Recent News

Just back from diving Komodo, Ethan Daniels is now getting ready for his upcoming trips in Raja Ampat.  Check out the OSI 'Latest Images' page for new pics from Komodo, including HDR shots.

The August 2008 issue of Diver (divernet.com), Britian's best-selling diving magazine, has Ethan Daniels' article, "Hallowed Shores," on the spectacular shore diving in East Timor.

The August 2008 issue of DYK, Scandanavia's premeir dive magazine, features a portfolio by Ethan Daniels.

Ethan Daniels' article "The Secret Life of Cape Cod Ponds" is in the August 2008 issue of Cape Cod LifeThe article focuses on both imagery and the natural history of ponds' interesting aquatic flora and fauna. 

Mark Thorpe may be dealing with the most dangerous sharks on the planet, but even more scary are the freezing cold waters of Cape Cod that Ethan Daniels is currently working in.  While Ethan battles low visibility, biting greenhead flies, and hungry mosquitoes he is working on a multimedia project in Pleasant Bay, MA with Bill Sargent, author of 'Shallow Waters' and numerous other books on Cape Cod and coastal communities around the country.  According to Ethan, the bay is not so "pleasant" right now...

Scuba Diver Australasia's latest issue (3/2008) contains Ethan Daniels' article on the biogeography of Lembeh's freakish inhabitants, Freak Show, and an article on a currently debated topic in the diving industry, shark feeding.  Ethan's "The Hand that Feeds" looks at both sides of the issue, giving readers insights into the many arguments for and against shark feeds.

Having survived a six months filming Tiger Sharks in south Africa Mark Thorpe is now facing his next assignment for the National Geographic remote imaging department. The final two weeks of the project saw Mark working alongside two eminent shark biologists, Dr. Vic Peddemors and Dr. Malcolm Smale who are collectively responsible for the majority of science and knowledge of sharks in south African waters to date. Confident as always Mark now prepares to face his next target species, the Great White Shark. Check back for updates.

Ethan Daniels has just returned to California after spending over two months diving, freediving, and shooting in Yap, Palau, Raja Ampat, and north Sulawesi.  A few image highlights include the rare Japanese Wobbegong, freediving with mantas at night, Hippocampus pontohi, and a first ever exploration of "Petri Dish Lake," a remote marine lake in Raja Ampat.  His new images will soon be online so please check back soon!

The last two issues of Fins Magazine, issues 7.2 and 7.3, contain Ethan Daniels' articles.  The March/April issue contains a Lenscape article:  Reef Fantasies, which contains a number of composites dreamed up over the last year by Ethan.  The May/June issue contains "Out Yonder in Yap," a look at one of Micronesia's top dive destinations.

Pick up a copy of Scuba Diver Australasia's Limited Edition Passport to Diving the World!  This brand spanking new, special publication is packed with killer images and synopses of over 100 top dive sites throughout the world.  Mike Veitch and Ethan Daniels are two of the contributors.

Ethan Daniels' personal story of drifting out to sea in Palau is published in the March 2008 issue of Diver UK magazine (www.divernet.com). 

The current issue of Scuba Diver Australasia (Issue 2/2008) is packed with images and articles by Ethan Daniels and Mike Veitch.  "End of Days" and "Say Cheese" are two full-length articles by Ethan and Mike and they also contributed "Big Fish" destinations. 

Cape Cod Life's current 2008 Annual Guide highlights Ethan Daniels' article and images of the diversity of marine life existing amongst Cape Cod's waters.  See it in news stands today.  (www.capecodlife.com)

Ethan Daniels has joined colleague Mike Veitch as a Field Editor for Scuba Diver Australasia magazine, the official PADI publication of the Asian region (http://www.scubadiveraa.com/). 

Asian Diver's Feb/March 2008 issue (www.asiandiver.com) features Ethan Daniels' article and images from Crystal River, Florida.  "Mystyifying Manatees" focuses on Florida's lovable manatees.

Scuba Diver Australasia Issue 1/2008 features Ethan Daniels' article "The Lagoon," a look at the fascinating diving inside Palau's Rock Islands.

The Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Fins Magazine, Vol. 7.1, (www.finsonline.com) features Ethan Daniels' images and article on "Myanmar, A Place With Soul."  Look for it in newstands today!

The cover of the Feb/March SportDiving Magazine (www.divetheblue.net) features Ethan Daniels' closeup image of a lionfish, Pterois volitans.  The issue also carries Ethan's article "Raja Ampat-Reefs of Intrigue," which gives an insider's look at exploring the wealth of marine life off Papua.

