2021 Board of Directors

Linda Blanchard - President

Kelly Bracken - VP

Jane Huessener - Treasurer/Membership

Kevin Lee - Secretary/Membership

Jim McKeeman - Speaker Coordinators

Julianne Steers - Contest Coordinator

Brook Peterson - Workshops

Bonnie Pelnar Dietz - Website

Presidents of OCUPS

1997- Present:   Linda Blanchard
1995-1996:   Dave Robertson
1992-1994:   Ben Petty
1981:   Reha Sax / Rasheed


OCUPS Meeting Sites

Present:   6082 Edinger Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA
2020 - 3/2022:   Zoom
2003 - 2020:   Park Plaza, Orange
1996:   Orangewood Academy Library, Garden Grove
1995:   Garden Grove Christian Church, Garden Grove
1994:   Underwater Diversions Dive Center, Orange
1993:   Sunkist Library, Anaheim
1980s:   Community Library, Huntington Beach,
Condominium Club House, Long Beach
1960/70s:   US Divers, Conference Room, Fountain Valley


A BRIEF HISTORY OF OCUPS

OCUPS LogoThe Orange County Underwater Photographic Society, OCUPS, was created in the late 1960s (circa 1966~67), by a small group of dedicated scuba divers, who shared a common interest in underwater photography. These aquanauts were members of LAUPS but, living in Orange County, got weary of driving all the way to Los Angeles to attend meetings. Thus, OCUPS was born. The original members included Sam Miller, Ron Merker, Fred Roberts, Charlie Gibbs, Denis Graver, and others. Each of these founders contributed money to establish a club fund, which was used mainly for mailing notices to members and for promotional activities. Sam Miller recalls that Ron Merker was the major donor, slapping down a twenty dollar bill, big money in those days, much to the delight and gratitude of everyone.

The fledgling club began meeting in the conference room of U.S. Divers, located on Warner Avenue. U.S. Divers was interested in underwater photography since the firm introduced the Calypso UW Camera to the US market in 1963, and they were the US distributor for its successor, the Nikonos.

In 1981, OCUPS held its meetings in a condominium club house in Long Beach, near the Veteran`s Hospital, with Reha Sax and Rasheed, at the helm. After about five months, the club moved to a community library in Huntington Beach for a year or two. Then, in the mid-late 80`s the club again moved to a Anaheim Library, on Sunkist, just south of Lincoln, where it thrived for about 4 years. Next the OCUPS moved to the library of a private school, off Euclid and the GG Freeway, and stayed there until 2003, when the organization moved to its present location, in Orange.

The passion for photography, with which the early members founded OCUPS, still continues. We welcome photographers of all levels and encourage everyone’s participation in club activities. We are proud to have a diverse membership, whose photographic skills and talents are consistently recognized in major photographic contests and highlighted in major publications.