Photo Workshops and Excursions
PalauConsidered one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World, Palau has everything a shooter could want: jellyfish-filled lakes, water-filled caverns, current-swept walls, sharks, mantas, mandarinfish and loads of WWII wrecks.
Who: Underwater Photo-Tech What: Photo excursions aboard Ocean Hunter II When: Several throughout the year; next available April 15-27, 2006 Details: The live-aboard Ocean Hunter II offers an onboard editing suite and E-6 overnight processing. The rate of $5,595 includes airfare from the continental U.S., two nights in a Palau hotel, a kayaking tour of the Rock Islands and 10 nights aboard the Ocean Hunter II with all meals, diving and transfers. www.uwphoto.com/travel.html
Cayman BracYou'll find steep, gorgonian-covered walls in crystal-clear water that offers sightings of Nassau groupers, cleaning stations and spotted eagle ray fly-bys. Cayman Brac even boasts its very own Atlantis and a nicely photogenic Russian shipwreck.
Who: Nikon School of Underwater Photography What: Discover Underwater Photography Course ($999) or Underwater Photography Package ($1299) When: Five-day program starting every week of the year Details: The main difference between the two packages is that the discovery course offers a one-day digital camera rental; the package gives you five days with a digital underwater camera and personal instruction. Both programs include seven nights' hotel accommodations, daily breakfast and dinner, six days of diving, including tanks and weights, and round-trip airport transfers in Cayman Brac. www.nikonschool .com/underwater_prog_details.html
Grand Cayman Grand Cayman's East End enjoys a reputation as a great place to encounter big groupers, spotted eagle rays, turtles, big schools of tarpon and perhaps a shark or two. The seascape provides everything from gradually sloping shallow reefs to dramatic vertical canyons where towering pillars of coral 60 feet in diameter rise from the deep to the top of the Cayman Wall.
Who: Ocean Frontiers What: DigiJam Week 2006 Package: TBA When: TBA (2005 event was held in January) Details: DigiJam, as it is affectionately known, is an Ocean Frontiers event tailored to the needs of underwater photographers. The dive sites and profiles are specially selected, plus lectures, pool tune-up sessions and expert advice rounds out the week. Watch for details at www.oceanfrontiers.com.
Indonesia This corner of the blue planet is considered the "bull's-eye of biodiversity." You won't need to swim far to encounter literally hundreds of creatures, big and small, living on jam-packed and wildly colorful reefs. Bring lots and lots of film or digital media and prepare to have your head spin with photo possibilities.
Who: Raja Ampat Photographers What: Back-to-back live-aboard trips When: Oct. 20-31 and Nov. 3-14, 2005 Details: Local guides and published photographer Deborah Fugitt will offer a few insider tips and choose the best picture at the end of the voyage. The price is $3,245 for each trip with optional extra dives, extra services and a special menu. [email protected]
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South Pacific/ Papua New Guinea Muck diving started here. You'll find current-washed walls that were seemingly put on this earth to drain film from a camera as fast as possible. Pygmy seahorses, sharks and swirling schools of jacks can all be found at the same site. Bring both wide and macro lenses on every dive. Trust us.
Who: Stuart and Michele Westmorland What: Land-based photo excursion When: Oct. 18-Nov. 1, 2005 Details: Stay at the Tawali Resort, which can only be accessed by boat and sits on a volcanic bluff overlooking a reef full of marine life. While a majority of the photo workshop will be on land, you'll also spend two days on the Chertan live-aboard. The price is $3,510. Reef and Rainforest also has several other trips to explore on their Web site. www.reefrainforest.com
Solomon Islands These primitive islands are rich with photo targets, including everything from seafloors strewn with WWII wreckage (ships and planes) to soft coral wonderlands that sit in the shadow of thick jungles. Big and small, it's all here and packed with color you won't want to get out of the water. You'll have some of the best shooting opportunities of your life. Who: Cathy Church What: Free five-day underwater photo course When: May 16-30, 2006 Details: Cathy Church offers a free five-day unerwater photo course when you join her aboard the M/V Bilikiki in the Solomon Islands. Spend five days out of the two weeks learning how to shoot. The price is yet to be determined, but you can receive a $400 discount when you book through Poseidon Ventures in Newport, California. www.cathychurch.com
Kona, HawaiiIt's all about the animals here, and you'll find some whoppers to knock off your wish list: humpback whales, pilot whales, pods of spinner dolphins, sea-turtle cleaning stations, dragon morays and one heck of manta night dive. Plus, you get to rub elbows with some of the top pros in the biz.
Who: Royal Kona Resort What: Kona Classic When: May 13-21, 2006 Details: Photographers and videographers come together to view each other's work, share subjects and award prizes. Keep your eye on www.sportdiver.com for more information and package specials.
Multiple Locations Want to go deep into the possibilities of digital photography with the best in the business? Then you'll want to grab your cameras and head off on one of these trips to some of the top dive destinations in the world.
Who: Backscatter What: Photo classes, seminars and trips When: Schedules vary by trip Details: Information on several classes, seminars and full-blown trips, including a shark expedition in the Bahamas, a digital photo safari in Indonesia and the Digital Shootout in Bonaire, is available at www.backscatter.com; click on "Trips & Classes."
Who: Wetpixel / Eric Cheng What: Trips specializing in digital imaging for divers When: Bahamas: sharks and dolphins, March 12-20, 2006; South Africa: sardine run, June 21-30, 2006; Gaudalupe: great white sharks, August 18-25, 2006 Details: Details on all trips at www.wetpixel.com; click on "Expeditions."
