Planning a Red Sea Trip. Anyone interested?

[sorvju-f]

Here are a couple shots from the Red Sea that I'll add to the bunch.

Because I dive with a prescription face mask to see in the distance better, I learned while shooting macro (for the first time on this trip) that I cannot actually see anything close up while I am diving. I was shooting rather blind alot of the time. I didn't even see the eye sticking out out of the shell in the attached shot when I took it. It was a nice surpise when I downloaded it.

Bill that is hilarious ( the eye one )...there have to be always little amount of luck with good shots;)

I am using shared lens where close-up shots have to be done trough separate part of the mask lens.

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

C'mon Bill....we want more!

[chillinwithbill]

I think I am going to get a split/bi-focal mask with no prescription in the bottom part so I can see close up.

[sorvju-f]

C'mon Bill....we want more!

Jonathan we still miss one picture from you also...having something red on you:p

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

One video from our adventure:

( This is very short...worth of having a look )

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Mr%20Red%20Sea%20biglips.mov

Jukka

Funny. I like how you start with only close-ups so you can't really figure out what the heck it looks like, then show the full fish later. Music fits the critter too!

Jonathan

[Andrew]

Come on Bill... I saw loads of decent shots over your shoulder while you were downloading those memory cards... :D

Some of those wide angle ones... schooling fish... wrecks...

[Sharp]

One video from our adventure:

( This is very short...worth of having a look )

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Mr%20Red%20Sea%20biglips.mov

Jukka

WOW, that Napoleon wrasse is sure really Poser!:D You got totally close up video.

[Andrew]

Another great video Jukka... you are knocking these out in record speed! I expected for it to be 2011 before any premiered! :eek:

[sorvju-f]

Another great video Jukka... you are knocking these out in record speed! I expected for it to be 2011 before any premiered! :eek:

How was it to load in SA...actually it was third one...me too surprised;)

Have you posted all you pictures already...I feel you have some left?

Jukka

[Andrew]

Well I actually left it for an hour and when I came back it was downloaded!!

I have probably posted most of mine, I was just going to post 2 new ones that I had found but I had saved them in very low res and thought they look terribly blurred compared to the originals at home and would not want to give you substandard material! :D

[sorvju-f]

I want to send great thanks to Sanad, who was the man to get our diving program as well as many practical things working ( pictures by Car W ):

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Sanad%20800.jpg/full

Also important person was our captain:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Captain%201%20800.jpg/full

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Captain%202%20800.jpg/full

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Of coarse one important part of the trip was my birthday party. Suddenly ( after 4 daily dives ) I was blinded with something and taken somewhere ( pictures by Carl W ):

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%209%20800.jpg/full

All were there and the first thing I got was the birthday card including the text:

"KNOW what it means when SEXY GORGEOUS BABE POPS out of your BIRTHDAY cake and yells, "COME and GET ME YOU YOUNG, VIRILE HUNK of a MAN"?...

SORRY WRONG CAKE.

I got many birthday presents and here are some of them:

I feel this one is the picture many of us would like to capture ( IT IS GREAT GREAT HAMMERHEAD! ):

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%206%20800.jpg/full

Many of you knows that I am half deft and often I have to ask what?...in Finnish language it is Täh?:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%202%20800.jpg/full

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%203%20800.jpg/full

Pepe as a profesional singer decided to give us fine memory by singing one famous song from Finland telling about truths of the life:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%208%20800.jpg/full

And then the cake:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Birthday%207%20800.jpg/full

THANKS TO EVERYBODY!

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

So the team members from Finland ( some of them was earlier home ) had a surprise waiting for me...still up today I have been too afraid to sit on it:eek:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Keinutuoli%20WM%20800.jpg/full

And many know my hobbies:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Syntt%E4ritaulu%20WM%20800.jpg/full

...and last but not worst:

SISU:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Sisu%20L%202%20WM%20800.jpg/full

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

So here are my last UW-pictures from our journey. Of coarse they are from anemonfishes:p :

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/3%20anemonfs%20WM%20800.jpg/full

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/anemonifisu%20WM%20800.jpg/full

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/anemonikala%206%20WM%20800.jpg/full

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/puna-anemoni%20WM%20800.jpg/full

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

With these pictures it is good to finish my picture report ( and I can concentrate to videos ).

