Dive Adventure

Incredible dive adventure articles, dive stories and marine life encounters from oceans around the world.

Diving Southeast Asia’s Budding Dive Destination with the Sony RX100 V
By Jin Woo Lee

Diving Timor-Leste (East Timor)

Jin Woo Lee
Diving Southeast Asia’s Budding Dive Destination with the Sony RX100 V

I recently did my Divemaster course in Bali. Once I finished that, I wanted to do some more diving, but was unsure where to go. I spent a few days doing online research, but found that my selection for destinations within my budget and timing requirements was quite limited. Most destinations in Indonesia were either too crowded or too expensive, or had accessibility issues. For example, even if I decided not to worry about price and go to Raja Ampat, flying there from Bali would have taken over 20 hours!

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jin has been highly interested in underwater creatures since he was in Kindergarten. At the age of 11, he started scuba diving by himself with a GoPro. When he began to lose interest in diving, he found that underwater photography could be a great motivation. For Jin's 20th birthday, he got his own compact camera from Sony and began to shoot underwater photos around Florida and the world to share his impressions of nature. He is currently waiting to complete his mandatory two-year military service in South Korea, but he will be back to field after that in 2021. You can check out his photos on Instagram

 

 

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Deep sea creatures, colorful macro life, walrus and icebergs with underwater photographer and tour operator Sven Gust
By Sven Gust

Northern Exploring: Discovering the Remote Arctic

Sven Gust
Deep sea creatures, colorful macro life, walrus and icebergs with underwater photographer and tour operator Sven Gust

A Note from the Editor: I met Sven when I took a trip with him to Greenland for summer iceberg diving (no, the water is not really any warmer in the summer). He runs an Arctic diving tour company, Northern Explorers A/S. I have since joined him for a trip with orcas during the herring run in Northern Norway, and for two weeks iceberg diving in Greenland in April. On that last trip I got some time to sit down with him and learn a bit about what it’s like to run an Arctic diving company.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sven Gust was born in Bremen/Germany in 1978. He started diving when he was 17 and was always interested in exploring Nordic/Arctic areas. He moved to Norway later and started his own business as a tour operator. He sees photography, underwater and topside, mostly as a way to show other people how beautiful and amazing remote and cold places can be.  However, he was also voted as underwater photographer of the year twice in Norway.

He lives with his girlfriend and son north of Trondheim and spends a good part of the year working in East Greenland, Svalbard and northern areas of Scandinavia.

Check out his company Northern Explorers A/S at www.northern-explorers.com or follow on Facebook

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The Ultimate Underwater Photo Experience
By Boaz Samorai

Diving Cebu, Philippines

Boaz Samorai
The Ultimate Underwater Photo Experience

The Philippines is a must on every diver’s bucket list, especially underwater photographers. There are many reasons for this, but above all is the outstanding diversity of marine life to dive with.  

This is why I selected Cebu, Philippines, as the destination to conduct one of my underwater photography workshops last February. I knew for a fact the area would provide my students with a diverse, rich, and interesting photography experience. 

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Boaz Samorai started pursuing his ocean-related career at the young age of 15 in Eilat, Israel. 25 years later, he’s a PADI Course Director and Technical Diver; chief equipment test diver for Fantasea Line; dive tour leader for WildDive, Big Animals, and Dive and More; and a conductor of underwater photography courses and specialties. Leading dive expeditions frequently, Boaz had the opportunity to capture images in the waters of quite a few revered destinations around the world. The way he sees it, he's simply taking on the mission of showing the world the wonders that await below the surface, "so we can appreciate, respect, and protect this fragile environment". For more of his work, visit his website: https://www.aquasamorai.com/

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

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Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


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12 days diving on an iceberg under the sea ice of East Greenland

Ice Diving Greenland: A Story of Icebergs, Frozen Critters, and Unique Lingo

12 days diving on an iceberg under the sea ice of East Greenland

Note: I have provided some key ice-diving definitions for non-ice-divers, in Italics.

Cold and dark were the first two words that came to my mind as I dropped beneath the Tasiilaq Harbor sea ice for my first under-the-ice dive on an iceberg. This quickly turned into the Ice Diver's Litany, on high-speed repeat.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryan is an editor and writer for the Underwater Photography Guide. He loves any activity that takes him out into nature, and is especially fond of multi-day hiking trips, road trips to National Parks, and diving. Any kind of diving. He discovered the joy of underwater photography on a Bluewater trip to the Sea of Cortez and has been hooked ever since. He recently finished a 1-year "radical sabbatical" with his partner Lisa (both of them quit their jobs), which included over 120 dives, mostly in Indonesia and the Philippines. His very favourite underwater experiences include swimming with humpbacks in Moorea, being smashed against the rocks next to marine iguanas in the Galapagos, marvelling at the riotously colourful reefs of Komodo, freezing his hands off under the ice in Greenland, and exploring the never-ending wonders of muck diving in Tulamben and Anilao (where he was a Bluewater photo workshop co-trip leader).

Fortunately, Bryan and Lisa managed to avoid killing each other during their year of traveling together (though at times it came close). Now they are back home in Canada, planning their wedding and doing their best to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. Their main concern at this point is finding a way to not run out of money, while avoiding returning back to their old 9-5  jobs (oil & gas, government). Oh, and also continuing to support their diving and underwater photo/video habits...

