The dates of this year’s Photosub Splash-In competition are being extended to include THE FIRST 4 WEEKENDS IN JULY.   This will give as many members as possible the chance to get in the water and take some pictures, hopefully avoiding other commitments and the worst of whatever the weather has in mind for us.

So, eligible images must have been taken anywhere in the UK or Ireland between the 1^st July and 24th July 2016 inclusive.  

( Just for clarity, Photosub members’ images taken on Whirlwind in the Red Sea WILL NOT be eligible!!! ) 

This is a projected image competition and, if you choose, manipulation software can be used without restriction.  You may enter up to 3 images into the competition.  Full rules are on the Photosub web site.
 
The Photosub Splash-In is a unique competition because we always ask an experienced non-underwater photographer to judge the images for us, and this can result in some interesting and unexpected results! 

Your competition images need to be sent to Keith Lyall by Friday 29th July at the latest.

Photosub held a social meeting last Saturday night, very kindly hosted by Joss at her house in East Finchley.  Despite the inclement June weather, seventeen members and guests attended and enjoyed the usual informal socialising, excellent food and company, and sharing of projected images.

The projected image subjects were Nudibranchs and Shoals, as chosen by Joss, and about half a dozen of us treated the gathering to some excellent images.  It has to be said that there were some interesting interpretations of the subjects, including a ‘shoal’ of fish in the tentacles of a jellyfish and some fish-like nudibranchs. However, all good and entertaining stuff!  Thanks to everyone who brought images along.
 
I am sure you will be aware that this was our first meeting since learning of Len’s death.  This has been shocking and unhappy news, and we took some time to reflect on it, share our thoughts, express our feelings for Len and Pat, and to recognise Len’s fantastic contribution to Photosub, to underwater photography generally and to the enjoyment we have all had from our hobby.
 
We reflected on the great success Len had made Photosub into, and the desire we all have to ensure this continued.  And we agreed the need for some ongoing recognition of Len’s role and achievement in establishing Photosub and that the committee would look into this.

It is impossible to replace Len, his loss to the club is huge.  Some changes to the running of Photosub are now required to ensure its continued success.  We agreed that a few volunteers are needed to work with the committee to make these adjustments and to help with activities and events.  My sincere thanks to Martha and Keith for your offers of help, they are very much appreciated. 
 
If any other members would like to help with the running of the club or its activities, please could you let me know by return, it would be much appreciated.  Thank you. 
 
In closing, I’d like to thank everybody that came along and, especially, those who made the meeting happen.  To Joss as a great host and for treating us to some lovely food.  To those kind people (I’m sorry I didn’t find out who) who provided some very nice puddings.  And also to Martha and Anthony for providing and operating the projection equipment for us. Thank you all very much.
 
Our next meeting will be the annual BBQ and Photosub Splash-In Competition results meeting at Jo and Keith’s house on 6^th August. 

It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the death of our friend, fellow photographer and diver, Len Deeley. Len was taken ill on Wednesday evening 15^th June 2016, with aortic dissection and was operated on at St Georges, Tooting but suffered a massive stroke. Len passed away on Thursday 16th June 2016. Our condolences and thoughts are with his beloved wife Pat and family this sad time.

Len began diving as a member of 562 Para Sqn. T.A. back in 1970 with BSAC London Army 328 Branch. When Len left the T.A. in 1975 he joined BSAC East Ham Branch 604. However, Len really settled into serious diving when he became a member of the Billericay Sub Aqua Club (1620) in 1980 when it formed.

In 1981 Len joined the British Society of Underwater Photographers, where he got to know many underwater photographers, some of international status. This was an invaluable part of a learning process, which helped him develop his underwater photography.

In 1986 Len moved from Essex to Surrey and joined Cranleigh Sub Aqua Club and Godalming Photographic Club, with whom he developed an interest in other forms of photography and printing techniques. This led to his own darkroom and, latterly, digital imaging. Len also joined The Royal Society of Photography (RPS) and earned an ARPS distinction in the Applied Category using underwater images taken with slide film. This was followed in 2006 when Len achieved a Fellowship distinction with the RPS in the Nature category with digital prints.

Having the right type of diving is so important for underwater photography and that is unlikely to be found with a normal diving club. In 1988 therefore Len formed Photosub Underwater Photography Club. Our club, with a membership of circa 50 people, provided the backdrop for much of his diving. Len was the heart, sole and driving force behind the success of this highly social club, organising many events including meetings, competitions, presentations and the annual meal. Len and Pat opened up their home on so many occasions as the venue for regular club meetings.

Len had been on the lecture circuit of the Surrey Photographic Association since 1993 and regularly give talks, slide shows and lectures, including photoshop technique and how to produce digital audio visuals.

Len regularly organized diving trips for underwater photographers to locations worldwide, such as Red Sea, Indonesia, French Polynesia, Galapagos, Cocos Islands, South Africa, Mozambique, Philippines, Cuba, etc.

By building up successes with entries in various British Photographic Exhibitions affiliated to the BPE Crown Awards scheme Len achieved the BPE1 award certificate in March 2007, BPE2 in April 2007 and BPE3 in May 2008.