Thanks to everybody taking part to make this report and to those, who actively have commented the thread and also to those, who are just lurking here!

This is sunset by Vesa:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/View%20by%20Vesa%20800.jpg/full

This sunset is by Carl W:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Sunset%202%20800.jpg/full

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

My picture slide show can be viewed from next link:
( including also pictures by Vesa, Carl W and Erkki )

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt+anniversary+tour+25.09-16.10.2010/?action=slideshow

Jukka

[Andrew]

Jukka,

It was great to be a guest to enjoy your birthday, it was really an honour and very enjoyable! I like the 50 on the clapper board for cameras... you must be getting close to flooding that many... what another 2 on the last trip? :eek: Your Sisu gets more and more adorable with every picture I see... I dare not show that one to my wife otherwise we would have one in our house! The next toast together will be the one where I buy the bottle ;)

It's been a great thread (and trip) and I have a few more to add when I get home so will still go on (a la Jukka style I thought I would wait) and hopefully some other members of the team will post (Bill for one...!)

On your pics as I have to comment... I love that first anemome picture, real depth and lovely colour which catches my eye... a little different as all the others have already been done (by us before!)

Andrew

[Jonathan Bird]

Täh???

I'm sorry I missed the birthday party! Happy 50th Jukka!!

Jonathan

[sorvju-f]

Täh???

I'm sorry I missed the birthday party! Happy 50th Jukka!!

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan!

There are some video episodes under work at the moment from Red Sea adventure...just stay online!

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Jukka,

It was great to be a guest to enjoy your birthday, it was really an honour and very enjoyable! I like the 50 on the clapper board for cameras... you must be getting close to flooding that many... what another 2 on the last trip? :eek: Your Sisu gets more and more adorable with every picture I see... I dare not show that one to my wife otherwise we would have one in our house! The next toast together will be the one where I buy the bottle ;)

It's been a great thread (and trip) and I have a few more to add when I get home so will still go on (a la Jukka style I thought I would wait) and hopefully some other members of the team will post (Bill for one...!)

On your pics as I have to comment... I love that first anemome picture, real depth and lovely colour which catches my eye... a little different as all the others have already been done (by us before!)

Andrew

We all love taking anemone fish pics...there are zillion of them, but this one you liked I added because:

- I feel that when you get triangle somehow to picture, it takes viewer's intention much easier.

- There is always little luck with nice pictures...in this one the main luck was that all 3 fishes were about same distance from the lens. When using macro lens DOF is very narrow and it is very difficult to get all the subjects to be well focused

- and I liked it myself also

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Next episode named "The Hunt" from our episodes is, as I feel, best episode from our adventure.

Have a look:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/The%20Hunt%203.mov

Jukka

[Andrew]

Havent downloaded it yet Jukka as don't have the bandwidth here... but guess this could be lionfish hunting at night...? I am sure you have got great footage as I have never seen them get so close before and actually too close when they start to follow you around! :D

[sorvju-f]

Havent downloaded it yet Jukka as don't have the bandwidth here... but guess this could be lionfish hunting at night...? I am sure you have got great footage as I have never seen them get so close before and actually too close when they start to follow you around! :D

You are right Andrew the episode is about lion fishes hunting. Your blu-ray version is soon ready to be posted ( I hope to have your postal address somewhere left )

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

Great music, cool shots especially at the end when they finally started catching something!

One piece of editing advice I would like to suggest is to use far fewer dissolves. A dissolve has a specific use in the "language" of film and that is to denote a chance of time or place. They are sometimes used additionally as an artistic way to create a montage on beautiful images, but typically those images are unrelated, so the rule of a changing time or place applies. When telling a story such as you are in this piece, the dissolve should be used sparingly if at all. This history of this dates to the film editing days when a dissolve was a heck of a lot more complicated to create than it is now, and they were used sparingly. Also, a cut is a lot easier on the eyes.

Jonathan

[sorvju-f]

Great music, cool shots especially at the end when they finally started catching something!

