Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Underwater Photography-A Case for Photoshop

We booked a diver the other day to Isla Guadalupe who turned out to be an "old school film photographer".

As we discussed the relatively recent and meteoric rise of commercial digital photography in the industry he said, "90% of those commercial images are photoshopped".

Which opens an interesting debate about the current trend in commercial underwater photography, and elegant solution.

Underwater shooters are without a doubt a rare breed of photographers. With the advent of digital shooting along came the ability to change and modify the images ad hoc. Long gone are the days where the final image was the final image causing those that had honed their craft on film to cry foul. Now a decent photographer can be a fantastic one by changing the image after the shoot with powerful tools available throughout the marketplace.

Exactly what makes a great underwater image? How many modifications are acceptable? And will we as consumers of those images ever know?

The answer to that has an elegant solution. Digital media allows each image to be tagged. The solution would be for a software program (typically the same program that allows you to modify the image) to keep track of each and every modification, and for those who use these images commercially to share with the public each and every change.

This would change the current digital underwater photography paradigm from "here's the image" to "this is a true image".

Case in point, the image we started this blog post with. Fake.

Shark Week-Aquarium of the Pacific

We don't normally post events-but since we really like the guys at the Long Beach AQ and it's Shark Week related:

This Shark Week visitors to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach can embark on their own shark adventures.

Aquarium guests will discover that sharks are as diverse as the ocean they inhabit, as they see sharks of all shapes and sizes found throughout the Pacific Ocean from Palau to Southern California. They'll find out why sharks are important to the planet and how individuals can help
protect them.

SHARK WEEK ADVANCE SCREENING OFFERED LONG BEACH SEA FESTIVAL

In partnership with the Discovery Channel, the City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, and Charter Communications, the Aquarium of the Pacific will gear up for Shark Week with an advance FREE screening of a new episode on its front lawn on Sunday, July 20 at 8:00 p.m. The public is invited to bring their family and friends to watch the episode as it is projected on a large outdoor screen. Picnics are encouraged, and people can bring their own food or purchase it from the Aquarium. There will be opportunities to visit the sharks and other animals at the Aquarium with a special admission rate of only $10 from 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

WHEN: Shark Week at the Aquarium: Sunday, July 27 through Sunday

August 3, 2008 Advance Screening of a new Shark Week Episode: Sunday, July 20, 2008

WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach,CA 90802

COST: Sunday, July 20 outdoor screening on the Aquarium's front lawn is FREE

Australia's White Sharks-Now 20% Bigger and Lakebound!

How many times do we have to remind you that pretty much everything in Australia will kill you.

It seems even an innocent dip in the local lake will kill you with the "discovery" of a 21 foot Great White shark cruising the local waters there. If dodging Salties and Freshies (crocs) wasn't bad enough

Yes that's right, a 21 foot Great White shark.

Here's the full news report for your review and as Fox News would put it " We'll Report. You Decide"

Great white shark 'in lake

Police issued a warning today after a seven-metre great white shark was reportedly netted and freed in a Central Coast lake.

A commercial fisherman reported to police that he netted the monster in waters at a popular school holiday vacation spot at Tuggerah Lake.

The fisherman reported snaring the seven-metre shark in nets he had cast off Canton Beach, at the northern end of the lake about 5.30am today.