Tag Archives: Underwater Photography

Ocean Views: Predators Of The World’s Coral Reefs

Smithsonian Channel (April 15, 2023) – From Lionfish to Peacock Mantis Shrimp, here’s a look at some of the reef’s fiercest predators from ‘Castro’s Secret Reef,’ Deadly Australians: Oceans and Beaches,’ ‘Great Blue Wild: Indonesia,’ and ‘David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef.’

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360° Views: Underwater Diving With Sharks (8K)

AirPano VR (Janaury 27, 2023) – With fossil records dating back 400 million years, sharks have outlived the dinosaurs and many other forms of life currently on earth. There are more than 1,000 species of sharks and rays, with new species discovered every year.

These majestic top predators that are so essential to the natural order of marine ecosystems now face their most severe threat from overfishing. Many species are threatened with extinction, with some families of rays such as sawfishes in peril. While sharks and rays have been an irreplaceable resource for coastal communities in the developing world for centuries, this unique balance is in danger of being lost forever.

With our oceans severely degraded, restoring sharks is key to improving the resilience of these water bodies to climate change. While sharks’ diverse range of species adds complexity to our conservation efforts, the dwindling numbers of these amazing creatures from overfishing and demand for their fins and meat increases the urgency of the task. Through our multi-pronged strategies, and guided by the Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays – A 2015-2025 Strategy, we strive to restore the balance between humans and sharks.

Underwater Views: A Visit To The RMS ‘Titanic’ (CBS)

CBS Sunday Morning – Correspondent David Pogue joins Titanic enthusiasts (nicknamed “Titaniacs”) who will happily pay a small fortune to ride in OceanGate’s specially-designed submersible vehicle, equipped with 4K video cameras, to visit the remains of the luxury liner 13,000 feet beneath the North Atlantic (weather conditions permitting).

RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States.

Antarctic Views: Filming The Curious Leopard Seal

Take a peek behind the scenes of Frozen Planet 2 as the team battle conditions to film the hunting behaviours of leopard seals. The extreme cold and icy weather weren’t the only factors the team had to deal with, as some leopard seals got a little bit too curious for the crew’s liking…

The leopard seal, also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic. Its only natural predator is the orca. It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, birds, fish and penguins. It is the only species in the genus Hydrurga.

360° Views: Underwater Life In Marsa Alam, Egypt

A 360° underwater view in the waters off Marsa Alam, Egypt.

Marsa Alam is a resort town on the Red Sea in Egypt. It’s renowned for its sandy beaches and coral reefs. The U-shaped Abu Dabab Bay is known for its sea turtles and dugongs (sea cows). Kite-surf site El Naaba Lagoon is separated from the open sea by a coral reef. Wadi el-Gemal National Park, south of the town, encompasses desert, seagrass beds, reefs and islands. 

Nature Views: Spotted Dolphins In The Bahamas

“Sunday Morning” takes us among some spotted dolphins in the blue waters off the Bahamas. Videographer: Mauricio Handler.

Atlantic spotted dolphins are found in warm temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They usually form groups of five to 50 individuals but sometimes travel in groups of up to 200. They are fast swimmers and often “surf” in the waves created by vessels.

Young Atlantic spotted dolphins do not have spots. As a result, they can look like slender bottlenose dolphins. Their distinctive spotted pattern starts to appear all over their bodies as they get older.

Cinematic Views: The Icy Landscapes Of Antarctica

Join Paul Nicklen, Yo-Yo Ma, and Marcus Goddard for a musical journey through the icy landscape of Antarctica.

This 13-minute work created by award-winning composer Marcus Goddard and SeaLegacy features cinematography by world-renowned photographer Paul Nicklen and a solo by celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma along with musical contributions from forty artists from eighteen orchestras from around the world.

The piece was co-commissioned by the Aventa Ensemble with assistance from the BC Arts Council and by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Antarctica, one of our planet’s life forces, helps to regulate the climate, control the ocean currents, and support more life than we know of. The impact of the icy continent is endless, and yet this magical place is disappearing before our eyes. But as quickly as conditions have changed in Antarctica, the future of this extraordinary continent can be redirected for the better.

Travel Views: Peru & The Galapagos Islands (4K)

Peru is a country in South America that’s home to a section of Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city high in the Andes mountains. The region around Machu Picchu, including the Sacred Valley, Inca Trail and colonial city of Cusco, is rich in archaeological sites. On Peru’s arid Pacific coast is Lima, the capital, with a preserved colonial center and important collections of pre-Columbian art. 

The Galápagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It’s considered one of the world’s foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. A province of Ecuador, it lies about 1,000km off its coast. Its isolated terrain shelters a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else. Charles Darwin visited in 1835, and his observation of Galápagos’ species later inspired his theory of evolution.