Batfish Books
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Batfish Books About the Author - Awards - Buy - Contact - Home - Presentations - School Library Journal Reviews - Study Guides - Titles - What's New | ||
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April 2008 This past month was busy, successful and very rewarding. For starters, I was notified I won the Science/Natural History category of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) 2008 photo competition (www.poy.org), the most traditional and reputable photo journalism competition in the world. Organized by the University of Missouri's Journalism School, it attracts the top shooters from well-known publications such as the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, National Geographic and others. I'm getting a lot of mileage from my winning photo, "Goliath Grouper and Underwater Photographer," which also won in last year's Nature's Best photo competition. I also just learned my two brand-new books Ocean Magic and Shark Encounters received glowing reviews from School Library Journal (www.slj.com), the most prestigious book review publication in the US. It's the "bible" of school librarians nationwide. It's next to impossible for a small publisher such as Batfish Books to get in SLJ, and a great accomplishment to get an outstanding review. As a result, we've received large orders from our main wholesalers. Here are the reviews: School Library Journal (March 2008 issue) Grades 1 to 4 Ocean Magic: Award-winning photographer O'Neill introduces readers to coral reefs, kelp forests, and the ocean bottom. Especially stunning are the photos of the Hairy Frogfish, an incredibly camouflaged member of the Anglerfish family that prowls off the coast of Florida. Nevertheless, the colorful creatures of the coral reef are the stars of this book. The author's strong support of conservation comes through loud and clear in his narrative, and photographs amplify this message by showing the amazing life-forms that could be lost. Shark Encounters highlights several species, including the breathtaking Scalloped Hammerhead of the eastern Pacific. Views of the creatures' prey provide variety, and particularly eye catching is the picture of the giant Napoleon Wrasse snapped with the lens partly above and partly below its shallow habitat. Without underplaying the fearsome and highly developed hunting skills of sharks, O'Neill stresses the importance of predators' roles in maintaining the balance of ocean life. The spectacular full-color images in these works make them beautiful additions. On the school presentation front, it has been non-stop. I just returned from eastern Pennsylvania where I visited ten schools and presented to over 5,000 kids. I have to say that the reception from the Pennsylvania schools was unprecedented and without equal. I have never been so well received by parents, teachers, school officials and the students. Here's one picture from many from that fun trip. | ||
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February 2008. Award-winning nature photographer is second presenter of center's lecture series Hometown News February 8, 2008 By Sarah Stover Staff writer JUNO BEACH - He brings creatures of the deep to the surface, in a manner of speaking. Acclaimed photographer Michael O'Neill spoke about his career, magnificent sights he's seen and past and future projects at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach as part of its lecture series on Feb. 7. Mr. O'Neill's present career path began when he started scuba diving in 1992. He moved to Florida in 1991 and began fishing as a hobby, but quickly lost interest in it and moved onto diving, he said. The Palm Beach Gardens resident started taking photos of the creatures he saw on dives and before long, was freelancing for magazines. Mr. O'Neill was working in the corporate world at the time and had earned his master's in business administration at the University of Miami when he moved here. He had never taken photography classes though, and taught himself through trial and error on his dive excursions, he said. "One thing I'm realizing is (as a photographer) you develop your style and get more sophisticated as time goes on," said Mr. O'Neill. Another thing he learned is that this could stop being a hobby and could become a career. Mr. O'Neill realized this when he put together his first book, "Fishy Friends." "It was something I did for fun," he said. However, he started a publishing company, Batfish Books, in 2002 to put out his book so he could be in control of the process. When "Fishy Friends" came out in 2003, it was a hit, or "trial balloon," as Mr. O'Neill called it. The book was geared toward children, as were his five subsequent books. It was an interesting