No 5 “Giants” December 15 2012

Cover by Bartosz Strozynski

FROM THE EDITORS

When underwater photographers think of scuba diving with giants, there are a few usual suspects that come to mind—like whales, sharks and manta rays.

But photography is all about trying to be different, and so should a photography magazine. That’s why, in this issue, we feature images of the lesser-photographed giants, like walruses (“Swimming with Giants”), anacondas (“Adventures with Anacondas”), and even grizzly bears (“Fishing Grizzlies”). Of course, having said that, we didn’t know what to think when we received images of swimming pigs (“Eye to Eye with Giants”)!

On a sentimental note, this is the final issue of our first year. We’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the world’s most well respected underwater photographers, as well as some of the industry’s rising stars. We’ve covered underwater fashion, cutting-edge approaches to underwater photography, and paid homage to those that push the extremes of the craft. With every new issue our contributors continue to astound us with their imaginative, fearless and tireless approaches to underwater photography. As long as there are photographers willing to push the limits, and to create totally new images, borne from new ideas, we will continue to produce a platform to share their underwater art.

Thanks to all our photographers, supporters, and readers for an incredible inaugural year. We can’t wait to see what you’ll shoot next.

Matt Weiss, Editor (Americas)

Diego A. Garcia, Editor (Asia-Pacific and Australia)

Dietmar Fuchs, Editor (Europe and Africa)

 

CONTENTS

Photo Briefs

FROM THE FIELD

FISHING GRIZZLIES
By Paul Souders

PHOTO FEEDBACK

OUR READERS SHOTS

SDTTL reader Kirsty Faulkner gets tips from our pros

Features

DESTINATION AMERICAS

ADVENTURES WITH ANACONDAS
By Franco Banfi

Photographing the world’s largest snake in a muddy Brazilian swamp takes more than just courage. It takes knowledge, time and a creative plan to get the images you want

DESTINATION EUROPE

SWIMMING WITH GIANTS
By Paul Souders

Dedication, a drysuit and some serious guts is all that this photographer needed for an encounter that few have ever achieved... or even considered

PINNIPEDS

LEOPARDS & LIONS OF THE SEA
By Various Contributors

From playful to predatory, sea lions and seals challenge photographers with their speed and unpredictability

Portfolios

GALLERY

EYE TO EYE WITH GIANTS

By Various Contributors

A collection of stunning images of encounters with big animals from around the world

IN FOLIO

TIM CALVER – ODE TO THE OCEAN

A passion for the sea and the people who love it inspires a collection of powerful, yet serene images that beckon adventurers back to the blue

Techniques

DSLR SHOOTER

SHOOTING HAWAII, BIG TIME!
By Keri Wilk

A fisheye’s view of the big creatures from the Big Island

GOING PRO

EXPEDITION – CHILE
By Andy Murch

A nation with 78,000 kilometers of coastline that is largely unknown to divers, Chile demands true exploration