[Wetpixel] POTW, Sunbursts, White Sharks, Sardine Run, etc.

[Eric Cheng (Wetpixel)]

Hello, Wetpixel members!

Thanks for making our community so special.  We're up to 3,695 registered
members as of today, and membership is growing rapidly.

I'd also like to share with you some of the projects we're kicking around
behind the scenes:

- Picture of the Week -

Many of you were sad that the POTW is no longer interactive. I've been
working with a programmer friend to get this working again, but it will
probably take a few more months of work.

HOWEVER, we are bringing back the $30 pictopia prize -- probably within the
next month or so, so get your images ready to submit.  In addition, we're
working with Berkley White to have a large print made from winning entries
for display at Backscatter in Monterey, CA.

- Coffee Table Book -

We have the rough details on how to make a Wetpixel coffee table book work,
but it may take some time to figure out exactly how to make this possible
(and who will be leading the efforts).

- Digital Sunbursts -

There is a huge thread going on about digital sunbursts in the "Best of
Wetpixel" area of the forums:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7819

Special thanks to Alex Mustard for leading the sunball discussion.

- Conservation -

Wetpixel member Jason Grimes is trying to organize a massive letter-writing
campaign to convince Disney Hong Kong not to serve shark fin soup:
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/disney-hong-kong-and-shark-fin-soup-update/

- Wetpixel Trips -

We're leading at least 3 trips in 2006 (see below). If any of the links
below do not work, go to Wetpixel's Expedition area (
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/cat/C29/ ) and click through.

1) Bahamas Sharks on the Shear Water, Mar 12-20, 2006
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/wetpixel-shark-expedition-march-2006/

SOLD OUT.  This trip as booked in a record 2 days.  Alex Mustard, James
Wiseman, and I will be on board.  Because of the high demand, I'm working on
getting a second trip organized aboard the Wind Dancer between April 29 and
May 6.  If you are interested, please let me know.

2) Guadalupe White Sharks, August 18-25, 2006
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/wetpixel-great-white-shark-expedition-2006/

Norbert Wu (of Antarctica fame) and I will be leading a trip to Isla
Guadalupe to photograph great white sharks.

3) Sardine Run, South Africa, June 21-30, 2006
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/wetpixel-sardine-run-expedition-2006/

Every year the world's greatest marine migration takes place off the South
African Wild Coast. Millions of sardines follow the cold winter currents
moving north toward the warm Indian Ocean, bringing with them thousands of
predators: dolphins, sharks, whales, seals and marine birds.