We welcome your comments on articles, photo and digital events, feedback on how we're doing, constructive criticism, and friendly advice. We reserve the right to edit for brevity and to paraphrase longer comments if necessary. You can send us letters by US mail at Editor, News & Notes, Shutterbug Magazine, 5211 S. Washington Ave., Titusville, FL 32780, or by e-mail at: editorial@shutterbug.net. We look forward to hearing from you!

Pelican Announces Winners Of The Pelican Tough Contest
Pelican Tough Contest winners, David Sarro, Terry Specktor, and Alexander Stewart, all provided impressive stories and photographs of survival in rugged conditions, winning them each one of three grand prizes.

David Sarro found himself in a lake in Catalonia, 600 meters from the exit. However, with the aid of Pelican's HeadsUp Lite he was able to make his way out. Sarro was impressed with the "intensity of light" and that it "did not let [him] down" or burn out "despite the long hours of use."

Another adventurous Pelican customer, Terry Specktor, took her Pelican case on a dive excursion to Indonesia. She used the case to store new valuables she recently purchased. However, this relaxing trip took a turn for the worse when her boat capsized. "The crew used the Pelican case to stay afloat for three hours" as they drifted through the ocean. Thanks to Specktor's Pelican case, her gear, as well as the crew made it home safely.

Alexander Stewart put Pelican's 1150 case through one tough test on the dusty back roads of Iraq. Storing vital gear in his Pelican case, Stewart strapped the Pelican case to the back of his HMMWV. His gear survived the arduous trip, and for that he gives "thanks to the protection of [his] Pelican 1150 Case."
The Pelican Tough Contest produced some intriguing stories of survival and demonstrated Pelican's durability in harsh circumstances. For further information on their products visit their website at www.pelican.com.

Nature Photographers Meet In Oregon
Some 750 nature photographers will gather in Portland, Oregon, during the annual Summit of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), January 21-25, 2004. This educational conference will be the 10th international gathering of nature photographers since the first one in 1995, in Fort Myers, Florida. Major speakers will include Dewitt Jones, George Lepp, and Art Wolfe as well as Norbert Wu (whose work has been featured previously in Shutterbug) who will receive the "Outstanding Photographer of the
Year" award. The Summit will include numerous presentations on a broad variety of topics of interest to pros
and photo enthusiasts, including equipment, techniques, marketing, ethics, and aesthetics. For additional information and registration, visit the NANPA website at www.nanpa.org or call (303) 422-8527.