If you’re trying to improve your underwater photography, one of the most useful things you can do is take photos on land. Doing so helps you get comfortable with your camera, with composition, technique, etc., and often leads to ideas for things to try underwater.
One thing I’ve been playing with recently is software to […]

Going through my photo library for a project last week, I came across this image of a black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) from my trip last year aboard the M/V Shear Water in the Bahamas. Much to my dismay, I was never able to find time to write about the enjoyable and educational trip, as […]

I’m off to Papua New Guinea. It’s been a couple of years since I was last there, so I’m really looking forward to the trip. I’ll be staying at Loloata Island Resort, and I’ll also be aboard the MV Golden Dawn.
Having been dry for several weeks now, checking and packing gear was even more […]

I’ve stumbled upon a problem with the Inon MRS magnetic rotation system ports which is incredibly annoying. If you are using this system for underwater photography, or might want to use this system in the future, read on.
The port system facilitates manual focus by using a magnetic collar on the outside of the port […]

Going digital definitely has a lot of merits. Immediate feedback, being able to shoot more than 36 frames at a time, being able to make duplicate/ back-up copies immediately, and having the ability to edit work on-the-spot rank at the top of my list.
Nothing in life, however, comes for free.
If there’s been one major […]

This morning, my snorkel snapped…literally. Broke right in two, just above the point where I had reinforced the crack with electrician’s tape.
Upon closer examination, it became clear that the taped area had actually held firm. The snorkel broke in an entirely different place.
The snorkel wasn’t all that old…perhaps three years or so…but within […]

After slightly over 24 hours on the ground (during which I sent out files, replied to hundreds of emails, made dozens of phone calls, ran all over town, unpacked, gave my dog a bath, and re-packed) I’m just about ready to head out again, this time to the Kingdom of Tonga.
As a double-check of […]

AARRGGHHHHH how I detest packing. Finding, sorting through, testing, wrapping, eliminating, replacing…every trip is different, so for every trip, it takes me a couple of days at least to figure out what I need to take.
To give you an idea of what’s accompanying me to Lembeh and Manado, here’s a list. By putting everything […]

In the process of packing for my impending trip to Kasawari Lembeh Resort in the Lembeh Strait, I paid a visit to David at ScubaCam.
I’ve only gotten to know David relatively recently, but I love going to his shop, because he’s a real “tinkerer” and enjoys fiddling around with gear and think about […]

I’ve just returned from a fantastic trip to North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Over the years, I’ve watched this area grow from a relatively unknown destination to one that’s now arguably among the top dive destinations in the world. People travel from across the globe to dive here. I’m lucky. Being based in Singapore, this world-class […]

My good friend and terrific underwater photographer Eric Cheng joined me this year in Tonga for a few days. I meant to post a bit about him much earlier, but I’ve been so busy with whales, boats, cameras, friends…it’s been impossible to find a free moment.

Packing has got to be the worst part of going on trips. For the record, I hate — no, detest — packing. As a result, I always procrastinate until the last possible moment, then try to pack as quickly as possible to minimise time spent undergoing this unavoidable nightmare.