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Having completed its lengthy larval stage, a juvenile Moorish idol is, at about three inches long, one of the larger subjects you’ll encounter on a blackwater dive
 

Nestled within the heart of Sulawesi’s Bunaken National Marine Park, Siladen Resort is highly regarded for its pristine walls, vibrant coral gardens, and rich marine biodiversity. It has long attracted divers from around the world eager to explore its beautiful reefs and encounter the diverse array of tropical fish, exotic critters, and abundant turtle population that call these waters home. But in recent years, this idyllic Indonesian island has begun writing a new chapter in its underwater story—one that is captivating both seasoned divers and curious explorers alike.

In 2020, Siladen Resort launched its blackwater diving program, opening up an entirely new dimension of underwater adventure. With its dramatic walls plunging thousands of feet into the depths, Siladen offers the perfect backdrop for this captivating type of diving, where the darkness reveals a universe of tiny planktonic animals and larval fish that you would never see on traditional reef dives. As the sun sets and night drapes over the island’s waters, divers are transported into a cosmic realm where the ocean’s smallest inhabitants perform mesmerizing dances in the blackness, illuminated only by powerful beams of light.

Today, Siladen is not only a beloved reef and wall dive destination, but also one of Indonesia’s most exciting blackwater diving hotspots. It’s a place where curiosity is rewarded with extraordinary sightings, where the boundary between the natural and the otherworldly blurs, and where each dive promises new discoveries in the depths of the night.
 

A juvenile fish does its best to hide from predators “inside” a pelagic jellyfish

From Italy to Indo

If you want to understand what makes Siladen such an exceptional location, just ask seasoned underwater cinematographer Domenico Martino. He started his career with a deep love for the sea cultivated as a child freediving in the waters of his native Italy. His studies in filmmaking in Rome would later lay a solid foundation, but it was his early days as a scuba instructor that truly ignited his passion for underwater storytelling.

After a fortuitous meeting with a student working with Italian television, which would result in a first short film that took the festival circuit by storm, Domenico’s path toward a documentary career was set, initially as a collaborator for a TV series about the sea. “Once I mastered proper trim, the transition to shooting underwater was straightforward, as I already had a solid knowledge of shooting techniques.” The underwater realm, with its fluid, multidimensional environment, became his preferred canvas.

Domenico’s travels have led him from the great whites and whale sharks of Australia and the vibrant coral terraces of Papua New Guinea and Raja Ampat to the macro critters of Southeast Asia and the big pelagics of the Galápagos, each location offering fascinating stories to tell. Among his favorites are encounters with the majestic humpback whales of French Polynesia and the charismatic crocodiles of Cuba’s Gardens of the Queen.
 

It may look innocuous, but this comb jelly is a predator, vacuuming up prey sometimes bigger than itself!
 

A pelagic nudibranch already demonstrating its ethereal beauty

A Deep Connection to Siladen

Domenico’s appreciation for Siladen goes back more than 15 years, initially working with a TV crew to document the stunning corals as well as the pristine nature above the waterline. Over time, his relationship with the island—and with Daniele, the resort’s CEO—has blossomed into a deep friendship and ongoing collaboration. “Siladen is a special place,” says Domenico. “It’s like staying with family.”

The introduction of blackwater diving added an exciting layer to the underwater experience at Siladen, and Domenico was immediately hooked after trying it for the first time in 2023. Indeed, his blackwater dives at Siladen Resort have been so satisfying that he’s yet to try similar dives elsewhere. “The organization of the blackwater dives is simply amazing at Siladen. The staff make you feel totally at ease, and the dive guides are very professional. They are able to find the impossible in the darkness!” says Domenico, adding: “Just the view of the Manado Tua volcano at sunset before the dive is mesmerizing—a real start to the adventure.”

The videographer explains how the blackwater dives are conducted. After a thorough dive briefing, a short boat ride takes guests to a designated spot, the abyss below dropping to a depth of 10,000 feet or more. Typically, staff lower a 50-foot downline into the water, secured by a float on the surface, and lights totalling more than 100,000 lumens are positioned at regular intervals. Then, everyone waits. Around 30 minutes later, drawn to the bright lights, a breathtaking array of otherworldly animals has emerged from the darkness, and the moment finally comes for guests to enter the water. It’s a thrill like no other, not least because the downline—and the divers—drift freely in the current. “On one dive with Daniele, we drifted for over five miles!” laughs Domenico. “Truly impressive!”
 

