Ken Knezick of Island Dreams, the management of Kararu Dive Voyages, and Burt Jones & Maurine Shimlock.  The trip starts April 29 and returns on May 10 with 11 nights on the boat in some of the most awesome and pristine diving anywhere in the world.  As Ken explained, it’s not the easiest place to get to, but the diving in the Raja Empat islands off the western coast of Irian Jaya is as good as it gets anywhere.  To get some idea of what you can expect, log onto http://www.kararu.com and see for yourself.  The trip is open for the first 14 people that sign up to go.  We will be getting full information out to the membership in the next few days with a full announcement at August’s meeting.

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President's Message from previous column

In addition to the Irian Jaya trip, HUPS will be sponsoring another Shootout somewhere here in this part of the world.  The location and dates for the Shootout haven’t been set at this time, but it will almost certainly be scheduled sometime during the summer months.  Leonard Cichowski and I will be reviewing some exciting locations in the next several weeks to come up with a package that we hope will please just about everyone.

See you at the next meeting, 7 pm Monday, August 2nd, at Bayland Community Center.

Dennis Deavenport

UpComing Meetings & Events

August 2, 2004 – HUPS Meeting
    Mary Lou & Jackie Reid - Indonesia
September 13, 2004 – HUPS Meeting
    Bonaire Shootout Show & Judging
September 18, 2004 - HUPS Photoshop Workshop
    Dennis Deavenport
October 4, 2004 – HUPS Meeting
November 1, 2004 – HUPS Meeting
December 6, 2004 – HUPS Christmas Party

FOR SALE

Two Ikelite SubStrobe 200 (orange) with batteries, quick charger and 2 diffusers -- $900. All work great and one just serviced by Ikelite

Ikelite flat port for 50 Micro Nikkor (#5502 for lenses < 3.5" max extension). $25

Photos of these items are viewable at http://www.seabelow.com/uwphoto4sale.  All prices OR BEST OFFER.  Contact Dave Van Rooy at dvanrooy@seabelow.com.  Dave has been a member of HUPS for over 15 years and currently resides in Bali.  All equipment is in good working order, and he will guarantee money back if not satisfied.  Equipment is located in and will be shipped from Austin, TX.

HUPS Shootout 2004
By Leonard Cichowski

On July 10, 2004, twenty-four individuals trekked to Bonaire to take part in the 2004 version of the HUPS Shootout.  Our destination was the Plaza Resort Bonaire.  Air Jamaica/Air Miami got us there on time and hassle free.  All bags showed up!  Okay, we were 55 minutes late leaving Bonaire and had to make our connecting plane wait, but our bags were first off in Houston!  Shortly after arriving in Bonaire, we had an orientation and check-in with Toucan Divers.  The next day we had a 9:00 am check out dive. . . and the contest began.

Toucan Divers made HUPS feel very special.  First, they brought in professional underwater photographer Kevin Palmer to assist in the Shootout.  In addition, Steve Jevon of Toucan Divers donated a $100 gift certificate, to be used in the dive shop, for a separate contest for the best photo of his "divemasters at work."  This was totally unexpected and we would like to thank Steve for his generosity.  We were broken up into two groups of 11 and 12 so we wouldn‘t overwhelm the reef and each other.  Kevin alternated between boats to help where needed.  I would also like to thank Kevin for taking time from his busy schedule to dive with us.

We also had a one-day photo contest sponsored by Island Dreams Travel.  Photos taken on the two-tank boat dive on Wednesday were eligible for the contest.  Photos were judged by Kevin and Ken Knezick.

Prizes were $300, $200 and $100 gift certificates for travel through Island Dreams, for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively.  Please read Ken’s article to find out about the winners.  So this was pretty cool; three different contests during the shootout.  And a special thanks goes to Ken and Island Dreams for supporting HUPS with their donation of prizes for their special one-day photo contest.

I’m happy to report that there were no flooded cameras. . . including mine (but it has to go in the water to risk flooding - another story).  We did have the usual amount of malfunctions and a heck of a lot of good times.  I guess the thing that we missed in the orientation, was that the dive shop would carry our gear down to the beach for afternoon hotel shore dives.  Many folks trudged about in full gear, with cameras, from our rooms and dive shop to do the beach dive.  Since the hotel was spread out, this became a major endeavor for some.

Judging of the HUPS awards will be done at the September meeting.  This will be done by the members present at the meeting.  So, please come to the meeting to hear the stories about "sharks driving dive boats" and "stealth commando photography."

Now, I didn’t put this together all by myself.  I had plenty of help.

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HUPS Shootout from previous column

A big thank you goes to Henry Ragland for handling the monies, and Tina and Ken of Island Dreams for putting the travel arrangements together.  And thanks again to Ken for being our club divemaster.  Thanks to Tammy Allyn, who will take care of trophies, once the winners are announced.  And thank you to the 23 other folks that made the adventure all possible.

HUPS Bonaire One-Day Photo Contest

As part of the HUPS 2004 Shoot-Out in Bonaire, Ken Knezick and Island Dreams Travel sponsored a one-day photo contest modeled after the beach dive shoot-outs held in California. Island Dreams supplied gift certificates, with additional prizes supplied by Plaza Resort Bonaire’s Toucan Divers. Both film and digital entries were included. Ken Knezick and Kevin Palmer (our photo pro for the week) served as judges.

Here are the results of this one-day competition:

Numerous photographers were awarded "Honorable Mention" including:
Tom Collier
Lee Mixon
Kathy Ringrose
John Ringrose
John Van Atta

Thanks to all the HUPsters who participated in this contest and in our 2004 Shoot-Out.  You are all winners!