You can find more of Bryan's underwater photos on Instagram at @bryan_chu_photography and on his website at www.bryanchu.ca.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

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Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


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Insights from the dynamic world of shark photography
By Debbie Wallace

One Shark Diver's Perspective: Caged vs Open Water Shark Diving

Debbie Wallace
Insights from the dynamic world of shark photography

As most people are aware, there are a myriad of current and on-going debates about shark diving in general. Does diving with sharks alter their behavior? Does baiting sharks alter their behavior? Should divers be hand-feeding sharks? As you might expect, there are always two sides to every debate and, certainly, everyone is entitled to an opinion. Depending on which side of the fence (or cage) you find yourself, this article is not intended to change anyone’s opinion on shark diving in general.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Wallace is an avid diver, underwater photographer and photojournalist.  She has been diving for decades and finally took up underwater photography in 2013.  Initially, macro photography was her main objective, but in 2016 she was introduced to shark diving and was hooked.  Debbie is a board certified Physician Assistant in Dermatology and displays her shark photos in her clinic as a way to promote shark conservation and education.  Check out her website at debbiewallacephotography.com

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

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Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

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Paradise is found in one the planet's most remote destinations - dolphins, wrecks, beaches, and more!
By Nirupam Nigam

Heaven is a Place on Earth: Diving Mauritius

Nirupam Nigam
Paradise is found in one the planet's most remote destinations - dolphins, wrecks, beaches, and more!

“Mauritius was made first and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius” – Mark Twain (1896).

striped eel catfish

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nirupam Nigam is the Editor-in-Chief of the Underwater Photography Guide and the President of Bluewater Photo - the world's top underwater photo & video retailer. While growing up in Los Angeles he fell in love with the ocean and pursued underwater photography in the local Channel Islands. After receiving degrees in Aquatic and Fisheries Science and General Biology, as well as a minor in Arctic Studies, Nirupam worked as a fisheries observer on vessels in the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Since then, Nirupam has been a full time underwater photographer and photo gear head. Check out more of his photography at www.photosfromthesea.com!

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Three of the most unusual underwater marine life encounters that you need to dive and photograph when visiting Australia
By Brent Durand, photos by Various

3 u/w Encounters You Can't Miss in Australia

3 Underwater Encounters You Can't Miss in Australia
Brent Durand, photos by Various
Three of the most unusual underwater marine life encounters that you need to dive and photograph when visiting Australia

There are two different types of underwater photo and video trips: those where you go to a known destination to create great images of common subjects, and those where you spend hours researching unique subjects and behaviors in the hopes of creating some unusual images.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent Durand is a weekend wanderer and story teller from California.

Brent is an avid diver and adventure photographer, and shoots underwater any time he can get hands on a camera system. He can be reached at brent@uwphotographyguide.com.

Follow Underwater Photography Guide on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

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Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

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Go behind the scenes with French explorer Alban Michon while diving some of the coldest and most remote locations on earth
By Alban Michon

Inside Look: Cold Water Expeditions

Alban Michon
Go behind the scenes with French explorer Alban Michon while diving some of the coldest and most remote locations on earth

Many of us (fortunate) underwater photographers have traveled across the world to go scuba diving. We plan and book a trip, pack the gear, and then fly to a country where we are swiftly esorted into a resort or onto a liveaboard boat. The guides show us some great reefs and marine life, and before we know it, we're back on the plane heading home.

But what if you remove the soft resort and liveaboard beds? Take away the warm meals. And dive guides... what dive guides? This is becomes the world of dive expeditions.

Article: 

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Sharing photos and the life story of Rajan, the beloved swimming elephant of the Andaman Islands
By Sumer Verma & Nayantara Jain

Celebrating Rajan the Swimming Elephant

Sumer Verma & Nayantara Jain
Sharing photos and the life story of Rajan, the beloved swimming elephant of the Andaman Islands

Most stories of large animals in captivity are sad ones – they speak of miserable animals – magnificent lives sacrificed for entertainment and pretty pictures. Rajan – the beloved swimming elephant of the Andaman Islands – is the rare exception. His is a story where the dive community came together to give him back a freedom that had been snatched from him young, and he in turn became the perfect muse.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sumer Verna started diving in 1997 and completely fell in love with the sea and all its creatures. Since then he has pursued his passion for the oceans singlemindedly and has logged more than 6000 dives and is one of Indias most experienced and accomplished diving instructors and underwater photographers.Through his passion for diving and filming underwater Sumer has travelled far and wide from the Galapagos islands to the far corners of Indonesia and explored most diving sites around Indias Lakshadweep and Andaman islands.He currently manages Lacadives dive schools who were the pioneers of scuba diving in India setting up their first dive school in the Lakshadweep islands way back in 1995 and works on the board of Reefwatch Marine Conservation an NGO set up to bring awareness about Indias coral reefs.Sumers underwater photography work has expanded from wildlife to also encompass fashion shoots for vogue magazine , travel stories for condenast traveller and national geographic as well as film shoots for various production houses from Bollywood to the south.He is currently working on a number of projects simultaneously one of them being a wildlife book in collaboration with the administration of the Andaman islands.

www.lumiousdeep.com  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

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Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


A tale of exploring Fiji after a devastating cyclone to find happy locals, great scuba diving and beautiful reefs
By Gareth Bellamy

Diving Fiji after Cyclone Winston

Gareth Bellamy
A tale of exploring Fiji after a devastating cyclone to find happy locals, great scuba diving and beautiful reefs

Last fall, my local diving season got canned by the start of a cold El Niño wet winter, begging for an escape to the tropics. Fiji is a short hop from my home in New Zealand and the numerous flights throughout the day make travel quick and easy.

Article: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gareth Bellamy:  My passion for diving spans 33 years, being underwater is home. I liken the experience to starring in the matrix – connected, as one, with everything in the ocean. I have been privileged to have dived at some of the world’s beautiful places. I am based in Raglan North Island NZ and love the Poor Knights Islands.

Facebook.com/dj.Gareth.B

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


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