The perfect spot for blackwater diving? Surrounded by very deep water, Siladen Island offers adventurous divers the opportunity to meet, photograph and film a mind-blowing cast of strange and beautiful characters    

Blackwater Moving Pictures

As any underwater shooter who’s tried it will tell you, blackwater photography is notoriously challenging. Getting a sharp, well-lit picture of a creature that is often an inch long or less, translucent or virtually transparent, and wheeling around in near-total darkness is a tough proposition for both photographer and equipment. Even the best cameras need the help of a focus light, and even then, autofocus can be unreliable, with many blackwater photographers preferring to focus manually in order to achieve the desired precision.

While blackwater photography may be tricky, blackwater video comes with even tougher challenges—but as an underwater filmmaker, that’s all Domenico knows from his blackwater dives. Many of the difficulties associated with shooting stills are only amplified when trying to capture video clips. Maintaining focus while following tiny, constantly moving subjects amid pitch-black surroundings demands both skill and patience. “These transparent or semi-transparent creatures are incredibly difficult to focus on, but the biggest challenge is keeping subjects in the frame, particularly as they often swim toward the bottom,” admits Domenico. “In addition, with reflective subjects, you have to work a lot with the orientation of your [video] lights.”
 

A juvenile squid shows off its iridescent mantle
 

The reproductive organs of a jellyfish are clearly visible through its near-transparent body

Choosing the Right Gear for Blackwater

In such demanding conditions, equipment plays a significant role, and Domenico went an interesting route by choosing a Canon EOS R5 in a LeoR housing by Italian brand Easydive. Being a “universal” housing that can electronically control of a wide variety of mirrorless and DSLR cameras—as opposed to the mechanical controls of a model-specific housing—the LeoR is not only “future proof,” but also has some unique benefits for blackwater shooters. “The LeoR has a new power supply system with dual battery packs that allows me to power the camera for longer, so I can do several dives without changing batteries,” the videographer enthuses. “Plus, the backlit keyboard is invaluable when shooting in such low-light conditions.”

Although most blackwater shooters opt for a “short” macro lens for its comparative ease of use, Domenico prefers the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro for his blackwater work. Despite it being much more challenging to use, he feels it allows him to create “more-cinematic” shots. With regard to lighting, the 21,000-lumen Easydive video lights that Domenico uses for wide-angle work in the daytime aren’t a good choice when you only want to illuminate a subject that typically has dimensions of just a few millimeters. Instead, he uses narrow-beam dive torches—mounted on arms via adapters—to isolate his subjects and avoid lighting the particles in the water column.
 

Juvenile horned boxfish are even cuter than the adults!
 

The aptly named glass squid is a particularly challenging subject to keep in focus

From Blackwater Adventure to Final Film

As you might expect, when it comes to blackwater, countless hours of work go into creating a finished film. Domenico always shoots his footage with a log profile in order to reap the benefits of video files with higher dynamic range and have more latitude for color grading in post-production. However, with this flat, desaturated log video, it’s even harder to judge a clip’s focus and exposure, so Domenico takes extra care during post-production, working with his own custom LUTs, to manage clips before color-correcting and color-grading his video. Finally, sequences are meticulously synchronized with the selected music and sound effects are added, ensuring that every movement is choreographed to the rhythm of the piece. “This is the hardest part,” laments Domenico. “Sometimes even very beautiful shots go to waste.”
 

Pyrosomes start off tiny but some grow to dozens of feet in length!
 

Blackwater critters like this glass squid have justifiably earned their “otherworldly” label!
 

For aspiring blackwater filmmakers, Domenico emphasizes the importance of diving skills. “Get your buoyancy right and practice your breathing—you are the critical platform for your camera rig,” he says. Pay particular attention to lighting, he reminds us, since subjects can be translucent or reflective—as well as moving continuously—and can practically become mirrors if unfavorably oriented.

First and foremost, though, it’s about enjoying the blackwater experience, and it’s crucial to choose a knowledgeable and experienced team as well as a great location. Siladen Resort ticks all the boxes, with the proximity of very deep water and a mature blackwater program that never fails to deliver. And, of course, when the sun comes up again, Siladen has so much more to offer: world-class reef and wall diving, more sea turtles than you’ll see almost anywhere else (especially if you count their freshly hatched babies), and even amazing muck dives in nearby spots like Manado Bay and the Lembeh Strait.

At the end of the day, nothing beats the thrill of capturing the rare and unusual creatures that ascend from the depths during their mysterious nightly migration. Domenico, for one, is patiently waiting for his first paper nautilus or female blanket octopus to show up in front of his lens. After all, you never really know what you’ll bump into in the dark.
 

Window to an alien world: A lobster larva and jellyfish fight to survive in a head-spinning blackwater video
 

Note: The images in this article are video frame grabs that have been cleaned up during post-processing.