DUC - Photography Club

[ToPpS]

Hi all, we will be having our July:

Date: 14th July 2009
Time: 7pm
Subject: Macro Photography

Andrew Kemp is an accomplished underwater photographer who has wowed the DUC photography club with his amazing MACRO shots.
This Tuesday, Andrew will be giving the club a presentation on “how to” shoot macro.
The presentation will start at 7pm. Please bring your jpegs and DVD’s to show after the presentation. (please hand in between 6.30pm / 7pm).

The diving looks set to be great this weekend so be sure to take advantage of the winter conditions – no wind no swell and no rain! The Sharks Board report says there has been loads of Humpbacks breaching in last week and today a pod of 100 plus dolphins were spotted off Trafalger.

Once again, please can I ask you to spread the word with regards to the club meetings and please feel free to invite any photographers that are not already attending the meetings.

Look forward to seeing you all next Tuesday!

Regards,

Bryan Hart
DUC Photography Officer
Website: Durban Undersea Club

 

[ToPpS]

Invite to the August Photographic Meeting

Date: 11th of August 09
Time: 6.30 to start at 7pm
Subject: Why you need Photoshop and other processing of photographs

Willem Oets is a professional photographer who will be giving us insight as to why it is important to process your photographs!
Willem’s company MediImage specialises in Photoshop courses which as a DUC member, you will be able to attend at a discounted rate.
Willem will describe some basic photo editing techniques, BUT this will not be photo editing workshop but rather an explanation on why processing of ones images is important and what is actually possible !!
Check out Willem Oets Photography as well as www.mediimage.co.za

The meeting format will be as per the norm – hand in your photos in JPEG format and videos in DVD format between 6.30 and 7pm.
(Please can you limit your jpegs to no more than 10 images – please can you select the best of the images that you have)

Feedback on the Winter shoot out :

The winning photographers were all taken by Durban based photographers, with Andrew Kemp – last month’s presenter getting in on the podium – well done!

Request to the Videographers:

With technology, Videographers are now able to take still photographs with Video and photographers are able to take video with still cameras. I feel that there is an amazing opportunity to cross reference techniques and I would really appreciate it if any of the videographers could contact me with regards to doing a presentation at one of the upcoming meetings.

Projects for the Videographers:

The open evening of the DARS was really well received by all that attended. I feel that video and a well edited documentary is of great interest to all that dive.. With this in mind, I would like to propose that the videographers put together mini documentaries that can be shown at open evenings where we invite the all members of the diving community to view…

Some interesting documentaries could be – search and discovery of wrecks off Durban (2 new wrecks have been discovered – more than 100 are still out there!! , the ragged tooth shark migration, sardine run or basically anything that interests you and that you feel would be of interest to the diving community.

Product Evening – 8th of September 09

If you are thinking of buying a new camera, housing strobe etc – hang on until next month. DUC photographic club will be hosting a product evening on Tuesday the 8th of September. Camera manufactures will be giving brief presentations on new systems as well as displaying some of their other products.

New Members:

You don’t have to be a member of DUC to attend the photographic meetings. However, in order to take underwater images, you need to dive! By being a member of DUC you get great discounts on dives off Durban (R100 for a dive!) as well as discounts on dives at Aliwal and potentially Mozambique!
Speak to Paul Smit – paul@duc.co.za about becoming a member.

You hopefully would have noticed the adverts in the Submerge and Divestyle. Referrals still remain the best way to advertise! So if you are getting value from attending the Photographic meetings, please can you invite any other photographers and videographers to the monthly meetings – second Tuesday of every month.

Next weekend is a long weekend – with this in mind I look forward to some great images at the Tuesday night meeting.

Regards,

Bryan Hart
DUC Photographic Officer

 

[ToPpS]

Dear Diver

Over the past few years sport diving in South Africa has been subject to an unprecedented barrage of rules and regulation. Amongst others, we have seen:

* The creation of zones called "Marine Protected Areas" (MPAs) that offer almost no protection to the marine environment.
* The imposition of specific scuba permits and fees within MPAs. The Government is determined to expand this system as an additional revenue source. In the very near future we will see:
o Permits imposed at Sodwana,
o Additional fees introduced at other MPAs o Promulgation of new MPAs specifically designed to target popular dive sites
* Imposition of permit conditions done without proper consultation, and created by people who have no knowledge of sport diving
* Ongoing attempts to force all dive leaders to undergo expensive additional training and registration processes as Tour Guides
* Changes to the Vessels Under Pressure / Pressure Equipment Regulations that may have significant impact on the import and distribution of diving equipment
* Proposals to charge divers additional fees, and impose additional training requirements, for being allowed to dive on wrecks

These changes have been formulated by people with very little knowledge of sport diving. The main drive behind the regulations is the belief that the diving community will be a lucrative source of fee income for Government departments. These Government departments do not always have the legal right to impose regulations, but rely on the high costs of legal action and the lack of unity to protect them from any backlash.

