Newts underwater

Friday, March 13, 7:30pm: Freshwater Focus: California and Beyond by Anton Sorokin

In-person at Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo (Monterey) and online by Zoom

We are thrilled to welcome Anton Sorokin, a biologist and award-winning photographer whose work has graced the pages of National Geographic and Smithsonian.

Anton will talk about some of the most charismatic and elusive species found in lakes, rivers, and ponds in California, his experiences photographing them for his statewide freshwater project, and what he’s learned in the process when it comes to fieldcraft and technique. As well as a few more exotic highlights from further afield.

Note is that meetings are moving back to the 2nd Friday of the month.  And BIG news, the meetings are going to be hybrid: in person in Monterey at Backscatter and simultaneously on zoom.  If you can get there in person, it should be a great time.

Meeting - Friday, March 13, 2026

In-person:
Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo
225 Cannery Row, Monterey, California

Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83237448575?pwd=kiNyoYjSYJC0nB9QzjbDpxoJ2wSdga.1

Mini Competition

Some big changes here too. Read the full details on our website on the competition page.  But the quick big ticket items:

  • Still Photo and Video competitions each month.  Enter either or both!

  • Competition will be judged with comments provided instead of the old voting approach.

  • NEW DEADLINE for entry.  Since we’re using judges, we need to get images to them and give them time to actually do the judging.  So, going forward, please submit your images via the link below (or on the the competition page) by the 15th of the prior month. So, for April, you would submit by Mar 15.

All of the minicomp themes are on our here with convenient upload links.  You can upload your picture for any month at any time UP UNTIL the deadline.  

February Minicomp

Marchs’s theme is Nudibranchs. Those have to already have been submitted. And in fact, they’ve already been judged. Images were due 2/15. Come to the meeting to see the winners.

The  April competition is Sunbeams.  And those images are due by 3/15.  Get them in on time, please!  Please name your files like this 01YourName.jpg.  Upload April entries here.

And remember, entering is a good idea.  For 2026, we have 2 BIG annual prizes:

  • Best Photographer. $100 prize for the person with the highest cumulative score during the year.

  • Best Shot. Another $100 prize will be awarded to the best photo of the year (based on the first place winners during the January to November time frame).

NCUPS Background

The Northern California Underwater Photographic Society (NCUPS) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that promotes interest in underwater photography. The club has been active since 1957, sponsoring educational events on both underwater photography and video while promoting awareness of the underwater environment and pertinent ecological issues. NCUPS serves the greater San Francisco Bay area, including Silicon Valley. FEIN 94-3278015

image.jpg