Best of 2014: Our Most Amazing Underwater Photos
Stellar photography is the heart of Scuba Diving magazine, so we wanted to take one last look at the fabulous photos we published in 2014 — from wrecks and reefs to marine creatures and cenotes. We are often blown away by the underwater world as seen through the lenses of the world’s best shooters. Hundreds of stunning images brought our travel features, Secret Spots and annual “Through Your Lens” photo contest to life this year. The photos selected for this gallery are the cream of the crop. Each of these images encompasses a unique aspect of what we showcase in Scuba Diving magazine and what we divers love about this blue planet — we've also included some behind-the-shot details from the photographers.
Francis Pérez
PHOTOGRAPHER
Francis Pérez
LOCATION
Tenerife, Canary Islands
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Canon EOS 5D, EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, Seacam housing ISO 400 F-stop f/5 Shutter speed 1/80 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"This baitball spun and spun, constantly changing shape. Dolphins, shearwaters and seagulls attacked it as it spun. When the scene was quiet, I captured this moment."
Christian Vizl
PHOTOGRAPHER
Christian Vizl
LOCATION
Quintana Roo, Mexico
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens ISO 500 F-stop f/5.6 Shutter speed 1/160 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"I love this shot of ‘The Pit’ cenote because it represents the internal connection we must have to be connected to the life that surrounds us."
Alex Mustard
PHOTOGRAPHER
Alex Mustard
LOCATION
Husavik, Northern Iceland
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D700, Subal ND700 housing, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm lens, Zen 230mm Superdome ISO 640 F-stop f/16 Shutter speed 1/60 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"Nesgja Canyon is a fissure in the Earth’s crust between the Eurasian and North American continental plates. Although it’s shallow, this location is amazing because you can see exactly how the rocks fit together before they were ripped apart."
Greg Lecoeur
PHOTOGRAPHER
Greg Lecoeur
LOCATION
Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D7000, Nikon AF Micro 60mm f/2.8D lens, Ikelite housing, two Ikelite DS160 TTL strobes ISO 200 F-stop f/18 Shutter speed 1/250 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"Drifting by night in the middle of the Pacific to capture the plankton is always challenging. You never know what critters will cross your way."
Todd Winner
PHOTOGRAPHER
Todd Winner
LOCATION
Long Beach, California
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM lens, Nauticam housing, two Ikelite DS160 strobes ISO 160 F-stop f/9.0 Shutter speed 1/200 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"California sea lions are some of the most playful and mischievous animals on Earth, and Eureka oil platform typically has a frisky group ready to interact with divers."
[See the full story here](PHOTOGRAPHER Todd Winner LOCATION Long Beach, California CAMERA SPECS Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM lens, Nauticam housing, two Ikelite DS160 strobes ISO 160 F-stop f/9.0 Shutter speed 1/200 sec WHY I LOVE THE SHOT California sea lions are some of the most playful and mischievous animals on Earth, and Eureka oil platform typically has a frisky group ready to interact with divers.)
Alex Tyrrell
PHOTOGRAPHER
Alex Tyrrell
LOCATION
Cocos Island, Costa Rica
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D7000, Subal housing, AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 12-24mm lens, Inon Z240 and LMI Sola 1200 strobes
ISO 1,000 F-stop f/6.3 Shutter speed 1/125 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"The low camera angle captures the frantic hunting behavior of Cocos’ whitetip reef sharks in Manualita Garden — from a shark’s perspective."
See the full story here
Jo-Ann Wilkins
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jo-Ann Wilkins
LOCATION
Alexandria Bay, New York
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D300, Aquatica housing, Tokina 10-17mm lens ISO 800 F-stop f/9 Shutter speed 1/125 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"I love how the colors of the American flag contrast with the green water surrounding the Keystorm. The flag, the sunlight and the divers looked perfect, and I rushed to get the shot."
Greg Lecoeur
PHOTOGRAPHER
Greg Lecoeur
LOCATION
Kona, Big Island, Hawaii
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D7000, Nikon AF Micro 60mm f/2.8D lens, Ikelite housing, two Ikelite DS160 TTL strobes ISO 200 F-stop f/18 Shutter speed 1/250 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"Drifting by night in the middle of the Pacific to capture the plankton is always challenging. You never know what critters will cross your way."
Martin Klein
PHOTOGRAPHER
Martin Klein
LOCATION
Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Seacam housing, Canon EF 100mm IS USM lens, Kenko 1.5 teleconverter ISO 200 F-stop f/4 Shutter speed 1/200 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
" wanted to take some pygmy pictures, but at 30 meters down, I noticed some problems with my lens, and I could not change the aperture. So I had to shoot with an f-stop of f/4 to make the best of the situation, which resulted in this shot."
Raffaele Livornese
PHOTOGRAPHER
Raffaele Livornese
LOCATION
Sharm el-Sheikh, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
CAMERA SPECS
Gear Nikon D90, Hugyfot housing, Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 lens, two Inon Z-240 strobes ISO 100 F-stop f/18 Shutter speed 1/250 sec
WHY I LOVE THE SHOT
"While diving with my wife on vacation, she pointed out this scene: a clownfish in an anemone, caring for its eggs."
Stellar photography is the heart of Scuba Diving magazine, so we wanted to take one last look at the fabulous photos we published in 2014 — from wrecks and reefs to marine creatures and cenotes. We are often blown away by the underwater world as seen through the lenses of the world’s best shooters. Hundreds of stunning images brought our travel features, Secret Spots and annual “Through Your Lens” photo contest to life this year. The photos selected for this gallery are the cream of the crop. Each of these images encompasses a unique aspect of what we showcase in Scuba Diving magazine and what we divers love about this blue planet — we've also included some behind-the-shot details from the photographers.