If the sport diving community is to survive and thrive, it will be necessary to stand together. The sport has not needed unity in the past - but now it does. With unity the collective efforts of all participants in the sport
can:

* Apply real pressure on Government officials to actually protect the environment.
* Use effective weapons, such as Court Action, to prevent officials from acting in an unfair manner
* Protect and grow the sport for the benefit of all participants

For the past five years volunteer groups such as Underwater Africa have sought to minimise this impact of regulation. With the support of key players such as training agencies and importers, regulations have been delayed and softened. However, it is clear that the efforts of a few volunteers will not be sufficient to protect the sport. A stronger unity body is required.

On Thursday 13 August at 7 pm a public meeting will be held at Wits University to take the first steps towards forming a unity body. The meeting has the support of major diving training agencies, equipment suppliers, and dive clubs. We call on all interested parties, whether involved in the industry or simply a part time enthusiast, to attend and make your voice heard.

Sport divers have their differences. But it is time to look towards the things that unite us all - a love of the sea and the freedom of the underwater environment.
Directions and Parking:

We have lecture theater 1 in the Umthombo building (formerly Social Sciences building), just east of the Library lawns.

You are welcome to park in the visitors parking, or along University Avenue.

You can download a map of the WITS East Campus here:
Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

We look forward to meeting with you!

Regards

--
Monty Guest
Chairman, Underwater Africa
"The CPR of Diving"
Conservation - Promotion - Representation Website : Underwater Africa Email :
info@uwa.org.za Cell : 082 456 1982 Fax : 0866 175 463 Postal Address : P.O.
Box 362, Century City, 7446 Section 21 Registration Number: 2007/016660/08

 

[ToPpS]

Dear Diver

Over the past few years sport diving in South Africa has been subject to an unprecedented barrage of rules and regulation. Amongst others, we have seen:

* The creation of zones called "Marine Protected Areas" (MPAs) that offer almost no protection to the marine environment.
* The imposition of specific scuba permits and fees within MPAs. The Government is determined to expand this system as an additional revenue source. In the very near future we will see:
o Permits imposed at Sodwana,
o Additional fees introduced at other MPAs o Promulgation of new MPAs specifically designed to target popular dive sites
* Imposition of permit conditions done without proper consultation, and created by people who have no knowledge of sport diving
* Ongoing attempts to force all dive leaders to undergo expensive additional training and registration processes as Tour Guides
* Changes to the Vessels Under Pressure / Pressure Equipment Regulations that may have significant impact on the import and distribution of diving equipment
* Proposals to charge divers additional fees, and impose additional training requirements, for being allowed to dive on wrecks

These changes have been formulated by people with very little knowledge of sport diving. The main drive behind the regulations is the belief that the diving community will be a lucrative source of fee income for Government departments. These Government departments do not always have the legal right to impose regulations, but rely on the high costs of legal action and the lack of unity to protect them from any backlash.

If the sport diving community is to survive and thrive, it will be necessary to stand together. The sport has not needed unity in the past - but now it does. With unity the collective efforts of all participants in the sport
can:

* Apply real pressure on Government officials to actually protect the environment.
* Use effective weapons, such as Court Action, to prevent officials from acting in an unfair manner
* Protect and grow the sport for the benefit of all participants

For the past five years volunteer groups such as Underwater Africa have sought to minimise this impact of regulation. With the support of key players such as training agencies and importers, regulations have been delayed and softened. However, it is clear that the efforts of a few volunteers will not be sufficient to protect the sport. A stronger unity body is required.

On Thursday 13 August at 7 pm a public meeting will be held at Wits University to take the first steps towards forming a unity body. The meeting has the support of major diving training agencies, equipment suppliers, and dive clubs. We call on all interested parties, whether involved in the industry or simply a part time enthusiast, to attend and make your voice heard.

Sport divers have their differences. But it is time to look towards the things that unite us all - a love of the sea and the freedom of the underwater environment.
Directions and Parking:

We have lecture theater 1 in the Umthombo building (formerly Social Sciences building), just east of the Library lawns.

You are welcome to park in the visitors parking, or along University Avenue.

You can download a map of the WITS East Campus here:
Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

We look forward to meeting with you!

Regards

--
Monty Guest
Chairman, Underwater Africa
"The CPR of Diving"
Conservation - Promotion - Representation Website : Underwater Africa Email :
info@uwa.org.za Cell : 082 456 1982 Fax : 0866 175 463 Postal Address : P.O.
Box 362, Century City, 7446 Section 21 Registration Number: 2007/016660/08