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Scubaverse Underwater Photographer Interview: Janice Carter

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In an ongoing series, Scubaverse.com’s Underwater Photography Editors Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown talk to underwater photographers from around the world that they admire.

I started diving as a way to find myself again after 8.5 years of spinal surgeries which included a fusion and an artificial disc in my lumbar spine. I always loved the water so I decided to get back to the basics of what I loved. Over the years I have enjoyed helping others find passion and healing by volunteering my time with multiple Girl Scout troops, S.H.A.R.K. (Sheriff’s High Adventure for Responsible Kids), dive clubs and wounded Veteran programs.

I’ve been very lucky to have traveled all around the world to experience amazing cultures and places to dive. I have been working and traveling with Scuba Diver Girls for a few years as their photographer and am a Sea & Sea Alpha Alumni which is a great honor. Amongst some wonderful accolades, I’ve been lucky enough to have my work in a National Geographic program with Sylvia Earle and will soon announce another amazing accomplishment equally as great.

I’ve always been an artist and I think it’s just my passion and how I look at things that helps make an interesting photo. I currently live in Southern California but my heart lives in many places around the world and below the surface.

You can see more of my work here and I love meeting new dive buddies so stop by and say “Hi” sometime! Instagram: www.instagram.com/ScubaChickPhotography Facebook: www.facebook.com/ScubaChickPhotography Website: www.ScubaChickPhotography.com


N&C: How did your underwater photography start?

JC: It all started my first day in the ocean in my open water class when a large school of fish surrounded me. It was an immediate sense of awe and something inside me screamed that I needed to photograph this amazing new world. My Mom was a photographer and I dabbled with it a little, but never found inspiration until that day when the ocean gave it to me.

N&C: What is your favourite u/w camera equipment (past & present) & why?

JC: I absolutely love my Sea & Sea gear! I’ve lugged it all over the world for years and it’s even affectionately nicknamed my “baby”. I currently use a Nikon D7000 with either a Tokina 10-17 wide angle lens or a 105 macro lens and Sea & Sea housing and YS-D1 strobes.

N&C: What would be your advice to anyone new to underwater photography?

JC: The first thing is to make sure you are knowledgeable and comfortable diving before you ever put a camera in your hands. It’s important for so many reasons to also have your buoyancy on point. So often you see those “photographers” damaging the reef or putting themselves at risk, because they simply don’t have the dive skills.

For a new photographer, its helpful to remember to get close and fill your frame with the subject if possible (without disturbing anything obviously). Make it the star of the photo and think about the composition.

Another major help is to use lighting. At depth you lose your colors so adding back a full spectrum of light will really help your images pop and not be all blue tones. If you can’t afford a strobe maybe try your dive light and see what you can come up with. Remember, never light straight at a subject from the lens or you will highlight the detritus in the water, light the subject from the sides!

My final bit of advice is to have fun and just keep practicing. I never took any classes (except the basic PADI photographer class) or learned from anyone. I simply just kept trying and working at it. Keep in mind you can find lots of information online to help you improve.

N&C: What, or who, has been your single biggest inspiration for your underwater photography?

JC: That’s a hard question because I’m pretty much self-taught as an underwater photographer but I’d say my biggest inspiration for photography itself would be my Mom who passed away when I was 17. I’ll always remember her dark room and her love of doing her photos. What inspired me to do underwater photography was simply my love of the ocean and everything in it.

N&C: What image are you most proud of and why?

JC: That’s just almost an impossible question for me to answer but I have one that sticks in my mind. I love many images for many different reasons but I tend to love very close up and personal images. For example, the shark image I took right before he tried to bite my strobe or the turtle intensely looking at his reflection in my dome port. But I still think one of my favorite images is this one (even though it’s before we got in the water to dive). These Wounded Warriors gave so much and I love having them in my life.

N&C: Where is your favourite dive location, and is it for the photography?

JC: I have a few that I really enjoyed but I have to say my favorite dive location so far is Yap. The diving was so pristine and beautiful with Sharks and Mantas and the best night dive I’ve ever done. I also thought the people and culture were so amazing. I tend to love more off-the-grid locations that aren’t as touched by civilization.

N&C: What are you views on marine life manipulation, moving subjects?

JC: It’s just absolutely a no-no! Many times, I couldn’t get the shot because of the position of the subject, but that is never an excuse to move an animal for an image. Laying on or damaging coral, or other fragile sea life to get a shot is not ok. We have to respect our environment and protect it as best we can.

N&C: What do you look for when you are making your images?

JC: I’m just looking for a moment. Sometimes you get lucky and a special moment happens underwater. To be in the right place at the right time to capture that moment is what I want. It’s those handful of dives, out of thousands, that you will never forget.

N&C: What motivates you to take u/w photos?

JC: Pure passion is what motivates me! I love bringing back images to share that bring a smile to someone’s face or makes a difference in their life somehow. Sometimes it’s the person who thanks me for bringing back a piece of something they can’t see anymore, and sometimes it’s bringing back a sense of peace to someone who has lost someone they can’t see anymore. I’ve heard so many stories about how an image has affected another, either by a smile or by something more. That’s why I do it. I also hope my photos gives an insight into our blue planet, so people think more about taking better care of it for our future.

N&C: If you could photograph any one thing/place what or where would that be?

JC: Well, thats a pretty easy answer for me. I’d love to go down and see/photograph the Titanic. I know it’s been done, but I’d just love to be that deep (12,500 feet) in the ocean and see something few people will ever see in person. Something that will soon not exist except in a photograph or in a book.

Nick and Caroline (Frogfish Photography) are a married couple of conservation driven underwater photo-journalists and authors. Both have honours degrees from Manchester University, in Environmental Biology and Biology respectively, with Nick being a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a former high school science teacher with a DipEd in Teaching Studies. Caroline has an MSc in Animal Behaviour specializing in Caribbean Ecology. They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. Nick and Caroline regularly use their free time to visit schools, both in the UK and on their travels, to discuss the important issues of marine conservation, sharks and plastic pollution. They are ambassadors for Sharks4Kids and founders of SeaStraw. They are Dive Ambassadors for The Islands of The Bahamas and are supported by Mares, Paralenz, Nauticam and Olympus. To find out more visit www.frogfishphotography.com

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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