The thing is that I started the dive and it takes about 1 hour to prepare for the dive with everything and my dive buddy was in the water and during a shot for a Pipefish the battery runs out in the UW monitor. So now I got 1 hour dive without know what I'm filming or abort the dive and head home after 5 minutes in the water... I ended up filming without a clue of what I was filming and of course, every shot came out like crap!

During my time in Thailand I did everything except flooding my camera. I can tell you that, if you start the dive and swim quickly down to 30 m (about 100 feet), just to get as much time as possible at that depth and turn you camera on, and you realize that you forgot to change the battery or turn the camera on in side the housing (in may old housing I needed to turn the camera on before closing the housing) you get really upset. Because you know that you got 5-10 paying costumer in the water that want that film and you need to get up to the dive boat, turn the camera on and then back in the water and hunt the group up again to get the shots… that aren’t fun!

I have forgot stuff a couple time but as log as you are in land that ok, but when your in water you really feel like crap (-“do I need to take al my F*****G gear of just for a battery?”). I guess that’s probably the same thing if you are high up in a mountain or deep in a forest…

Anyway, next time I hope I won’t forget the battery…

On my way to work this night (12pm) I must cross a mountain and suddenly a bird flew right infront of my car to a tree close to the road. It was an owl. I stopped and grabbed my camera trying to get some "night owl" on tape. But it flew away before I even got to get the camera out of my car. Now I'm heading for the harbour in a little fishing village (Fosnavaag) where I'm stationed. Not far from the island of Puffins, Runde.

Geir Inge

Who stole the moon?
 

Last Sunday the clouds scattered a little. So I went to the coast in the evening. But it was completely black, there was no moon. I thought about going on a boat with the fishermen but I easily get seasick, not a good idea.
Yesterday the sky was almost completely blue so after work I went up to the roof of my building. I could see a few stars but no moon. I looked in every direction but she was not there.
I don't think the moon can disappear like that. So I am asking:

WHO STOLE THE MOON?

It's there. I shot it setting tonight. It set soon after sunset though so you have to be quick.

The moon has been hiding behind the sun recently :-)
But these days it will be more and more visible, as it's new moon (or what you call it!?).
By the end of this week it has grown to half, deadline for this Challenge is not before monday, hint, hint...

Yes but the clouds will be back by Thursday. And the night falls when I am still at work. I don't think I will catch her in time.

When I think I wanted to do this challenge to shoot in the mountains or by the sea. Well, scrap this and that!

Hey, I just saw her when waiting for the bus after work. Mmmmh, maybe I will bring the camera with me tomorrow...

don't forget, NIGHT can still be shot before sun-up and after sun-down--there's still a lot of light during those times, for those of you just learning. in fact, you can get a lot of light in the camera and makes some really unique and beautiful images. think of it as late (or early) magic hour and see what you can do with dramatic blacks, blues, purples, silhouetting, etc.

Can't believe I've actually got an entry in the editing software!
The frog idea failed miserably however, my wife saw a possum in the trees next door yesterday, whilst hanging out the washing. This led to a lengthy stint sitting on our roof last night (with torches and a camping gas light). I hate to think what the neighbours are thinking. All I see is the neighbours curtains slowly closing as I look around.
I need a couple of final shots tonight to finish it off - but very pleased with what I have.
Gee, the UWOL thing is making me do things I didn't think I would ever contemplate. Think I might chap a few doors tonight and try and explain what the hell I am up to.
Hope all your plans are working out.

Hey Meryem,

Send me a tee shirt... just uploaded...:)

Hi, hi, welcome into the club David ;-)

Chris, congrats to you, I think you are the first which has going through all six rounds! Can't wait to view yours and the other entries... ...mine is half to finish shooting, so I have a lot of work to do left.

With all I hear you guys are talking about doing here, I'm sure some great stuff is to come. I wish I had more time for this, but some other things have come up so I had to wrap early !

I have the first version completed now.
Still feel "something" is missing, so I might try to add something later.
I always end up making several changes/different versions of the video before I am happy with the result.

Hi Trond,
I might be able to show you a sample of my version when we meet in Oslo Friday, stay tuned....
Looking forward to our meeting!

Hey David,
That's great to hear you got some footage of some possums, i too have some possum footage to work with. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. I went out tonight, & just missed getting some footage of a Boobook owl. Just got the camera set up & hit record as it flew away. BUMMER!! That was what i have been trying for all this time, so close, & yet so far! Oh well, i have one more night of shooting, then i have to get something together. I am heading up to Brisbane on the weekend for my daughters 18th birthday so won't be editing anything over that time. Might just have time monday night to put any finishing touch's to my entry before uploading.

