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Torch Technology and what it all means

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It seems nowadays that everywhere you look there’s a new torch or video light for sale, all boasting amazing high power outputs, see for miles, burns for hours and hours… well I thought I’d throw some light (forgive me the awful pun) on the subject and try and clarify all the jargon and gobbledygook.

Lights on the surface seem to be very simplistic bits of equipment; some batteries, a bulb, some wiring and a case to fit it all in, and there you go  – you’ve got a torch. Unfortunately a great many of the torches and lights available at the moment are exactly this, and the technology behind LED lights is a great deal more complex than that. Let’s work through some of the basics which hopefully will make choosing your next light easier.

The one term that gets bandied about left, right and centre is lumens. It would seem that lumens are the brightness of a light source… well, yeah, kinda, but it’s not quite right. A lumen is a very specific measurement of light emanating from a single point and measured equally on a surface a given distance away from that point, surrounding it on all sides, normally a sphere.  Because of the vast amount of exaggerated claims by torch manufacturers in the US they have come up with a specific standard for measuring the output of torches, which is called ANSI/NEMA FL-1. This is very expensive to do because of the cost of the testing, so only the more dedicated manufacturers have their products certified. Look out for this on product packaging to be sure of a quality bit of kit. A small light will output 500 or 600 lumens nowadays with the top end kit producing 4000/5000 lumens, which is incredibly bright indeed. Some of these torches cannot even be turned on for more than a few seconds out of the water as they will start to melt without the water to cool them. These powerful lights even have safety mechanisms to prevent them from being switched on accidentally and this is now a legal requirement if you want to take them on a plane. When using these lights, even the less powerful ones, be mindful of not pointing it at other people as it is quite unpleasant being blinded by one of them – especially on a dive.

Another thing to be very mindful of is the fact that a very large number of LED torches on the market will, when turned on initially, achieve the quoted light output, but very quickly (sometimes within seconds) dim down to only a fraction of what they are meant to achieve. The better quality lights will maintain their output with just a drop off of about 10% all the way through until the battery is depleted. The Light and Motion range along with the exotic Keldan and surprisingly the Ikelite lights all perform very well in this respect. Newcomer RGBlue is also very well designed and works well throughout the battery life.

Talking from a video point of view a classic failing of inferior lights is the edge definition. We see many torches advertised as video lights and within seconds of turning them on we soon realise they’re just another torch. Video lights have a very specific quality and that is that there is no hard edge to the beam; instead the output bleeds off very gently. If they don’t do this the camera sees the edge and it stands out very clearly and looks poor. On this point something else worth mentioning is the beam angle. Many lights quote how wide the beam is for the benefit of the videographer. What is not considered is the fact that as soon as you take most torches underwater the beam angle is significantly reduced. To my knowledge there is only one light on the market which addresses this issue and that is the UK Aqualite Video 90. The Video 90 cleverly has a small dome on top of the emitter which corrects the refraction and the beam width remains exactly the same in and out of the water.  Another thing to be mindful of is that good LED lights have a ‘controller’ that regulates the output, maintaining the power. On some cheaper lights this can cause a slight flickering, which is not always visible to the naked eye but unfortunately very visible to the camera eye.

More serious videographers will also be concerned over the colour temperature of a light. We don’t notice it so much but all light has different colour properties. It’s quite an in depth subject and I don’t want to make this article too technical so I’ll keep it brief. White light is a mixture of all visible wavelengths of light. Different wavelengths represent different colours so in essence white light is a mixture of different colours. Depending on the manufacture of an LED emitter and the design of any light or torch, which may have a mixture of different emitters, the light will have a caste or slight bias towards a colour. A shift towards blue, for example, will make video or stills appear cooler. A shift towards red gives a warmer feel. Purist photographers/videographers will prefer a light which most closely simulates daylight. Colour temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin and daylight is measured at 5500° so look out for this on the box (although that is no guarantee that it will deliver that but it should be closer than if it doesn’t say anything at all).

From a photo/videographic point of view it is worth researching the right light before you buy otherwise you could be throwing money down the drain, and let’s face it – these things aren’t cheap.

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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