choice, he said. "I have very little experience with kids, except for my three nephews," said Mr. O'Neill. However, the idea behind publishing his photos as children's books derived from looking at publishing books from both a business and educational perspective, he said. "Every photographer dreams of having a coffee table book, but for the publisher, it's a lousy product because they are expensive to make and don't make any money since they are about $60 a piece," said Mr. O'Neill. So, he ran with what he observed: that children love sharks and dinosaurs. Not only do his photos get the children's attention, his books come with a lesson. "For me, I strongly believe in encouraging kids to be involved in conservation and learn about science," he said. As for his education, Mr. O'Neill has learned "how fragile the environment is," and that it has the chance to rebound through his diving trips. For example, he noticed the reefs in Palm Beach County were in despair after the 2004 hurricanes, but when he dived at a spot in Juno Beach this past July they were beautiful, he said. As much as marine life takes his breath away, other sights sadden the photographer. He's seen people spear Goliath grouper and Moray eels for fun and has also witnessed people catching lobsters by using bleach, he said. "Those things are unforgivable. There's a lack of education out there," he said. "Our laws are pretty good, but enforcement is an issue. Like anything else in life, 5 percent of the people cause 80 percent of the problems," he added. On the other hand, there are people, such as Mr. O'Neill, who learned the importance of conservation growing up. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, where Mr. O'Neill was raised, he has continued to pass the lesson onto others through his work. A photo he shot of a Goliath grouper near a shipwreck in Jupiter, which earned him first place in the People in Nature category of the Windland Smith Rice International Awards this year, is just one example. Other awards, which have drawn attention to his message of conservation, include first place in the 2002 BBC Wildlife photographer of the year competition, honorable mentions in the "Nature's Best" wildlife photo contest in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and first place in the professional division of the "National Wildlife" photo awards competition in 2006. His recent books, "Shark Encounters" and "Ocean Magic," continue to bring a message across to children. They are set to come out in March this year, and several orders have already been placed, he said. In addition to his photography and writing, Mr. O'Neill visits schools for presentations each year. While he emphasizes the significance of conservation, the presentations usually take a more light-hearted turn. "At the schools, I always get asked if I've been bitten by anything," said Mr. O'Neill. In response, he shares with the students the embarrassing story of the time a loggerhead turtle bit him in his posterior while he was waiting for a boat in Juno to take him diving, he chuckled. He's also had a Goliath grouper, such as the one in his prize photo, bite him, he said. Although Mr. O'Neill's had a couple scary situations with sharks, for the most part, the marine creatures let him tag along. "Swimming with whales, that's the coolest thing I've ever done," he said. He's only been in a cage when shooting photos of great whites, like he did for a book he will publish this year or in 2009. "They're so big, you wouldn't have a chance if they came after you," he said. Mr. O'Neill has photographed several marine species, but has "a laundry list" of ones he would like to catch on camera. The problem is, it's hit or miss, he said. "I had incredible luck in 2001 to see a leatherback turtle and photograph it. Other photographers flew (into Florida from all over the world) thinking since I saw one, they would too, but it doesn't work that way," said Mr. O'Neill. He added he can go on 20 dive trips and not take a single photo, either because he's already shot everything he sees on previous dives, or he doesn't find what's he looking for: something unique. To achieve the latter, he has traveled around the world, but still has places he wants to go diving, such as Indonesia and in the clear streams in his homeland of Brazil. "I'd (also) like to go back to Africa. They have so much wildlife, both in and out of water," he said. Seeing creatures that have yet to be identified is part of the fun of the job, said Mr. O'Neill. However, it is also another reminder of the importance of conservation. "The shame is there is so much environmental degradation these creatures may be extinct before science even discovers what they are," said Mr. O'Neill. For more information, visit www.mpostock.com.
