Articles
A larval lionfish flares its fins, displaying intricate patterns and colors, Anilao, Philippines
I try to never reveal my personal biases when I write for DPG, but I happily threw that out the window when I was tasked with writing this article on Ram Yoro. Our Photographer of the Week is a very accomplished professional underwater photographer, writer, videographer, and overall great guy. Ram is also my co-author, fellow shooter, shoot planner, producer, and many other things in our joint business, Fata Morgana Media.
Anyone familiar with black-water diving, especially the “bonfire” method, will know Ram and his work. He makes his home in Manila but spends most of his time in his local waters—whether it is doing deep tech dives for commercial work, teaching new students, perfecting bonfires in Anilao, or working on new book and video projects.
While he is most well known for his black-water photos, it is his work in media production that is coming to take up much of his time. He is responsible for two books currently in circulation: Legends Beneath the Waves: Philippines and Let’s Go Dive Guide to Anilao. He just finished a shoot in Brunei for the next book in that wreck series, and he is deeply involved with the production of five other titles.
Check out his work and you will notice that Ram is a brilliant photographer who has pioneered some awesome new techniques. Look deeper, and you will see someone who constantly pushes himself to do new things and build his business. The best part about Ram is one most people won’t get to know, and that is the person he is: a dedicated family man, completely dependable business partner, and a selfless friend. I am pleased to introduce everyone to Ram Yoro!
An amphipod free-rides on a jelly in the plankton world, Anilao, Philippines
A Phronima hatches its young inside other critters for instant food and shelter, Anilao, Philippines
A parasite clings to a fragile and unfortunate larval flounder, Anilao, Philippines
A larval mantis voraciously feeds on a larval squirelfish, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
The 13-foot stalagmite in Paglugaban Cave’s second chamber indicates that the area was dry for some time, El Nido, Philippines
The snowy sediments, massive stalagmites and boulders along Paglugaban Cave’s bottom give it an otherworldly feel, El Nido, Philippines
The colors and gigantic columns in Paglugaban Cave’s third chamber resemble that of a grand chapel, El Nido, Philippines
Male mouthbrooding is typical in some fish species like this cardinalfish, Anilao, Philippines
Rhinopias: One of the holy grails of underwater photography, Anilao, Philippines
Whale sharks in Tubbataha, Philippines swim slowly to anticipate bubbles, allowing divers to swim alongside these amazing fish
The Tangat Gunboat once hunted for lurking submarines with this hydrophone, Coron, Philippines
A winch in Petani Mistral’s bow, which was used to service oil rigs, Brunei
The huge propeller of Southern Glory wrapped in a discarded fishing net, Brunei
Ram Yoro
Check out more of Ram’s work on his Facebook or Instagram pages. You can also pick up one of his books in the Philippines or online.