Mark Thorpe is currently on location in south Africa for the next six months filming Tiger Sharks for the Remote Imaging Department of the National Geographic Society. Hosted by Mark and Gail Addison of Blue Wilderness Dive Expeditions the team are hoping to deploy 'Crittercam', animal borne imaging devices, on the Tiger Sharks to get a better understanding of the animals behavior. Scientific support is being provided for by Dr. Matt Dicken, one of south Africa's eminent shark biologists.

'The Majesty of Muck', Mark Thorpe's latest short film which enjoyed awards success at this years World Festival of Underwater Images has also recently received Special Jury Mention at the 11th Belgrade International Underwater Film Festival. The film was shot on location in the Lembeh Straits region of Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Mike Veitch is proud to announce one of his photos is on the cover of National Geographic Traveler magazine for the month of September.  It is an honour to have a cover photo on this prestigious magazine.  Read more and see the photo on the Current News page.

Working full time for National Geographic as a camera operator is a dream most people in this industry hold at one time or another. Mark Thorpe has just announced that he has accepted the offer of an independent contractor position with the highly specialized Remote Imaging Unit. More on this topic can be found here........


Announcements

 

Mike Veitch will be presenting numerous presentations about photography, video, and manta rays at Manta Fest 2008 from Sept 2-16, 2008 in wonderful Yap, Micronesia.  For more information and booking details please contact Mike directly or visit www.mantaray.com.  Visit our expeditions page for further details.

Ethan Daniels has set dates for a very special Raja Ampat trip November 10-22, 2008.  This trip will be led by Ethan and marine biologist, Geoff Cook.  Not only will you be enjoying the world's most vibrant and diverse coral reefs but Ethan and Geoff will also be providing insights into the spectacular natural history of the region.  This is a perfect trip for photographers who care to learn more about their subjects.  For more information you can email Ethan at ethanadaniels@gmail.comSold Out!


  

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NewsImages Blog      
Images Blog
Author: OSI Blog Team Created: 9/11/2006 7:35 PM
A blog of featured images and the stories behind them.

Seeing Thru U
By OSI Blog Team on 5/9/2007 2:08 AM
Mark's nightly dive forays are now starting to bring in some astonishing footage. The smaller critters we normally see during the day are seen in a different light when under the blaze of Mark's HID lighting rig. This shrimp was found on a shallow reef just a stones throw from Mark's office. Take a closer look to see the brownish 'blob' is actually a muscular system which was noted as being the feeding muscle to the lower stomach of the shrimp. Food was caught, eaten and then forced through the 'blob' muscle to the stomach. Incredible stuff.

Camera Settings: Sony HVR-Z1U 3CCD HDV Camcorder - Gates Z1 Housing - Flat Port - Stacked Achromatic Diopters +3.5 / +2 - Green Force Squid 250 HID Light Head - f2.4 @1/60th

A closer look.....
By OSI Blog Team on 5/6/2007 9:10 PM
Having also stumbled across this almost invisible fish Mark can attest to its amazing camouflage. "I spotted this little guy only once on two dives under that same dock" explains Mark. "I guess his body color can be described as almost Maroon but he seems to 'dress' himself with a liberal coating of sand rendering him almost invisible. This quirky fish will be featuring in a new macro related project of Marks. Images will be from both Palau and Lembeh Straits, Indonesia, where Mark will be spending the whole month of June.

Camera Settings: Sony HVR-Z1U 3CCD HDV Camcorder - Gates Z1 Housing - Flat Port - +3.5 Century Optics Achromatic Diopter - 1 x Green Force Squid 250 Light - f.2.8 @ 1/60th

Phantom Velvetfish found
By OSI Blog Team on 5/4/2007 11:30 AM

The Phantom Velvetfish was an extremely rare find on a recent muck dive in Palau.  I've found this fish, possibly the same individual, two times in two years in the exact same spot under a dock in Malakal Harbor.  Using its pectoral fins as feet, the fish was observed "walking" from goby hole to goby hole, clearly looking for an unwary meal.  Not the most aesthetic looking creature, the Phantom Velvetfish blends in with its' nutrient rich environment extremely well.  No wonder the little guy hasn't often been found!