Student Get Up Close with Author Tallahassee Democrat February 6, 2008 Michael Patrick O'Neill, an underwater photographer and childrens' book author and publisher, visited the Maclay School Library on January 31, 2008. Michael's presentation included information on underwater life and conservation efforts in Florida. The presentation coincided with a fifth grade research unit on oceanography. Michael has written six books on underwater life for children which are featured in over 500 school libraries. He travels across the country, visiting schools and presenting information for elementary-aged students. For the past 15 years, he has traveled extensively as a photographer and writer, concentrating primarily on sea life and environmental issues. His work, widely published, aims to educate and to communicate to others the beauty, diversity and fragility of the oceans - and the urgent need to protect them. | ||
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November 2007 Award-winning photographer uses pictures to lure kids to learn Palm Beach Post October 31, 2007 By Libby Wells Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Underwater photographer Michael Patrick O'Neill thinks the best scuba diving in the country is between the Jupiter and Palm Beach inlets. That's where he took a picture of a goliath grouper that just won an international award and now hangs in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., as part of a six-month exhibit of nature photographs. O'Neill, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, won first place in the "people in nature" category of the Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rich International Awards. The competition drew more than 17,000 entries from 26 countries, according to its sponsor, Nature's Best Photography magazine. Michael Patrick O'Neill has been doing underwater photography since he began scuba diving. He uses his photos to make children's books, encouraging kids to enjoy reading and to learn about conservation. O'Neill photographed the fish, which he said was at least 5 to 6 feet long, off the coast of Jupiter in September 2006, when he knew the goliath grouper would be spawning. O'Neill said his winning photo wasn't easy to come by. "I must have spent $1,500 to $2,000 diving and chartering boats in that area," he said. "People think I go and take all these great photos. Photography is a lot of repetition. You go there and you go there and sometimes you blow it." O'Neill, who's won other international photography awards and has been published worldwide, uses his marine photos in educational picture books he creates to encourage children to read and to foster interest in science and conservation. He's written six books, including his two latest, Shark Encounters and Ocean Magic. "I have three little nephews and a good background in writing," said O'Neill, who has a master's in business administration from the University of Miami. "I write in a way I talk to my nephews." O'Neill, who has traveled extensively, diving and taking pictures, makes presentations at schools throughout the country using his books, photos and diving and photography equipment. "There's so much math and science in diving. I try to tie that in," he said. O'Neill acquired his love of animals and the outdoors growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His late father, Joseph, was an American citizen who worked for Ford Motor Co. in Brazil. His Brazilian mother, Zaira, lives on Singer Island. As a child, he fished and explored the Amazon and coastal jungles of Brazil. "Plus, we lived in a large house and had all kinds of animals, even an ocelot. We also had a farm there and spent every weekend at the farm," he said. O'Neill moved to the United States when he was 18 to attend Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in international relations. He worked in advertising, consulting and financial services until 2001, when he decided he'd had enough of the corporate world. "I'd been doing a lot of writing and shooting photographs and I started working on Fishy Friends in March 2002," he said, referring to his first educational picture book. O'Neill said his young audiences go bananas during his presentations on sharks, whales, coral reefs and other wonders of the underwater world. "Oh my God, it's like you're going to have a stampede," he said. "They get so excited. They're so genuine. They can't fake it. If they like it, they show it." What's your most unusual possession? "A painted ostrich egg purchased in South Africa." | ||
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October 2007 I just received the official news release from Nature's Best Magazine notifiying the press I was one of the category winners in this year's competition, which had over 17,000 entries from photographers in 26 countries. Looking forward to the awards ceremony later this month at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Here it is:
Nature's Best Photography Where People Bring Nature into focus
