Articles
Last year was a great year for underwater photography and for DPG. Instead of the world's end, 2012 gave us amazing imagery and stories. While we feel all our articles are special (we won't publish it unless we feel it's worth our readers' time!), here's a list of our most popular articles, some personal favorites by the DPG editorial staff. They are presented in no particular order.
1. Once In A Blue Moon - Blue Shark Underwater Photography At Night By Bill Fisher
We've seen plenty of images of blue sharks. Really good ones too. But we had never seen this amazing animal photographed at night, and the beautiful blue color of the shark almost begs to be photographed with a black background. We had something special when we saw Bill's images, but when we read the story, we knew it was going to hit the "instant classic" status. The story is a reminder sometimes the journey is the reward. Read it and you'll know what we mean...
2. Seal vs. Octopus By Phil Davison
This image by Phil Davison won our April Monthly Photo Contest, and the story behind the shot went on to become on of our most popular articles. It's a story of what happened when two local underwater celebrities get into a tiff -- Cecile the fur seal and the "The Kraken" the octopus. Phil's images capture this rare, and amazing event showing the importance of seizing the moment.
3. The Critter Corner Series by Eric Riesch
Okay, okay, so this is not just one article, but Eric Riesch's Critter Corner series really stands out as a group. From this amazing gurnard lionfish below to creole wrasse cleaning stations, each month the editorial team looked forward to learning something new from Eric. If there's a subject you'd like featured, just ask us for it!
4. Nauticam D800 Review by Keri Wilk
Probably our favorite system of the year, and the information Keri provides is detailed and enlightening. It's the images, however, that take this to a whole new level. Amazing shots from the DPG Expedition to Fiji, and cenotes like you've never seen them before. Twenty strobes and hours of prep went into getting some of these shots!
5. Shooting for a Change- Conservation Underwater Photography by Steve De Neef
Contributor Steve De Neef articulates the subtle but important differences required for underwater photographers who are focused on shooting for the conservation of our ocean. The article contains not only practical advice for shooting this distinctive style, but also some powerful images. Worth a look just for the rare shot of the monitor lizard...
6. Joe Tepper: An Update From 40 Day Indo Pacific Assignment
If you are an avid reader of DPG, you are familar with our ongoing love affair with Southeast Asia. That's why we all hated Associate Editor Joe Tepper for a solid 40 days (and Joe's a really nice guy, he's really hard to hate!). Joe got the assignment of a life time- a hardcore 40 day trek across some of the premiere dive destinations of South East Asia. His images and text highlight the huge variety of diving and how best to prepare and execute a long dive journey.
7. Photo Set: The Selkie Connection Series by Christian Vizl
Often we receive great portfolios, but rarely do we see a series with a real point of view like the "Selkie Connection. In this Photo Set, Christian Vizl hopes to "transmit the importance of the bonding we establish as human beings with all the other living creatures to with whom we share this planet."
8. From a Fisheye’s Perspective: The Kona Aggressor II By Keri Wilk
Keri Wilk does Kona. The article is not only filled with stunning images of the diverse offerings of the area (which include dolphins and mantas), but also detailed information on how to photograph these subjects. Keri's open and descriptive style helps even amateur photographers understand his process and take better images. It was is one of our most talked about travel pieces of the year and inspired many photographers to pack their bags and head to Kona (including our Associate Editor Joe Tepper!)
9. Redefining "Underwater Scenes" with Jason Isley
Jason Isley takes us out of the box by placing figurines alongside some of our favorite muck critters to create some imaginative and compelling scenes. It left us impressed with his creativity, and beyond that, it left us with smiles on our faces. Easily one of the most creative stories we've published.
10. Just the Tip of the Iceberg - Above and Below Antarctica Through the Lens of Daniel Botelho
How do you pick just one Daniel Botelho article? The man is seriously changing underwater photography, and never ceases to impress. We couldn't decide on our favorite, so we picked the one most popular with our readers - a photo series on icebergs in Antarctica, photographed above and below the water. The series is about the scenery, the colors and the shapes, and it's all distinctly Daniel Botelho.