One piece of editing advice I would like to suggest is to use far fewer dissolves. A dissolve has a specific use in the "language" of film and that is to denote a chance of time or place. They are sometimes used additionally as an artistic way to create a montage on beautiful images, but typically those images are unrelated, so the rule of a changing time or place applies. When telling a story such as you are in this piece, the dissolve should be used sparingly if at all. This history of this dates to the film editing days when a dissolve was a heck of a lot more complicated to create than it is now, and they were used sparingly. Also, a cut is a lot easier on the eyes.

Jonathan

Thanks for commenting...your words have been noticed!

I have to admit that when combining the clips to music and to some story and to whole production the easiest way to correct "jumps to eye" is dissolving. I also try to avoid dissolves always when it is possible, but sometimes there just is not clip which works with the whole thing.

To add some narration to this is still my nightmare!

My main criteria is evaluating cutting is my eye as not having any education to do cutting...but I am also learning by doing:p
Even though I liked this episode myself.

Jukka

[Bodie]

Jukka-

I also enjoyed this sequence. It is definitely one of your better sets.

To bad we had that random set of divers from that first dive on the Main Safari get in the way in a few of the wreck shots.

How goes the still housing search? Any decisions?

A fast fade-out + fade-in can also make for a pretty good substitute for dissolves- especially if you are trying to build suspense.

Dan

[sorvju-f]

Jukka-

I also enjoyed this sequence. It is definitely one of your better sets.

To bad we had that random set of divers from that first dive on the Main Safari get in the way in a few of the wreck shots.

How goes the still housing search? Any decisions?

A fast fade-out + fade-in can also make for a pretty good substitute for dissolves- especially if you are trying to build suspense.

Dan

Hi Dan!

Housing will be Subal after my studies round this question...only thing is that to which model I will take it---some new model in pipeline or some old model.

Like Michael told in his interview that it is not must to run after every latest technology change, but now when I have to do soon some decision it would be nice to see next generation.

It looks like lot of work have been put to video-side in DSLR-area and that still today is useless to me.

Some pro-happenings like sport competitions are selling permissions to either still or video gears ( like in Egypt:cool: ) so there have to be model, which is just taking stills ( I hope )...maybe DX4?

Jukka

[Sharp]

Next episode named "The Hunt" from our episode is, as I feel, best episode from our adventure.

Have a look:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/The%20Hunt%203.mov

Jukka

Music works very well with that hunting video. You have got a lot of close ups! There seems to be lot of silt for some night dives?

[sorvju-f]

Music works very well with that hunting video. You have got a lot of close ups! There seems to be lot of silt for some night dives?

Pasi, just one dive. The diving site was sandy bottom and lot of divers made the silt situation worse. Video was shot at night by Kari...I was using still camera during that dive.

Jukka

[Sharp]

Pasi, just one dive. The diving site was sandy bottom and lot of divers made the silt situation worse. Video was shot at night by Kari...I was using still camera during that dive.

Jukka

You are having good team from Porvoo:) Video was shot very well!

[sorvju-f]

This has nothing to do with " Under water ", but it was a part of our adventure in Egypt:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Balloon%20flight.mov

Jukka

[Sharp]

This has nothing to do with " Under water ", but it was a part of our adventure in Egypt:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Balloon%20flight.mov

Jukka

Very peaceful flight with you! Visibility seems to been excellent and no clouds on the sky. I have to send this link to my brother how is hot air balloon pilot.

Did you landed to sand or road or hard land? My brother flew two weeks ago in Dubai and one of they balloons landed to sand. They had big problem to get the ball back to road because sand was too soft for cars.

[sorvju-f]

Very peaceful flight with you! Visibility seems to been excellent and no clouds on the sky. I have to send this link to my brother how is hot air balloon pilot.

Did you landed to sand or road or hard land? My brother flew two weeks ago in Dubai and one of they balloons landed to sand. They had big problem to get the ball back to road because sand was too soft for cars.

It was some side road...landing I think was rather smooth. They took the set little bit up from the ground and pull it close to cars.

Here is also next topside adventure episode from Luxor:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Egypt,%20Luxor%202010.mov

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

That is really excellent Jukka. Your composition is outstanding! Fabulous!

[sorvju-f]

That is really excellent Jukka. Your composition is outstanding! Fabulous!