Canon 5D, 100mm lens, 2 Sea & Sea sub-30 strobes, 1/60th @ f/16


Bouncing Back
By OSI Blog Team on 5/4/2007 3:36 AM
There's nothing quite like looking at a healthy and vibrant reef. Palau suffered through the last El Nino with devastating havoc wrought on many of the dive sites. In particular Big Drop Off which was once described by Jacques Yves Cousteau as one of the best wall dives in the World suffered along with many of the other trademark sites in this incredible destination. Whilst it may take some years to reclaim its former glory the dive site is certainly starting to show good signs of recovery.

Camera settings: Sony Z1U in Gates Housing - Fathoms SWP44 - Focus set at .3 - f2.4 - Gain @ 0dB - 1/60th.

Sentinel
By OSI Blog Team on 4/20/2007 12:51 AM
Now if you want to test your patience I suggest you take a bash at filming the family of Shrimp Gobies" suggests Mark. "I was out this morning on a three hour dive with the goal of filming this little guy, the Yellow Shrimp Goby, and came away with about 18 minutes of video, five of those minutes being anywhere near good enough for the archives"! Talk about shy. These guys live in shallow holes in the sand which they share with a shrimp who is happy to excavate the hole all day long.

Camera Settings: Sony HVR-Z1U 3CCD HDV Camcorder - Gates Z1 Housing - Flat port w/ stacked achromatic diopters +3.5 and +2 - Squid 250 HID's both light heads using the periphery - f5.6 - 0dB gain - 1/60th

The Eyes Have It
By OSI Blog Team on 4/17/2007 3:48 AM
Getting close and personal with Crocodile Fish especially at night time allows us to see their intricate eye covers. This 14" long specimen was found during a night dive at the Fish n Fins house reef in Koror. "This just allows me to really concentrate on filming the detail of such creatures at night time" explains Mark. "I had also just bought a pretty potent lighting system but with trial and error, plus the use of diffusing gels I am now able to use the lights without causing irritation to the wildlife which is always a good thing".

Camera Settings: Sony HVR-Z1U 3CCD HDV Camcorder - Gates Z1 Housing - Flat Port w/ Century optics +3.5 Achromatic Diopter - Squid 250 lighting (one lighthead diffused with ND Gel) - Gain locked at 0dB - f4 @ 1/60th

Macro Moments
By OSI Blog Team on 4/15/2007 9:42 PM
After getting over a severe case of sinus infection Mark is now back in the water and raring to go. "Being laid up in a place like Palau and looking at the Ocean daily is just torture when the sinus starts playing up" quips Mark. With a plan to produce a new product to showcase the macro and muck diving in both Palau and Indonesia Mark now dives most evenings around the main island of Koror. "I'm heading to Lembeh Straits in Indonesia for practically the whole month of June to get some of the crazy critters found there to add to the archives" adds Mark.

Camera Settings:
Sony HVR-Z1U 3CCD HDV Camcorder - Gates Z1 Housing - Flat Port w/ Century Optics stacked Achromatic diopters +3.5 and +2 - Squid 250 Lighting (one lighthead) w/ ND Gel and using light periphery - f2.8 @ 1/60th

Cold, cold wrecks
By OSI Blog Team on 3/18/2007 10:10 AM

 Great Lakes diving isn't for the faint of heart.  It's cold.  It's extremely cold.  Last September I braved the waters off Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) in order to photograph wrecks in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan's Mackinaw Straits.  Having spent 99% of my diving career in the tropical Western Pacific, the idea of diving wrecks in the Great Lakes seemed rather exotic.  The lakes have thousands of wrecks, many over a century old and well preserved.  Fascinating historical diving exists all over the UP and the experience was absolutely worth a bit of shivering.

Canon 5D, Sigma 15mm fisheye lens, Aquatica housing, 1/60th @ f/8, natural light


What the...?
By OSI Blog Team on 3/9/2007 6:07 PM

Possibly the most grotesque vertebrate on Earth, the Horrid Stonefish, Synanceia horrida, is not only ugly but it's also incredibly venomous.  I found this 40 cm long beast living on a sandy flat deep in the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar.  The fish obviously hadn't moved much over the preceding weeks since it was covered with filamentous algae.  Tiny bubbles of oxygen were even visible amongst the algae.

Canon 5D, Sigma 15 mm fisheye lens, Aquatica housing, 1/125h @ f/11, natural light


Yap Day 2007
By OSI Blog Team on 3/1/2007 8:35 PM

Yap Day is always a great time to visit Yap.  Occuring each year on the first of March, all of the local communities come together to perform dances and other cultural activities in a grand celebration of this wonderful culture.



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