Field Notes from Papua New Guinea, November/December 2008

Our long awaited trip to Papua New Guinea based at the Loloata Island Resort turned out to be “difficult” thanks to Jeremy contracting an ear infection, which meant sitting out almost all of the diving.

Amanda was able to do all of the dives but the plans we had were for working together underwater in terms of modelling were completely scuppered. Also, as a result of Jeremy’s ear infection, the planned extension to Walindi had to be cancelled. Nonetheless, we managed to get some photography done, although nowhere near as much as hoped.

Field Notes from Kauai, July & August 2008

Kauai was a good opportunity at some all-round travel photography set in the context of our family holiday.

There’s some spectacular photographic opportunities here, although the absolute pinnacle of what is possible is down to patience, timing and a just a little bit of luck with the weather and light, which varies enormously.

Although “photographed to death”, it’s hard to resist taking pictures at the stunning Waimea Canyon and Kalalau Valley.


We were lucky to arrange a visit to the island of Niihau, to the south west of Kauai, which gave us an opportunity to photograph an area that most visitors to Kauai will only see in the distance.

From an underwater perspective, we enjoyed some stunning diving around Niihau where we were treated to some fantastic encounters with Hawaiian Monk Seals, allowing us to capture some pleasing images. Niihau Arches and Neon Cave were spectacular sites, too.

Amid all the goings on, our cameras had quite a battering, with one camera losing its ability to work its aperture wheel, and annoyingly our 12-24mm wide angle got dropped in a rockpool and has since been pronounced “dead”.

<Read about this trip here>

Field Notes From The Typhoon, Northern Red Sea Sea, Egypt June 2008

With two days in the UK to recover from the Philippines trip, it was back to the airport and off to Egypt for a week on the Typhoon liveaboard.

After some of the “little breakthroughs” that I felt I made in the Philippines, I struggled at times to please myself with some of the images I was taking here. I put it down to “brain fade” from two back to back trips, and that I’m now looking for that “wow factor” from everything I do, which of course isn’t very easy to achieve.

Nonetheless, I did achieve a reasonable set of images by the end of the week, including a few that I was very pleased with. I also felt that some “technical information” that I understood but hadn’t put into practice, came together intuitively in another “mini breakthrough, setting me up well for the next trip. Although on a dive by dive basis it doesn’t feel like it, I am making progress, but sometimes it feels imperceptibly slow. But at least its progress! – JC

<Read about this trip here>

Field Notes From The Philippines, Puerto Galera and Dumaguete June 2008

My trip to Philippines was a last minute affair, arranged with only a weeks notice, with lots of “flat out” working in order to be able to get away in good shape.

With that achieved, it was literally straight into “photographic mode” and it was a good discipline for me, getting organised quickly, staying organised and getting everything that was possible in the short time that I had at both Puerto Galera and Dumaguete.

Photographically, I made some steps forward, working on some ideas that I started at the end of the Red Sea trip in 2007, such as underlighting coral and divers. Overall the consistency seemed good with the images.- JC

Field Notes From Jersey, Channel Islands May 2008

Jersey was supposed to involve diving at Bouley Bay, but that didn’t happen due to the Bank Holiday weather and a pollution incident.

So instead, we did other things – a chance to photograph Durrell Wildlife (Jersey Zoo), Gorey, Sorel Point and the German Hospital & War Tunnels