Kudos to HUPS Divers

During the recent Bonaire Shoot-Out, our HUPS divers received a fine complement from Steve Jevon, Manager of Bonaire’s Toucan Divers.  At first Steve and his team were somewhat wary of so many underwater photographers in one place.  But once Steve’s divemasters saw our HUPS members in the water, they reported that ours were the best bunch of dive photographers they had ever seen.  Kudos to our HUPS Bonaire group for being talented photographers as well as safe and conscientious scuba divers.

Abstract Art

That is the topic for the August slide contest.  So what exactly is "Abstract Art?"  According to the glossary at WorldImages.com, Abstract Art is, "any art in which real objects in nature are represented in a way that wholly or partially neglects their true appearance and expresses it in a form of sometimes unrecognizable patterns of lines, colors and shapes."  So if you have any underwater images that meet this definition, bring them to the August meeting.  Each member is allowed to enter 3 slides.  Complete contest rules can be found here. You can’t win if you don’t enter.

Airline Luggage Allowance
By Pat Miller

I have been traveling for years with a bag that I check that contains most of my scuba gear and clothes, and it generally weighs about 60 pounds.  Recently it cost me a $25 overweight luggage charge on Continental Airlines, both coming and going.

For domestic airline itineraries, i.e., travel with beginning and end points completely within the U.S. including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the weight allowance has gone down.  According to the Continental Airlines' web site the allowance is 50 pounds per checked piece of luggage for economy class.  It's 70 pounds for business first and first class.

Continental Airlines allows two pieces of checked luggage for economy class per person, and first class allows three pieces.  If you check more luggage than that, it's $80 per piece.  If a piece of luggage is oversize, "over 62 linear inches (157 cm) (total length + width + height)", it's $80.

The 50-pound limit does not apply to international itineraries, even if connections are made within the U.S.  Continental Airlines' web site says international allowances "vary by destination and time of the year."  But then it goes on to say that you are allowed two checked bags with a maximum of 70 pounds and 62 linear inches (total length + width + height) per piece.  Call 1-800-525-0280 for details.

American Airlines' web site doesn't distinguish between economy and first class.  It says two pieces of checked luggage are allowed, with a 50-pound limit for flights wholly within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, and 70 pounds for flights to/from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Airline Luggage from previous column

American's web site says the free baggage allowance varies by international destination, call 1-800-433-7300 for specifics.  Baggage "checked to/through/from Europe and Asia" cannot exceed 70 pounds; it says, "American will no longer accept overweight baggage (70-100 lbs.) in these international markets."

So if you are traveling wholly within the United States, consider driving!  If you must fly, weigh your baggage before you go to the airport.  If you have an item that is over 50 pounds, or 70 pounds if you are traveling first class, then repack.  If you are flying internationally, keep your bags under 70 pounds.  If you are flying with an airline other than Continental or American, you might check on their baggage allowances.  Remember your dive gear will be wet and weigh more coming home from a dive trip, so allow several pounds for margin.  You might want to check with the airlines now and then, because their baggage allowances change periodically.

Monthly Contest Winners
July 2004 - Cephalopods

Novice 2nd Place – Dennis Vernon ©2004

Member Profile – Tom Burns

Tom Burns is a good ol’ Cajun boy from Lafayette, Louisiana.  He moved to Houston in 1989 to take a job with a NASA contractor.  Since 1997 he has plied his craft as a Programmer Analyst in the private sector.  Tom is single and currently resides in Clear Lake City.

Since being certified to dive in 1989, Tom has been an active member of the Lunar Fins Dive Club.  He is the current Lunar Fins Secretary and acts as their Representative for the TGCC.  Speaking of the TGCC, Tom is also the TGCC’s First Vice-President for 2004.

Although Tom has only been a HUPS member for 3 years, he has been taking photos underwater for 15 years.  He started out with a Nikonos II with a flash bulb attachment.  He now uses an Olympus C-4040 in a PT-101 housing with a Sea & Sea YS90DX strobe.

Tom’s favorite dive destination is Cozumel.  While diving Tom likes to photograph anything "that doesn’t move very fast."

More Photos Please

If you haven’t submitted a photo to accompany your HUPS profile please do so soon.  In each newsletter we try to include a Member Profile.  In order for us to continue this feature we need everyone to submit a completed profile and a digital image of themselves.  Send them to our Membership Chairperson Chuck Jensen.

Quick Tip

So you know about making copies of your passport photo page and carrying it separate from your passport when you travel.  This is just in case your actual passport is lost or stolen.  Of course it’s a good idea to make duplicates of any important information and/or documents.  What if your backpack and/or wallet were lost or stolen?  In addition to making copies of these documents, you can also scan these documents and email them to yourself.  In this digital age, you can check email almost anywhere in the world.

Before your next trip consider emailing yourself information such as: credit card numbers, credit card company phone numbers, phone numbers for your hotels, your itinerary, anything that you may need.  It is even a good idea to include local phone numbers for the U.S. Embassy and your airline.  Even if you lose all your luggage, you can access your important documents/information via email.  Keep in mind that 1-800 numbers don’t work from most foreign countries.  Always be prepared.

If you have a dive, photo or travel related tip to share with fellow HUPS members please email it to David Lenderman.

Check it Out on the Web

For a look at some great u/w photography check out TackettProductions.com.  This is the site for Larry and Denise Tackett.  Larry and Denise are past SEASPACE and HUPS speakers.  They create beautiful images.  In addition to the galleries, the web site also has information on their book, "Reef Life – Natural History and Behaviors of Marine Fishes and Invertebrates."  This is a great book for any underwater photographer or scuba diver.

Advanced 3rd Place – Sue Watson ©2004

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!