Best of luck to all,

Bryce

Hi Bryce,
I really feel for you missing out on the Boobook Owl - that would have been a great shot. However, it sounds like the possums have helped us both.
I had my father up on the roof with me tonight and we sat there for hours - with not a hint of a possum! So I have decided to give it one last chance tomorrow night before I also head up to Queensland on Friday for the weekend. I've decided to head back Sunday night, so I might also have one last night before the upload.
I am looking forward to seeing your possum shots. Mine are a bit too grainy as I had the gain set a bit too high. I now have 10m of component cable coming out the back of my camera, then in the bedroom window, then straight into the high def 42 inch TV on the wall. With this setup, I can adjust the controls on the camera and my wife shouts out when it is the sharpest picture - for the available light. Now I just need that possum to come back!
Good luck to you with your entry and have a wonderful weekend with your family.

nice work, chris....our first player to complete all six UWOL films this year. that's a great achievement.

you'll have to settle for a pat on the back, for the moment, chris, our t-shirts are a work-in-progress, but you'll get yours...meanwhile, shoot me an e-mail with your mailing address, and i'll fire up a mailing list for our Year One Hall-of-Fame players!

and nice work in staying out of the tank, david. it ain't over until it's over!

Even if I stay up every night, I have not got very much useful shots on tape yet. My first idea was to film an old Norwegian folk legend, called "Draugen". All was set but sorry, the weather stopped me from doing the required scenes, not just my planned scenes by the seaside but also in the sea (read; wet suit). The story should be well suited for a theme like "Night", but I guess I can use it on some other occasion later in the uwol process. If I'm right I think Meryem will host up some great themes in the future too :)
So now I'm playing around with another idea that involves salmon. I did my first shot last night onboard a ship and will be shooting some more scenes tonight. Friday and Saturday I will be in Oslo for a meeting so that leaves me with Sunday and Monday to edit and finish my contribution. You may ask; Why salmon? Well, I'm not very much into sharks ;)
One thing I'm looking forward to is to meet Per Johan and Trond, Friday evening in Oslo.

Per Johan/Trond:
Showroom is booked to 8pm.

OK, by for now.
Geir Inge

Meryem:

Thank you for the pat on the back.... and the work you put into making this Challenge a reality.... Will send address by email.... Had a lot of fun this first year, not having had a lick of experience with nature videography, I can say it was truly a very educational experience for me-- and a very positive support system from all here.

Night is too dark
 

Well, here I go again. Got my shot lined up for this week end and my A1U crashed again. This time the video. Vertical purple and black lines in display and recored video Maybe they will not show up in the dark. So I'm out of the fun again. Wonder how may weeks It will take Sony this time?

Time to Chistmas shop for a FX7 or V1U (I wish).

I look forward to viewing your entries.

Maybe next time.

dagnabbit--i jumped the gun! sorry, chris, upon further review, the first free t-shirt was already won by bruce "quick-draw" foreman! congratulations, quick-draw, no one can out-gun you in the speed-video category.

congrats, bruce. feel free to stick your tongue out at chris and give him the ol' "nyah-nyah"....

...and enjoy the bragging rights!

just a friendly ribbing, chris. anyone who finishes six of these a year is a total rock star!

the t-shirt contender list redux...

Geir Inge
Gordon Hoffman
Brian Mckay
Mat Thompson
Bruce Foreman
Chris Barcellos
Per Johan
Ruth Happel
Dale Guthormsen

who will survive this NIGHT Challenge, mwhahahaha....

and Victor, my friend, we need to pass the hat and get you a camera!

Bruce: I thought I had you beat man..... That was just like my fantasy football this week, the league was misreporting my score, and I thought I won.....

Well, Bruce is on a roll, what can we say......congrats.

This is the most challenging and exiting of all 6 uwol for me.
I'm not sure yet if I'll manage to deliver my contribution. This night I had a deal to film onboard a boat, but it will not arrive before daytime.
Just trying to twist my brain for some "in a hurry" ideas so that I can be one of the few lucky ones to carry one of those uwol T-shirt.
Still some days left before deadline, so where there's life - there's hope I guess.
I've got about 30 min on tape, but none of the scenes seems to fit together, hmm...

Geir Inge

Can't do that. I may need to ask him for more help on the HV20.

More like "persistent old cuss" or something like that.