NEWS RELEASE Local Photographer Wins International Photography Competition October 12, 2007, Reston, VA. Michael P. O'Neill of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida is a winner in the Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards 2007 competition. His image titled Photographer and Goliath Grouper won first place in the People in Nature category. One of the most prestigious photo contests in the world, drawing over 17,000 entries from photographers in 26 countries, the NBPWSRI Awards competition showcases the very best in nature photography today. O'Neill's image; along with 60 other winning and highly honored images will be on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, beginning October 30, 2007. The exhibit, presented by Sony, will remain open to the public for six months. “It is a competition and exhibition that involves seasoned pros as well as amateurs and young shooters 10 years old and younger.” Says competition Chairman, Steve Freligh. “We enjoy uncovering new talent as much as recognizing the shooters we know and admire. Rarely do you find such a prestigious and compelling exhibition that offers opportunities for the public to participate. It is truly a far-reaching program that is for the public, by the public.” “I am so impressed by the images at the Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards exhibition. What a wonderful opportunity for our visitors to experience nature through the art of photography. This is an exciting program that reaches people in so many ways - on a personal level as well as educational.” - Elizabeth Duggal, Director of Associate Programs, Smithsonian NMNH Now entering its 13th year, the NBPWSRI Awards competition is open to all photographers: professional and amateur alike. To learn more about this, and all of Nature's Best Photography's competitions, and to view galleries of contest winners, log onto www.NaturesBestMagazine.com . Contact: Bob Tope (703) 467-9783 bob@NaturesBestMagazine.com ------------------ I've been home for two weeks now and have been immersed preparing for a number of presentations that I have lined up for the balance of the year and next, as well as editing images and sending them to photo agents in New York, London and Hawaii. This past trip, to Guadalupe Island (offshore Baja California), Fiji, and Vava'u (Kingdom of Tonga) was probably the most productive I've been on. Cage "diving" is not my cup of tea, but I have to say that everything - boat, crew, weather, and last, but certainly not least - Great Whites - came together at Guadalupe to enable me to create some memorable photos. I was on the second trip of the season and our boat, the Solmar V, didn't have to share the sharks with other liveaboards that start arriving in September. Consequently, we had sharks from sunup to sundown. The week-long trip (with five full days on the island) gave me plenty of cage time to take pictures. Factor in crystal clear water, "friendly" sharks, and sunny weather and you can only imagine the possibilities. We had all males, with the biggest one being a 14-15 footer called Carl Ripken after the baseball player. The larger females arrive October and leave December/January. To add to an enjoyable trip, we had smooth crossings (it takes about 20 hours by boat to get to Guadalupe from Encenada, Mexico), and had pods of hundreds of common dolphins on the way down and about 10-20 blue whales feeding on the way back. Not too shabby. After Guadalupe, I spent a couple of days in San Diego stretching my legs and having a little bit of fun (I feel like moving there), then off to Pacific Harbor for some pretty good Bull shark action with Beqa Adventure Divers. Although the weather did not cooperate (lots of rain), the diving was suberb and the sharks were fired up, to say the least. It's the end of the season for them (the Bulls leave the area in the fall and return in January) but we still had plenty - on one dive we had 11, including lots of little guys. I boarded a vintage 1950s Convair from Nadi to Vava'u in early September for my first whale trip. Vava'u didn't disappoint. Lots of whales, most being mommies with little newborn babies. Photographing them was a real challenge. When you read that whale encounters in the water are on the whales' terms, they are not kidding. The animals are elusive, shy and for the most part, want nothing to do with people! In five days on the water, I must have seen about 50 whales and managed only a handful of nice pictures. The Planet Earth people filmed their humpback sequences here. They spent 3 months in Vava'u, going out everyday, and only 3-4 minutes made it to the finished version of the documentary. Separately, the Japanese are planning to hunt 50 of these whales this winter in the Antarctic. Anyway, it's good to be home. I received the advance copies of my new books (awesome awesome awesome) and am already thinking about the next one. In the meantime, I'm testing the market for posters with this whte shark image (of the shark called Carl Ripken, after the ripped dorsal fin), my favorite from my trip. Below the poster, I've included some lo-res jpgs of the trip for your review. All images can be found on my image database. | ||
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August 2007 August is full of good news. For starters, my two new books are finally complete and in the printer. Advance copies are scheduled to arrive in the States mid to late September, and the full print run late October to early November. The books, Shark Encounters and Ocean Magic are targeted for kids ages 6 & up and people of all ages who enjoy the oceans and marine life. Like all my books, they contain a strong conservation message. Shark Encounters is a sequel to my first shark book, Let's Explore Sharks, which is now in its second printing and in over 500 schools nationwide. It focuses on a whole new group of sharks not covered in LE Sharks. Ocean Magic, follow-up to my first book, Fishy Friends, is a colorful mix of marine animals and habitats, from coral reefs to kelp forests and from sharks to sea turtles. | ||
