Digital Master Class - Key Largo 2013

Each summer I teach a one-week underwater photo seminar in my home waters of Key largo, joined by fellow Canon Explorer of Light Eddie Tapp teaching specialty modules in Photoshop and Lightroom. This year we were challenged by marginal water clarity early in the week due to torrential rainfall in the past few weeks preceding the class, but by mid-week the seas had calmed and the visibility improved dramatically.

Here is Eddie, far left, and me (bookended by Chuckie Luzier and Ed Meyers of Canon). The interesting thing about Key Largo is the sheer density of marine life on our reefs and wrecks. Enjoying marine protection since 1960 with the creation of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and then later with federal protection as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1990, there is always plenty to photogrph in Key Largo!

Alert Diver, Winter 2013, on press

I've just returned from being on press at the Quad Graphics plant in Sussex, Wisconsin, printing the Winter issue of Alert Diver. Some really gorgeous images in the issue, including a great cover shot by John Weller. It is very rewarding to try to bring these photos from pixels to paper and ink with the highest level of respect and fidelity.

Key Largo Digital Master Class 2013

I had a very nice dive yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving, here in Key Largo. I am frequently amazed, even after 3 decades living here, how good the diving and UW photo ops can be just a few miles offshore of my home. Which is why I make a point to schedule at least one of my Digital Masters Classes here each summer, in June when the conditions are at their very best. http://www.waterhousetours.com/instruction offers details about the class. Here are some of the kinds of photo-ops we enjoy here in my hometown.

Philippines aboard Philippine Siren

I recently got back from the Philippines, aboard Worldwide Dive and Sail's live-aboard, Philippine Siren. This trip started in Dumaguete and ended in Cebu, offering a wide variety of both wide-angle and macro photo-opportunities. The whale sharks are from the village of Oslob, where local fishermen discovered the whale sharks would come to their pangas to eat handouts of shrimp. Now as many as eight whale sharks converge on the scene daily, and local tour operators and dive boats provide an opportunity to snorkel with these gentle behemoths. Which is not to say it is not without controversy. Some feel the whale shark interaction provides protection from slaughter, finning, or other barbaric and unconscionable activity. Others feel that habituating the whale sharks to being hand fed provides inappropriate diet, removes them from normal mating migrations, and most importantly teaches them to associate humans and food; thereby exposing them to the potential of propeller strikes. Like many marine/human interactions this one has evolved with some ambiguity attached. Overall, I found it to be a very diverse and productive itinerary - thanks Philippine Siren!