Does that mean there's a tee shirt for this too?

You might ought to wait till you see the film before you talk about me being on a roll...Well...

...We almost got rolled around by Ma Nature the night we set up with lights and all to shoot the film. One bodacious cold front blew in and the winds kept blowing equipment over and you can hear the metal roof on a canopy nearby sounding like it's going to come apart.

I actually lost a light that night, reflector crumpled and mangled, socket came apart (we wrapped it in tape to continue using it) and the only parts that survived were the light stand and the bulb.

But the fun we had was worth it.

I managed to get Plan C finished and uploaded. Almost bailed but I figured since I signed up I'd get something done... It's certainly not good, I only had today to work on it at all so it's not CC'd or worked at all and grainy as hell since I had to shoot it all at high gain. Waited till 1/2 hour after sunset but it still looks light in a couple shots.

nice work, chris, this was a tough one for sure, and it seems to be knocking even experienced shooters flat on their backs...kinda makes you appreciate that big yellow ball in the sky and our hopeless addiction to it...

don't worry, the next theme will be a cream puff...after looking around at all of all of the flattened bodies littering the field this round.

it's a Challenge, all right!

I have a huge ski trip at the end of March... Hint hint...

So far I have a lot of really great footage of pure blackness!!! Argh, this is hard when it's pitch black at night and you don't want snowy, grainy footage of dirt. Some of what I am hoping to shoot would eat or attack me if I don't see it first, tee hee....

yea - plenty of pure blackness. I'll throw a few seconds up tonight - it doesn't look funny but it made me laugh

I'm off to try for some moon on the water tonight and if that fails I'll be enticing possums out of the trees with fruit.

not giving up yet

Hey Paul,
I think everyone will know all about possums after this round! They're a great subject to shoot, they really don't mind being filmed, well most of them anyway. You will however see in my entry that not all are up for it! I've had some really interesting times trying to get some of my subjects to sit still for more than a couple of seconds before they litterally fly away!!

Bryce

Yo… I’m nearly finishing with me production. I just got the VO to ad to the video, Uploading on Monday. I think that this one turned out pretty go.
Yesterday I was out and got my final shot, and I got the creepy crawler I was looking for to…
I hope you other still fight to finish some entry.
I think that this round was little to narrow theme, maybe it would be better with “from sunset to sunrise”.
Anyway, I hope some more finish.

Cheers from Sweden
Markus

hey markus, congrats on finishing, glad you got back in the water...i need your help...see the last post in this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=107768

hello Markus

Look forword to see your Movie!!!!
My plan A was to film, playing lake trut,at night.
But to lait ,,,one week.Then plan B on nordic coral,but missing
some HID light, so plan C and hurry not pleased, but anoder uwol
will com.

Best Regards
Vidar Vedaa.


Some photo from plan B.

the Macro2 is really nice... In the Baltic Sea we don'r got any coral... to low salt.

Meryem, I send you a mail...

Hallo Markus

I read in some of your post ,that you have some home made
HID light. Can I ask on some tips on this.See that HID light is very
important to got the great color. I had a lot of clip,but the light and
stream was a big problem.


vv

________

Now my film is uploaded...

The light are realy importat for UW filming. A high temperatur (5000-6000K) light is something you most have, if you go deeper then 10m. Specially if you filming wildlife (with wrecks it's not that important). My homemade HID lights are from the swedish shop "Biltema" I guess you got some store in Norway to (in Oslo, I think). It is a two light kit that you should put in cars. I got mine made for me, you need to make most of the parts on your own. But it is so much cheaper, to buy twin 35W HID you would pay in sweden about 2500-3000 Euro and my cost me 800 Euro with eveything. But is also tock me long time before I got al fixed. One of them (the only one I tock with me) leeked for me in Australia so the ballast and the battery broke, just to buy new ones.

During this film (UC6) I'm using two HID's, one on a 1 meter arm on the camera and the second are on my divebuddy, just so I can get the best light angel on my object. And you also don't get that much backscatter (reflection on particels in the water, same effect as headlights in snowstorm).

great-tips
 

Thanks allot Markus

I am realy curryes to see all film in this chellenge.
Good luck to you all !!!!!!

VV

___________

Hi Vidar, that's a cool picture.
I'm looking forward to see your video.

Well, I'm back from my Oslo tour and now I'm trying to edit something for uwol6. Meryem I just have to say this one is very difficult, but I guess you know that by now.
But I will deliver something, maybe on Monday.
What a clever girl you are Meryem :)

Geir Inge