The Library

Pelagic Magic: Diving in the Middle of Nowhere

When it comes to careers in diving, I think I have been as fortunate as anyone who has ever donned a set of mask, fins and snorkel. After all, in a career that has spanned more than 35 years and 10,000-plus dives, I have made my living traveling the globe with my cameras and pen to help tell the story of the worldโ€™s oceans. I am not claiming to have seen or done it all, but my โ€œbeen there, done thatโ€ list is getting pretty long. The beauty of diving is that the opportunities are limitless โ€” I still have a long list of places I want to visit and animals I have not yet photographed.

Observations About Destinations

WHAT’S BOTHERING ME: Observations About Destinations I just returned home to California from a trip toย Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia, and, without question, the…

A Little Contrast Goes a Long Way

Eye-poppingย colors. Entertainingย antics. Bizarreย shapes. Photogenicย poses. Megafauna. Fascinatingย behaviors.

Don’t Overlook the Ordinary

Theย yellowย tangย isย oneย ofย theย moreย commonly
ย encountered reef fish in Hawaii and many other parts of the tropical Western Pacific. On many dives yellow tang are too numerous to count.

The Sweet Taste of Success

This photograph of a hatching horn shark is one of my all-time favorites. First of all, capturing the moment is extremely rare. For this…

Shooting Splits

One of the more compelling types of images that underwater photographers create is known as a split. Captured by positioning the lens at the…

The Sunny Side

When in the water with large animals it can be challenging to think about photographic nuances, what with your heart pounding and adrenalin coursing…

Shooting Sea Turtles

Sea turtles make wonderful subjects. While some turtles are wary of divers, many allow a close approach as long as you move slowly and…

The Compose/Expose Challenge

The photo shown here presented me with several challenges that serve as an excellent teaching tool. The two biggest challenges were composing a pleasing…