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Scubaverse Underwater Photographer Interview: Ivana Orlović Kranjc

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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: Ivana Orlović Kranjc

IOK: Born at the center of Balkan Peninsula in Belgrade, Serbia, hundreds of miles away from the seas it was almost incredible to foresee that Ivana Orlović Kranjc would chose to make sea her passion, home and a workplace. In the last ten years Ivana has been dedicated to underwater photography. Today Ivana is using Nikon D850 in Subal housing. Her specialities are underwater selfies with inhabitants of underwater world and her great split images. Her commitment and exceptional quality were recognized by Mares company and since April 2017 she became Mares Ambassador, one of the biggest brands in the world of diving.

Ivana OK

Mares Ambassador; Padi and SSI diving instructor; National Geographic Serbia Photographer

Facebook: Ivana Orlovic

Instagram: Ivana.O.K

www.ivana.photography


NRB: How did your underwater photography start?

IOK: For many years I have worked as an instructor and managed a diving center. At some point, I wanted to change something. That’s when I fell in love with underwater photography, because it is a lot more than just a simple “snap”. You have to understand the sea and the routines of its inhabitants, perfectly. You need to have a perfect buoyancy and an eye sharp enough to find interesting objects to photograph. But in order to have a recognizable work among photographers from all over the world, you must be very original! Once I started photographing, I have never dived without the camera again.

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

IOK: Nikon D810 & Nikon D850. Answer is very simple. Those cameras not only make stunning photos but also produce a great video material. Housing I have been using for years is Subal Underwater housing and I am more than satisfied.

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

IOK: With the camera you are not just a “random passer-by” on the reef, it makes you stop, see, explore, learn more and enjoy more…. For me personally, the most beautiful when, upon ascending, I know I have photographed a creature I haven’t seen before…  I sit at the computer and start, with the great help of my friends from around the world, marine biologists, to gather information, explore and learn. Then, I pass it to my diving students via social networks, learning them about the magic of the underwater world.

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

IOK: Definitely on the photos of my, back then, six-year-old son who was born in water and is always with us on many diving destinations. He is my favourite model and I am always surprised how much he knows about the sea life and how much he enjoys water.

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

IOK: There are many locations that live everyone breathless, not just divers, but I have definitely experienced something which knocked me off balance, recently. As a judge of the worlds biggest fiving magazine www.Scubashooters.com I was sent to Anilao, Philippines to the world’s biggest underwater photography competition. More than 240 competitors from all over the world. While they were competing, I couldn’t wait to dive myself and explore the far known macro world of Anilao with my camera. They drove us to the location, and we descended. We fell to the 3m deep sandy plateau. Visibility was mediocre. A few blades of grass. Nothing. I thought I had a better location in front of my center, on the lake in Belgrade. I stayed still and sharpened my eyes and mind. And then a most beautiful underwater movie started in front of my eyes. Sand started moving, grass blades started moving, glass bottles started getting eyes… Everything started swarming from life. I simply didn’t know what to photograph first. Nudibranchs, frogfish, glass shrimp, pipefish, pipehorses and seahorses, eels, gobi, clown fish lying on their eggs…. One whole new micro cosmos was created in front of my eyes!

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

IOK: We have all photographed moray eels, octopus ore dolphins a lot of times…but I search for a special scene. Few months ago, in Egypt, I had found a moray eel having a remora cleaner in its mouth. I realized I had to be very patient to make an incredible scene, because I know that it will widely open its mouth at some point. And it did, 45 minutes later. And I was ready. Snap. Phenomenal photo, different perspective and I was awarded for my patience with an exhibition photography.

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

IOK: I would like to dive with and photograph whales on Tonga and orcas in New Zealand.

To see more of Ivana’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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