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Scubaverse Underwater Photographer Interview: Daniel Brinckmann

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In an ongoing series, Scubaverse’s Underwater Photography Editor Nick Robertson-Brown talks to underwater photographers from around the world that he admires. In this blog: Daniel Brinckmann


NRB: How did your underwater photography start?

DB: Back in 1998 on the Greek island of Zakynthos. I was 18 at the time and had been an avid scuba diver for six years then and I coerced my girlfriend at the time to spend our holiday there as I was aware of the resident loggerhead turtles. I bought a couple of one-way cameras, which is unthinkable of today, and the same goes for the diving: I just borrowed a set of equipment and marched straight into the water on my own and came back an hour later with a handful of nice shots. Thinking of it now, it was a really beautiful initiation. A year later on the Azores I had ambitions…

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

DB: I rely on my good old Nikon D7100 bodies in an Ikelite housing with two DS-161 strobes and ports for 10-17mm, 12-24mm, 50mm and 105mm. I have owned four Ike housings and like them not only for weight and price, but for the the fact that all camera functions are accessible, that there is a tripod thread and other details. There is a shark site off a power plant in Israel that has a reputation of a “housing killer” due to all the sediment from the turbines. I feel relatively safe in such places as I can at least judge the amount of sand on my major o-rings thanks to the transparent housing. For whales, dolphins and wrecks I am also very happy with green and red Magic Filters.

Also, I always have a Actionpro X9 in their 200m waterproof aluminium housing mounted on top of my DSLR housings with 2 Codylight lights on my strobe arms to do videos at the same time. Both actioncam and housing are great – even in caves or mounted to a baitbox for shark dives.
I started out on Nikonos V with Velvia and Sensia slide film and must say I still miss those blue tones.

NRB: What would be your advice to anyone new to underwater photography?

DB: First learn photography on land, then attend a course or read a good book on underwater photography to learn about differences and peculiarities,  then adapt and modify your knowledge about topside to what is needed underwater. Avoid too much water in between your camera and the subject and just go closer.  Pay attention to maintenance – a hair or sand in the wrong place might ruin your entire gear.

NRB: What, or who, has been your single biggest inspiration for your underwater photography?

DB: Kurt Amsler (73) from Switzerland. He comes from the era of dive pioneers (and worked with them) when people needed to build equipment themselves, went from black & white in the 1960s to colour slide films and flash bulbs in the 1970s and to digital photography in the 2000s, always embracing new ways while retaining his style and ambition. Enthusiasm at this age enabled him to photograph the birth of a sperm whale about 5 years ago. His episodes on different topics of underwater photography in German diving magazine “tauchen” were a huge inspiration to me. He always remained very approachable and it is always a delight to meet him at the dive shows.

NRB: What image are you most proud of and why?

DB: Tough question. I tried a free-handed panoramic of the rim between Dahab’s Blue Hole and the outer wall once and I was surprised the fourth attempt worked with 11 photos stitched together.

NRB: Where is your favourite dive location, and is it for the photography?

DB: Lembeh Strait (macro), Yap (big fish close up), South Africa (diversity)

NRB: What are you views on marine life manipulation, moving subjects?

DB: I used to detest shark feeding, but now I am rooting for it as the commercial aspect is the sole means that allows populations to survive, so I am guilty here. Generally I don’t like  marine life manipulation and moving subjects at all. Not only does it put stress on the animal, it means a very unhealthy competition among underwater photographers for “that” shot evoking emotions from non-divers. Wrapping seahorses around a q-tip, moving  harlequin shrimps from an aquarium to the sea, placing shrimps on nudis or putting frogs from the freezer in front of a pike, will not get much respect from me.

NRB: What do you look for when you are making your images?

DB: The right moment.

NRB: What motivates you to take u/w photos?

DB: Hunting & gathering, immense love for nature and the outdoors, even if it’s a pond with frogs in front of your doorstep; sharing with non-divers to create awareness, making a connection with the text I write as a journalist.

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

DB: Let’s say there are some ancient buildings in a big lake in the Near East. Other than that, I would love to photograph on the Gorringe Seamount way offshore from the Algarve or the Orcas in the Straits of Gibraltar.

To see more of Daniel’s work click here.

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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