Are jellyfish going to take over the oceans?

Pleased to see my split level image below which was taken at the stunning Kynance Cove, Cornwall used in an interesting article about global increases in jellyfish in our seas. Check it out at:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/21/are-jellyfish-going-to-take-over-oceans

Photo in The Times

Following a trip to Cornwall a few weeks ago, I got a split level image of a boat chain and fishing boats in St Ives in the Sunday edition of The Times!

Magazine Articles: BBC Wildlife and Land Love Magazine

June 2015 was a good month for magazine articles for me with several of my split level rockpool images used in the 100th Special Edition BBC Countryfile Magazine in an article about seashore foraging and my basking shark images used in a Land Love magazine article (via Wildlife Trusts).

Underwater Photographer of the Year

My image of seahorse at long-snouted seahorse at Studland was recently commended in the Underwater Photographer of the Year. The competition received over 2500 entries  from underwater photographers from 40 countries. The competition has some amazing images, check out the results here: 

http://www.upylondon.com/2015results.aspx

Behind the Shot: Gorging Basking Sharks

A few years ago in June I headed for Sennen Cove, Cornwall, armed with my camera, wide angle lens and underwater housing hoping to get shots of basking sharks. I had been trying to capture a portrait of the world’s second largest shark (which can grow as long as a double decker bus!) for several years. Under the right conditions it is possible to see lots of these sharks aggregated together feeding, but conditions can quickly change and I had on several occasions travelled half way around the country only to be bitterly disappointed.

Sennen Cove is well known for its basking shark sightings and for once my timing was perfect. The cove had been battered by a storm for several days which was quickly followed by warm and settled conditions triggering a large plankton bloom. Around twenty basking sharks were in Sennen cove, unmistakable as their large dorsal fins sliced through the water.

Although Basking sharks are harmless plankton feeders they have still been known to lash out with their tails if startled. One of the best ways to photograph basking sharks with minimal disturbance is to be quietly dropped by kayak in the vicinity of the shark and allow them to get used to your presence. I slipped off the kayak, put my mask and snorkel on and let the current gently drift me into the vicinity of the feeding sharks. Suddenly the dark shadow of a shark only just visible in the green murk appeared briefly before disappearing. Back on the surface I noticed the shark’s fin abruptly change direction. I quickly put my head underwater again. Seconds later its huge gaping mouth appeared out of the blue, heading on a collision course directly towards me. When I pushed the shutter the shark was less than half a metre away from me!

Dive Photo Guide on Over-Unders in Temperate Waters

I was really pleased to be asked by Dive Photo Guide Magazine to produce a techniques article on split level 'over under' photography in temperate environments. The article can be seen here. The article was focused on  highlighting the advantages  and challenges of using the technique around temperate coasts. The article also provides practical tips on getting the most of this technique, particularly in shallow tidal pools which I regularly use for split shots. Dive Photo Guide is a comprehensive underwater photography and videography resource and award-winning website with a  community of over 50,000 underwater photographers and videographers from around the globe.

Split level images in Daily Mail

I got a good selection of split level images in the  Daily Mail this week. Check  them out at this link. The focus of the images was to try and capture a selection of split-level images specifically offshore from popular UK holiday spots as people can sometimes be unaware of the diverse range of marine life just feet from the shore! Hopefully this might inspire people to venture a bit deeper, even if it’s just a couple feet below the surface. 

Over-under (or split-shot) photography is a really useful technique to connect topside viewers with what lies underwater. I chose recognizable coastal features to be shown in the top half of the frame, with the underwater level displaying a less familiar perspective of the coastal zone. The topside portion also shows the viewer that the image was taken just below the surface at an accessible location near the coast rather than a mysterious location miles offshore.