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Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation?
An encounter with a polar bear. I had always
wanted to film one with its head and entire body
underwater, not just its legs. I learnt from chatting
with people who had dived with bears that they
only dive to 10 metres maximum before having to
go back up for air.
So, I prepared my shoot accordingly, but after
we got into the water my safety diver who was
supposed follow me experienced equipment failure
and had to return to the vessel. I was facing the
bear alone, but with a “plan B” in mind in case the
bear had not read the memo. Well, he hadn’t and at
10… 15… 20 metres he kept coming; he he chased
me right down to 28 metres before turning back. I
had to descend, use my escape route and continue
dreaming about the next opportunity.
Where do you want to go next?
I am very excited to be on the plane tomorrow to
Kamchatka, Russia to photograph grizzly/ brown
bears for the first time. (Amos has since returned
from Russia with some breathtaking images.)
Do you think man is the greatest threat to the
welfare and future of the marine environment?
Uh oh, don’t get me started on this issue. Shark
finning, long lining and bottom trawling are three
of the most devastating fishing methods humans
could ever inflict on the environment.
These issues must be addressed at a
governmental level. There are mighty navies in the
Western world which have little to do in modern
days. I think they should be deployed to oversee
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and report on the sophisticated, commercial
fishing fleets as well as the pirates who are
slaughtering the sharks.
What is your advice for budding marine
photographers?
Treat all animals, the environment and the people
you meet with respect and appreciation.
Learn to understand light. Light is the single
most important aspect of any photography but
underwater the appreciation and use of light is
absolutely critical.
Also, never give up. Stick to your vision and
mission for as long as it is humanly possible.
Mother Nature will always surprise you. Be ready
for the unpredictable and keep your mind open
for opportunities.
I truly believe that luck is a combination of
preparation, commitment and dedication.
What would you say is your greatest achievement?
I hope that my ongoing effort to display images of
big animals creates an awareness of, and increased
protection for, the animals. They are suffering
badly as a result of hunting, overfishing and a
shrinking environment, as well as climate change
and overpopulation.
Who are your underwater heroes?
Flip Nicklin, Howard Hall and David Doubilet:
Flip for his incredible skill in photographing big
animals, Howard for his cinematic storytelling,
and David for his artistic and thoughtful
speaking deliveries. SDOP