For most people, underwater photography is inherently extreme. It is our opinion that taking a camera underwater should not be considered normal.
But there are some underwater photographers who have pushed the boundaries of the extreme, and have paid little attention to what is considered ordinary. They photograph oceanic sharks, 60-foot predatory whales, icebergs in sub-zero conditions, and even aggressive carnivorous squid.
In this issue of Scuba Diver Through The Lens, we honor the extreme photographer. They’ve captured iconic blue sharks at night (“Day & Night”), swum with tiger sharks at sunset (“Over-Under Shark Photography”) and delved into pitch-black caves in Europe (“Shot in the Dark”). Sure, any of the photographers’ work in this issue could be considered dangerous and difficult, and therefore extreme, but they’re not driven by the adrenaline or even the desire to be different—they’re fueled by a passion for their subject and for their craft.
To accomplish something truly extreme, something characterized by being the “farthest removed from the ordinary”, it needs to be something you truly love doing. As Daniel Botelho puts it (“The Extremes of Daniel Botelho”), it needs to come from the heart.
Matt Weiss, Editor (Americas)
Diego A. Garcia, Editor (Asia-Pacific and Australia)
Dietmar Fuchs, Editor (Europe and Africa)
CONTENTS
Photo Briefs
FROM THE FIELD
MAKO REFLECTIONS By Matt Weiss
On assignment with the fastest shark in the sea
PHOTO FEEDBACK
OUR READER’S SHOTS
SDTTL reader Boogs Rosales gets tips from our pros
Features
DESTINATION EUROPE
SUB-ZERO PART 1 – SWISS ICE By Franco Banfi
Shooting “snowbergs” and “snowcaves” in the Alps
DESTINATION ASIA
SUB-ZERO PART 2 – ASIAN ICE By Aaron Wong
A warm-blooded photographer looks for ice in the unlikeliest of destinations
BLUE SHARKS
DAY & NIGHT By Tobias Friedrich and Bill Fisher
Photographing blue sharks under an African sun and an American moon
Portfolios
GALLERY
THE EXTREMES OF DANIEL BOTELHO
A look at the diverse portfolio of images from a Brazilian photographer with a taste for extreme subjects
COMPETITION
SD/MIDE 2012 THROUGH THE LENS
Winning images from Asia Pacific’s premier underwater photography competition
Techniques
VIDEOLOGY
THE SHARK SPECIALIST By Matt Weiss
Cameraman Joe Romeiro has made a name for himself with daring and innovative shark videography
DSLR SHOOTER
SHOT IN THE DARK By Uli Kunz
Learn the basics of cave photography before you decide to take on this highly technical form of the art
GOING PRO
OVER-UNDER SHARK PHOTOGRAPHY By Andy Murch
Shooting the air-water interface gets even more extreme when your subjects are sharks at sunset