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The other day, I received a call from Nature's Best Magazine letting me know that I was one of the winners of the Nature's Best International Photography Awards 2007 Competition - the largest, most competitive and most celebrated in the United States. There were over 17,000 entries in this year's competition, and the following image won the People in Nature category. I took this photo in Jupiter, FL, literally down the road from my house, on a shipwreck that attracts mammoth Goliath Grouper, especially in the fall when the jumbo fish are spawning. I was invited to participate in the awards ceremony in late October in the incomparable Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. My photo will be on display at the museum in a special wing honoring the winners. I'm honored by the recognition and looking forward to the ceremony! | ||
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Another piece of good news is that I'm traveling this month. After a warm-up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina the first week of July, I'm heading to Guadelupe Island off of Baja for some Great Whites, then off to Fiji for more sharks and pretty reefs, and then to Tonga for some Humpbacks. I'll be away for about one month, and it'll be an excellent opportunity to decompress and take some new photos for my presentations, future books and photo library sales. | ||
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June 2007 I received a very nice write-up in the Palm Beach Daily News concerning one of my author visits to a local school. Here's a copy of the article (below). On other news, I just wrapped up a very successful 2006-2007 school year, which included my first out-of-state trip to visit a school in Texas. I also began working on my two new books, one on sharks and the other on ocean animals. The books are in production and will be out before the end of the year. PHOTOGRAPHER BRINGS UNDERSEA WONDER TO STUDENTS Palm Beach Daily News by Jan Ferlisi May 7, 2007 Author and underwater photographer Michael Patrick O'Neill paid a recent visit to Rosarian Academy, 807 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, to speak to students about the unique sea creatures he has photographed over the course of his career. During his presentation, he provided students with up-close and personal views of his marine life photographs and also gave a scuba gear and photography equipment demonstration. O'Neill has written four non-fiction, educational photography books about marine animals. He also was the winner of the 2002 BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, one of the highest awards in the field of nature photography. He is described as communicating the beauty of the Earth's oceans through his books, photographs and presentations. O'Neill's books were available for parents to purchase following his lecture. He donated 10 percent of the sales to Rosarian's media center and also provided the school with a free set of his books, including Fishy Friends, Let's Explore Sharks, Let's Explore Sea Turtles and Let's Explore Coral Reefs. | ||
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March 2007 2006 proved to be an incredible year, surpassing all my expectations in life and business! The new year looks promising as well, and I'm hoping good fortune and hard work bring me the same good vibes from last year. I have my fingers crossed! I created a new section of my website with school teachers in mind. Pretty much in every school I visit, they tell me how they read my books with the students prior to the author visit to familiarize themselves with the marine animals and issues impacting our precious oceans. And since my books are also designed to encourage kids to read, write and become involved in science and conservation, I thought it would be worthwhile to create short study guides that not only would help evaluate the little ones' reading skills, but would also serve as a launchpad to classroom or home-based activities. These study guides/questions can be found here. I will add more content as I develop it. I hope these questions are helpful and add value to my titles. | ||
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November 2006 It has been some time since I updated this section of the website so here we go. Great news on the photography side of things. I won first place in the Pro Division in the 2006 National Wildlife Photography Awards Competition (Connecting People with Nature category). Nearly 12,000 images were submitted to this contest, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation in partnership with Nature's Best Photography magazine. I've also decided to photograph and write two new books, due for publication in 2007. To acquire new photographs for them, I made two trips, one to North Carolina and the other to Cocos Island, Costa Rica. In the Outer Banks region of North Carolina, over 500 shipwrecks litter the sandy bottom of the ocean. The region is called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” for good reason. Sand banks, hurricanes, naval battles and German submarines during WWII sent many ships to the bottom. Today, they're home to a healthy fish population (which makes Palm Beach County, FL, my local dive spot, look incredibly fished out) and to voracious looking (but quite friendly) sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus). Known as the Ragged Tooth in South Africa and as the Grey Nurse in Australia, this species is considered critically endangered because they are so easy to catch or spear. They've been protected in the US for some time and North Carolina is the place to go if you want to rub elbows with them. It was a very productive trip, as far as taking pictures go, and quite fun, ranking as one of my favorites. I just returned a