In 2009 Len was commissioned with a dive friend Karen Gargani to produce a book. The book, called Ultimate Diving Adventures, was released in UK in October 2009 with world wide publication thereafter. In March 2011 Len was awarded AFIAP distinction with the Federation Internationale Del’Art Photographique, and Len was awarded EFIAP distinction in May 2015.

Len was Chairman of Mid Thames AV Group and a regular attendee and entrant of AV Festivals. He was well known for his incredible underwater photography. His most recent success were for ‘Thistlegorm Remembered’ in the 2016 Peter Coles IAC International and for ‘A Compasionate Man’ in the 2014 Great Northern Festival. Both sequences received Special Judges Mentions.

Len was a big man in all ways and will leave a large hole in there lives of those who were fortunate enough to know him. We will all miss you Len, rest in peace.

Final Goodbye

On Sunday 23^rd July 2107, about 30 members of Photosub joined Len’s family at Selsey slip to remember Len Deeley, and to be with Pat when she scattered Len’s ashes in the sea.

It was an emotional occasion, with Godfrey Bevan and Bob Soames remembering Len with a few words before Pat scattered Len’s ashes, and some rose petals in the waters at the shoreline. 

It was a fitting tribute to Len, and East Beach, Selsey was a very appropriate place for his ashes to be scattered.  Len enjoyed diving on the Mulberries at Selsey and last dived there 2 years ago.

The assembled group then retired to The Lifeboat Inn, public house for refreshments.  The weather was kind to us on the day, with a mixture of sunshine and clouds and a south-westerly breeze, keeping the first drops of rain until most of us had departed for home again. 

Pat Deeley supported by family and friends

The gathering at Selsey slipway

Bob Soames leads the tributes …

… followed by long time dive buddy Godfrey Bevan

The final farewell …

Saturday 5th March 2016 was the occasion of our 25th Annual Dinner and was well attended with 31 members and guests (was 33 but two had to cancel due to illness). Members gathered at around 7pm and had plenty of time to mingle and enjoy a few drinks before the meal. We sat down for an enjoyable meal at around 8.15pm and after that the digital entries were projected. Our guest of honour Arthur Kingdon (with his wife Ann) attended the dinner and Arthur had judged the digital images in advance of the evening. This was no mean task as the change in categories certainly increased the overall numbers entered:

GREEN WATER CLOSE UP/MACRO 22
GREEN WATER WIDE 27
BLUE WATER CLOSE UP/MACRO 62
BLUE WATER WIDE 51

Arthur had clearly spent a lot of time and effort in his evaluation of the digital images (he received them numbered only with no authors names) and brought along envelopes with the winning images listed. After all digital images had been projected each envelope was opened in turn and the winning images were projected again in reverse order and Arthur gave a few comments on each of them.

Blue Water – Macro

1ST PLACE PASH BAKER

2ND PLACE BOB SOAMES

3RD PLACE DANIEL TAYLOR

HIGHLY COMMENDED KEITH LYALL

HIGHLY COMMENDED GILL MARSH

COMMENDED PETER TATTON

COMMENDED MARTYN GUESS

COMMENDED BOB SOAMES

COMMENDED ANTHONY HOLLEY

Blue Water – Wide angle

1ST PLACE NICK BLAKE

2ND PLACE MARTYN GUESS

3RD PLACE MARTYN GUESS

HIGHLY COMMENDED KEITH LYALL

HIGHLY COMMENDED GILL MARSH

COMMENDED ROB WHITE

COMMENDED MARTYN GUESS

Green Water – Macro

1ST PLACE KEITH LYALL

2ND PLACE ROB WHITE

3RD PLACE ROB WHITE

HIGHLY COMMENDED GILL MARSH

COMMENDED LEN DEELEY

COMMENDED DANIEL TAYLOR

COMMENDED CHRIS MCTERNAN

Green Water – Wide Angle

1ST PLACE NICK BLAKE

2ND PLACE NICK BLAKE

3RD PLACE ROB WHITE

HIGHLY COMMENDED ROB WHITE

HIGHLY COMMENDED MARTYN GUESS

COMMENDED KEITH LYALL

COMMENDED ROB WHITE

Prints

COMMENDED LEN DEELEY

COMMENDED LEN DEELEY

16 members and guests attended that Photosub Meeting on 31st January and was, as usual, a pleasant evening with good company, good food and drink followed by the projections of some 2014 images from Mario Vitalini, Ken Sullivan and Len Deeley. This was all preceded by the AGM.

The minutes of the 2015 AGM can be found here. The minutes also give information on various dive trips and events planned for 2015.

May I offer on the club’s behalf our thanks to Keith Lyall who has stood down as club Chairman but is continuing in the roll of Webmaster.

Wishing you all a good dive year.

Welcome to the Photosub website. I hope you enjoy visiting these pages. Some of them are still work in progress and I look forward to receiving your comments and feed-back to try and make this site better.

If you are a renewed Photosub member and have any announcements, competition results or info which you would like to share with other club members, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line and I will set your user ID up to be able to post on the site.

JP Trenque