Forming Olympus user group for So Cal

[OCdiving Deb]

A few of us are new users of the Olympus C-5050z and have talked in passing about forming a Scuba Board 5050 user group to get together and share tips, etc. If you are interested, I need a response from you here on this thread, indicating your general location of home and/or work, a list of preferred meet days and times (Give 2 or 3 choices in order) and your ability level. After we get the basic info, we'll decide a location (possibly rotating for fairness) and date/time.

We will also put together an email/phone contact list later, but don't list that here.

Here is mine, as an example:

kelphelper
South Orange County
1) Monday evenings 2) Tuesday evenings 3) Sunday anytime
beginner of the most basic level!

 

[Mo2vation]

A few of us are new users of the Olympus C-5050z and have talked in passing about forming a Scuba Board 5050 user group to get together and share tips, etc. If you are interested, I need a response from you here on this thread, indicating your general location of home and/or work, a list of preferred meet days and times (Give 2 or 3 choices in order) and your ability level. After we get the basic info, we'll decide a location (possibly rotating for fairness) and date/time.

We will also put together an email/phone contact list later, but don't list that here.

Here is mine, as an example:

kelphelper
South Orange County
1) Monday evenings 2) Tuesday evenings 3) Sunday anytime
beginner of the most basic level!

* We need to open this up to all Oly users - not just C5050. Most of their features are common, and an Oly group would benefit more people

* We can schedule a chat time in the evening. Once we setup the communications (off SB) we can secure a chat (sort of like IM, but with multiple users) so we can get acquainted and plan the first dive in


mo2vation (Ken)
So Cal - Marina Del Rey area
All evenings, Saturday dives best (Sundays are booked)
Average diver
Advanced Oly user and shooter, new to UW
C5050
(Wet) Oly PT-015, Fisheye handle & Tray, Inon D180 Strobe & F/O kit, ULCS arms, Oly PCU-01 Lens
(Dry) Stroboframe Flip 350, Oly Fl40 Flash, Assorted hoopla (Filters, tripods, bags, slaves...)

 

[saf_25]

There's so much to learn with this camera- a get together would help me a lot!
I'm located in East Orange County, and the best days for me are Mon and Tues evenings, Sat. afternoons, or anytime on Sunday. I'm a beginning-intermediate diver (I've got my rescue and 60+ dives, but have only been diving for little more than 1 year, so still consider myself a beginner.). I'm definitely a beginner to underwater photography - haven't dove with a camera yet (my housing is staying dry until I get it insured).

 

[ChrisM]

I'd be interested..... I have been shooting Oly CX0X0 series for 3 years in So Cal waters, can see my work at Underwater Planet

So Cal, Torrance area.
UW photog ability level? not a beginner, not an expert, somewhere in the middle, always learning (or re learning) new stuff
DM, 500+ dives

Avail flex., I think the best thing would be to actually have like dive days on a boat, where certain subjects can be focused on, i.e., kelp macro, reef WAs, fish portraits, so results can be looked at immediately.

Also maybe some workshops

Planning on moving to a DSLR in the next 6 months, however
ChrisM

 

[Mo2vation]

Planning on moving to a DSLR in the next 6 months, however
ChrisM

Which one?

K

PS: kickin' site, my friend. Good stuff there. Inspired eye, Chris.

 

[sapphire]

Thanks for posting this, Kelphelper! I love the idea of getting together to share ideas in person!


* Sapphire (Jennifer)
* Far East end of LA County... I will drive anywhere tho, and can offer meeting space in a central location if necessary
* Monday & Thursday Evenings, and any Tuesday except the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Saturday afternoons & Sundays are generally OK.
* Even with almost one year of "practice", beginner to digital and underwater photography.

P.S. "JustLeesa" wants to be our honorary Honolulu member :biggrin:

 

[Mo2vation]

Even with almost one year of "practice", beginner to digital and underwater photography...

I've been looking at your stuff. Its my fav stuff in our new gallery.

I'm so burned out on "look at MY shot of the colorful reef fishies..." I can go to any minucipal aquarium and see that stuff. It may mean a lot to the shooter (their vacation, blah blah blah) but as a viewer, its tired.

To me, the most interesting thing about shooting underwater will be communicating the stuff that dry people will never see - specifically the unique topography and the way the harsh environment reclaims everything that stays around long enough. The play of light in the water, the vastness of it all. That's the story I want to tell to my non-diving friends.

So Cal diving isn't like warm water reef diving. Macros of colorful stuff is OK, but its played. We shouldn't be trying to fit in with what people fob off (the dive mags especially) as what you'll see down there. Be honest. Always be honest.

Some of your stuff touched me, and is much more in the groove of where I'll be heading.

Shoot more.

K

 

[sapphire]

Wow, Ken, thanks. I really appreciate the encouragement. I am sure that as the experienced people start to post, mine will pale in comparison. I love looking at others' work as well, there is so much to learn.

One of the take-aways I got from the Oly digital photography seminar a few weeks ago was that you somehow have to get your emotion in your image. It is a challenge that will focus me from now on. Of course, I still like pretty fishes. But I would like to portray the emotion, the story, if possible.

cheers,

 

[Mo2vation]

One of the take-aways I got from the Oly digital photography seminar a few weeks ago was that you somehow have to get your emotion in your image.

Who taught this one?

K

 

[sapphire]

Who taught this one?

K

Olympus did. You must have missed the info posted by JustLeesa here. They covered camera functions, some storage card issues, some digital darkroom stuff, and cataloging and archiving images and some Photography 101 stuff (composition, lighting, etc.). It was well worth the $99.