Thanks Jonathan!

:D Sh.t this is dangerous as best words are used to top side episode...maybe I should change my strategy:D

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

I have been rather productive as no snowing last 5 days...

Here my last episode from diving safaris:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/Deep%20South%20Safari.mov

Jukka

[dascubanut]

Nice work Jukka. I don't think I would want to be over there now, sounds bad.

[Jonathan Bird]

Yeah, you guys had good timing!

[sorvju-f]

Yeah, you guys had good timing!

I am little worried as our Marcos is still there and there is no telephone/internet access now. He is not in worse places ( Cairo, Suez, Alexandria ), but lives rather close Alexandria ( Rosetta ). Hope everything is OK with him.

Jukka

[Andrew]

Its not looking too good there at the moment. If you get in contact with him Jukka send him our best and tell him to stay safe!

Andrew

[sorvju-f]

Its not looking too good there at the moment. If you get in contact with him Jukka send him our best and tell him to stay safe!

Andrew

Still no new from Marcos...Andrew I will tell your message to him immediately when getting in contact with him.

Looks like situation is worsening and even expanding to holiday places like Sharm EL Sheikh and Hurghada

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

I got today trough one telephone call to Marcos. He is OK.

He was telling that there is chaos everywhere. In Rosetta, his home town, they burned police station today. He told that if using main road from Rosetta to Alexandria and Cairo you can find dead bodies side of the road.

Situation is getting worse all the time. I try to arrange him tickets back Finland tomorrow. The problem is that airports are not working well...let's see.

I told that Red Sea team members sent regards to him and he was very happy and sent regards back.

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

I got the flight tickets to Marcos...but schedule has changed today already 3 times. Sounds like there is panic also in airports as many country is evacuating their people out from there.

Let's see!

Jukka

[chillinwithbill]

I remember what the Egypt airports were like under normal conditions - it must be a terrible scene there right now.

Keep us posted Jukka. You are a great friend to be helping out so much.

[sorvju-f]

I remember what the Egypt airports were like under normal conditions - it must be a terrible scene there right now.

Keep us posted Jukka. You are a great friend to be helping out so much.

Thursday we will know...lets see...passengers are fighting with each other to get their flights at airport.

I let you know.

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

What a mess. I hope he gets out safe. Jukka to the rescue!

[sorvju-f]

What a mess. I hope he gets out safe. Jukka to the rescue!

Rescue done...Marcos is in Finland now!

He sent warm regards to all his friends.

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

Jukka, you are a hell of a good friend to get him out of there!

[sorvju-f]

Jukka, you are a hell of a good friend to get him out of there!

I simply feel that there is reason to have friends.

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

I'll tell you, if I'm ever stuck in a country with a civil war, I'm calling you to fly me out to Finland!!!

[sorvju-f]

I'll tell you, if I'm ever stuck in a country with a civil war, I'm calling you to fly me out to Finland!!!

Oh, then it will take looooong time to get you to Finland...or is it something I don't know going on round Boston area?

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Diving industry is in great problems now, tourist places are empty:

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Hurghada%20today.jpg/full

Picture by Marcos

[Jonathan Bird]

Civil war will do that!

[sorvju-f]

Civil war will do that!

Our diving operator and boat ( Andromeda ) is also closed...Sanad ( our main guide ) is now in St Peterburg with his wife and kids and do not know when the action starts again.

Also I have to report that Mohammed, our guide in Luxor waiting some great news while we were there, got the boy soon after we left Luxor...and mother is feeling well.

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

Here is very old picture by Tim M where slaves are building temple of female Pharaoh Hatsepsut.

I feel one of the slaves looks very familiar...

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Egypt%20anniversary%20tour%2025.09-16.10.2010/Slaves%20building%20temple%20of%20Hatsepsut.jpg/full

Jukka

[Jonathan Bird]

LMAO! His turban looks a little funny too.

[sorvju-f]

LMAO! His turban looks a little funny too.

That is true and everybody are looking him like they want to start strike because of him:p

Jukka

[sorvju-f]

One more happy ending....I hope...

http://sorvjuf.1g.fi/kuvat/Sekalaisia+2011/Rania++Nagah.jpeg/full

Jukka