few days ago from my second trip to Cocos Island, Costa Rica (The first was in 1996). Quite simply, Cocos is the definition of remote. Situated 330 miles offshore Costa Rica in the Pacific Ocean, it requires a long, 35-hour bumpy boat ride to reach. Once there, the draw is the opportunity to dive with schools of Scalloped Hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini), and other big animals like tuna, billfish and mantas. Everything is possible in Cocos, not only fascinating encounters with marine life but unfortunately also accidents. Two divemasters from the boat suffered diving relating injuries, one an embolism and another decompression sickness. Both required evacuation. On the last day on the island, a volunteer from Costa Rica's national park system drowned in one of Cocos' countless waterfalls. Tragic. I've been lucky to experience many great trips in the past, but this one was close to the bottom. The emergencies and lackluster photography opportunities were frustrating and heartbreaking. During the 11 day trip, we spent 5 days at sea (either traveling to/from Cocos or evacuating injured divers) and only 6 days diving. | ||
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June 2006 This month, I'm making 13 presentations for the Palm Beach County, FL Library System. This is the second time I've been invited to be the featured speaker during their Summer Reading Program, and the presentations start June 8th and end June 28th. For additional information, please visit the PBC Library's web site. I also recently found out the Miami Herald published a very nice article on my school presentation program and books. One of their reporters interviewed me during a visit to a Fort Lauderdale school in April. Here it is:
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May 2006 I found a window in March that allowed me to travel to a location I dreamed of photographing for a long time - French Polynesia (FP). The trip came together very quickly with a handful of phone calls, and before I knew it, I was on my way. FP is an enormous area in the tropical South Pacific that includes 118 islands. It's located south of the Equator, about halfway between South America and Australia. Most people think of Tahiti, Bora Bora and honeymoons whenever FP comes up in a conversation, but there's a lot more. In the outer fringes of this remote French possession exist archipelagos where the human footprint is barely visible. The Tuamotus is such a place. Containing the bluest, clearest water in the world, this archipelago was my final destination. Of the 78 coral atolls found in the Tuamotus (the most anywhere), only 31 have passes or inlets that allow the ocean to fill and drain the lagoons with the tides. Legendary Rangiroa and Fakarava are part of this minority. The former is the largest in FP; so big in fact the entire island of Tahiti would fit inside the lagoon - 78km long and 24km wide. Fakarava's is not too shabby either - 60km by 25km. Rangiroa has approximately 3,000 residents; Fakarava, only 500. Furthermore, its population is not expected to grow, as it's now part of a UNESCO biosphere with strict restrictions on development. Almost all the diving in Rangiroa and Fakarava takes place in the passes during incoming and outgoing tides. During my nearly four-week stay, conditions were exceptional, with the underwater visibility reaching 200ft. and the water temperature 87F. On land, by the way, the heat was on (mid 90s); no AC; and lots of mosquitoes. Success in underwater photography depends on the ability of the photographer to spend a considerable time in the water waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. There's a lot of repetition; doing the same dive over and over again, hoping something will happen or show-up. I dove for 21 days straight, and while pleased with my work there, I feel there is a lot more waiting. I've put together a portfolio of 20 slides of some favorites. The link to the images can be found in the picture below (Enter Portfolio of 20 Slides). I hope you enjoy them. Please note this link will take you to my photography website, mpostock.com. | ||
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January 2006 The new year started on a very positive note on many fronts. It's now early February and since my last update, I've made over 40 presentations (I lost count, quite frankly) to over 5,000 people and was invited to make around 8 book signings in bookstores to promote my new books during the Christmas season. All this hard work paid off: The books, which had an official publication date of February 1, 2006, already broke even. It's quite an experience to oversee and observe the work flow, from taking the photos to design and production to signing the books at multiple points of sale. To give you an idea of what's involved, think about this: I made the photographs in a variety of locations (South Africa, PNG, Florida, Bahamas, etc.). A graphic artist in Rio initated the layout phase, which was later completed in Miami. My editors in Ohio revised the text. Once everything was wrapped up, I sent the files to China, where the printer is located. After a 12 week wait, the shipment finally arrived in the USA, and the inventory was later moved to wholesalers and schools. The coordination is pretty demanding. And once the books arrive, the hard work is just beginning, because it's all about promotion and marketing. Thankfully, they came out perfect and over 100 schools already bought the three new books for their classrooms and/or media centers - great for the resume! I'm now shooting exclusively in digital format and really enjoy my new equipment: Nikon's fantastic D2x and Aquatica's housing for it, which is a masterpiece. I'm not going to go on about the film vs. digital debate, but this new equipment, despite expensive, is making my workflow a lot more efficient. I made the following images using my new digital rig. The first row shows images of the rarest sea turtle in the world, the Kemp's Ridley. I believe the 12-15 images I made of this specimen are probably the only ones of a healthy, wild Kemp's Ridley underwater in its natural environment. Images like these, of rare and unusual animals, have a lot of legs and sell extremely well. The bottom row shows (from left to right) a very old, friendly loggerhead biting its reflection in my camera's dome port. This old, lonely turtle really wanted to play. I petted her like an old dog, and she followed me for a long time. Notice how her mouth looks strange. I thought at first fishing line had cut her, but upon closer inspection I realized parasites were eating her alive. She was in poor health and believe her days were nearly over. While I photographed her, a very large bull shark patrolled the perimeter of visibility, and I wouldn't be suprised if it finished her off later that day. Nature can be cruel and tough. Christmas came early for me (December 23rd) when a 30ft. whale shark showed up 2.5 miles offshore in Palm Beach County in the cobalt-blue Gulf Stream. It appeared during a strong cold front, a time when the weather and water are rough but also when unusual sea life shows up and rewards those willing to put up with the rumble and tumble and cold. And finally, the turtle carcass was also a treat because scavengers and predators usually disperse animal remains in record time on the reef. I'm not sure what killed this loggerhead, as it had no visible injuries. Nonetheless, it was eerie and made for a mysterious image. | ||
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November 2005 There is a big development for me this month: the arrival - finally - of my three new children's books about marine life. My new books - the Let's Explore series - are designed to encourage children to read and become involved in science and conservation. The series consists of three titles: Let's Explore Sharks, Let's Explore Sea Turtles and Let's Explore Coral Reefs. We've sold over 1,500 copies just in the first week, primarily to wholesalers that supply the large bookstore chains and direct to customers who bought and liked my first book, Fishy Friends. This is encouraging and a sign the hard work is paying off. With my busy presentation and promotion schedule in the next few months, it seems a second printing of 9,000 books is a real possibility by mid 2006. People are already asking what's next. Wow, I have to think about that one... | ||
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September 2005 An assignment from Dive New Zealand took me to Pacific Harbor, Fiji Islands, to dive with Beqa Adventure Divers in August. The purpose of my trip was to document in words and images Shark Reef and Beqa Lagoon's world famous coral bommies. Having traveled quite a bit and hit many of the "must do" destinations, I know it's virtually impossible to find a place that has it all - the little macro goodies and the really big stuff. Quite simply, I was blown away by the diving in Fiji. During my 15-day stay, we alternated between soft coral dives and shark encounters. Concerning the latter, it's probably the best in the world, especially for jumbo bull sharks. Eight species are likely to be encountered, and I had the good fortune to see them all: bull, tiger, sicklefin lemon, silvertip, tawny nurse, grey reef, white-tip reef and black-tip reef. What makes Shark Reef special is the dive operation and a local village (which owns the reef) partnered to protect the predators. It's one of those rare instances where the locals actually have a financial stake in the sharks and make money from tourists who come to dive with them. For this assignment, I used the following equipment: 3 Nikon N90s cameras, Aquatica housings, 16mm, 20mm and 60mm lenses, 4 Inon Z220 strobes, TLC arms and Fuji Velvia 50. The colors are so rich and the water so clear the subjects seem to jump right out of the slide mounts! Check out 23 of my favorite images from this memorable assignment. The first 13 or so focus on location and reef life, and the last 10 on the Big Fish Encounter. You can see more images from this project in the image database. | ||
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July 2005 This summer, opportunities to photograph sea turtles off the Southeast Florida coastline were exceptional. Female loggerheads crowded shallow reefs, and it was not unusual to see up to 30 during a single dive in Palm Beach. Since the number of nesting loggerheads has declined locally over the last 6-7 years, I hope it's a sign the negative trend is reversing. Greens were also abundant during this time, and I was fortunate to spend 30 minutes with a mating pair one morning. Usually, green turtles around here are very elusive, especially the large males, but the mating pair was completely oblivious. One week after this unforgettable encounter, I heard from the Marinelife Center of Juno Beach that a boat had struck and killed two adult green turtles - a male and female. The turtles washed up together on the beach. Were they the same I photographed? Who knows, but the sad part of this story is that it takes 20-30 years for a green turtle to reach sexual maturity and only a split second for a careless boater to kill it. You can see more turtle photos in the image database. | ||
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