X-Ray Mag #84
Features in this issue
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Analyzing the Obvious—It's About Anticipation
Is diving safe? This is a question as old as the sport itself and the potentially accurate answers fill an entire spectrum of responses. Over the past 17 years, I have studied this question intently, publishing numerous case studies and articles in addition to several books. In the last third of that period, this study was for the purposes of an academic paper in a degree program. Here is the definitive answer: It depends.
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In Memoriam: Barb Roy Portfolio
ImagesBarb RoyIn January 2018, Barb Roy, our long-time associate editor and regular contributor, passed away after a long battle with illness. We celebrate her inspiring life and imagery in this memorial portfolio, highlighting some of the many beautiful and vivid underwater photographs Barb took during her frequent forays under the waves.
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Indonesia's North Sulawesi
ImagesBrandi MuellerThe current felt like the wind on a breezy day, and it was blowing me past the coral-covered sheer wall that disappeared over 60m (200ft) below me. Looking directly down, I noticed the color blue fading into slightly darker shades and finally into darkness, at the edge of how far I could see.
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Oceanic Whitetip Sharks of Cat Island
ImagesDon Silcock
Oceanic whitetip shark, Cat Island, Bahamas. Photo by Don Silcock.Until quite recently, the Red Sea was generally considered as the best place to see and photograph oceanic whitetip sharks—typically in remote locations such as the Brother Islands and Elphinstone Reef in Egypt or the isolated reefs of southern Sudan.
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Permanent Change: When Have We Learnt?
In a previous article, I discussed some of the various definitions of learning, and focused on the following definition: Learning is a permanent, observable change in behaviour. Specifically, the article explored the second part of the definition and the learning outcomes that can be used to pin down the observable change in behaviour, which we are looking for.
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Scotland: Muck Diving at Home
ImagesLawson WoodDo we really need to go underwater at the other end of the world (and its challenges)? Lawson Wood poses this question while comparing the muck diving found in his home country of Scotland to that found in exotic locations in Asia and other regions of the world, renown for their muck diving sites.
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The Clowns of the Ocean: Anemonefishes of the Indo-Pacific
Anemonefish are aptly referred to as "clownfish" because of their swimming behavior. It is interesting to note that the different varieties of clownfish exhibit very different characteristics. Some are shy homebodies, some can be very aggressive, and some even share their host anemones with other species.
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The Demise of SMS Szent István
During WWI, the mighty warship from the Austrian-Hungarian navy was attacked at an unexpected moment. The brave crew of two Italian torpedo boats did not falter and the Szent István was struck twice with deadly force.
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The Moon, Tides & Your Dive Trip
ImagesBrent DurandThere are many factors to consider when planning your dive trip, including the marine life, travel logistics, seasonal weather, ocean conditions and distance between dive sites. This is a lot to think about, and likely the reason so many of us, especially photographers, forget to consider one of the ocean’s most important processes when planning a trip—the tides.
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The Perimeter of Ignorance
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "as our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." In other words, in expanding our awareness, we just expose our ignorance. The more we come to know, the more we realise we do not know.
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The Snoot Method
There are several ways to create dramatic images when you are shooting photos underwater: strong compositions, compelling behavior, exotic subject matter and of course lighting.
