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Tag: certification

Picking a dive shop

13 July, 2018 Michael Fineberg Dive Training, Dive Travel, For New Divers

How do you pick a good dive shop? A shop to learn from, or go fun diving with? Most people[…]

Why should you bother to get a licence?

6 March, 2018 Michael Fineberg Dive Training, For Non-Divers

Car, motorcycle, scuba diving, free diving, rock climbing, using a power boat – why should I bother to get proper[…]

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7 Things to keep in your camera housing repair kit
I’ve spoken before about keeping a small kit of easily found bits in order to keep your camera[…]

1 August, 2020
My top 3 British travel banking recommendations
If you are a UK citizen travelling abroad, foreign exchange fees, travellers cheques and bank fees can quickly[…]

21 July, 2020
My top 5 American travel banking recommendations
If you are an American (USA) travelling abroad, fees for using foreign currencies can quickly add up. Foreign[…]

14 July, 2020
Is there a best buddy check method?
BWRAF? ABCDE! Before you jump in the water to start scuba diving, you should check your buddy’s gear[…]

6 July, 2020

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"Baby, you're on fire tonight." The brilliant oran

"Baby, you're on fire tonight." The brilliant orange and yellows of a Royal Hypselodoris / Purple Nudi (Hypselodoris apolegma) gives it the appearance of series of small candles deep underwater. 5 Oct, 2022
Jemeluk Bay, Amed, Bali, Indonesia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter] #nudibranch #oceanography #seacreatures #aquatic #oceanconservation #tauchen #buceo #fotosub #scubadiving #travellingindonesia #exploreindonesia #thisisindonesia #saltlife #natgeowild #marinebiology #amazinganimals #oceanlove #capturethemoment #lovediving #underwaterpics #uwphoto #visualambassadors #underwaterlife #underwaterphoto #diving #dive

"OMNOMNOMNOM-THANKS MUM!" A young Australian pied

"OMNOMNOMNOM-THANKS MUM!" A young Australian pied cormorant or shag (Phalacrocorax varius) gets a big feed of semi-fresh fish from its mother. Carnac Island, Western Australia, Australia
27 July, 2024 Sony A7R IV with a Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 lens on a generic EF-E adapter. #perth, #australia #birds #birdsofaustralia #wildlife #carnac #westernaustralia #nature #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #sonyalpha #sony #cormorant #seabirds

Idiomysis shrimp (Idiomysis sp.), also known as 's

Idiomysis shrimp (Idiomysis sp.), also known as 'sea bees' are some of the cutest and smallest things to photograph in the ocean. At only 1mm-2mm long, and constantly flitting about, makes them some of the most difficult to photograph as well. When I noticed a few large groups of them on a dive, I made a mental note to come back there - and a few days later, on my last dive in Kata Beach, Phuket, I spent 40 minutes of my dive in the silty sand, just trying to get these shots. With no strobe (just my normal handheld torch), it made it particularly difficult; more light is needed to take faster shots to better 'freeze' them in place. However, to really get better shots, I think going up to a 105mm macro lens with a +23 diopter would be required, along with a pair of strobes, which is a big expense to change to. Goals, though! 25 Feb, 2023
Kata Beach, Phuket, Thailand
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[Sony A7R IV + 90mm macro lens + AOI 12.5 diopter]
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#aquatic #aquaticlife #conservation #discoverearth #discoverocean #discoveryearth #dive #diver #instadive #macro #macrophotography #macrophoto #marinebiology #natgeo #natgeohub #natgeowild #natgeoyourshot #oceanconservation #oceanlife #oceancreatures #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #oceanlife #sealife #seaanimals #uwmacro #wildlife #shrimp #underwaterphotography #underwaterlife

A reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana), back-lit a

A reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana), back-lit at night. 23 Feb, 2023
Kata Beach, Phuket, Thailand #scubadivingmag #macroworld_tr #nature #instadive #underwaterpics #macro_brilliance #natgeoyourshot #oceanography #oceanconservation #divetrip #macro_kings #underwaterphoto #natgeotravel #macro_holic #eatsleepscuba #divingdeep #divingday #saveouroceans #macro #fundive #uwphotography #scubadivingpic #seacreatures #macrophotography #coralreef #scubaaddict #wildlifeonearth #scuba_diving #scubadivinglife #marineconservation

"Just drifting by..." A youngish weedy seadragon (

"Just drifting by..." A youngish weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) drifts around the sand and seaweed in Western Australia. 1 Dec, 2023
Perth, Australia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing] #australia #perthdiving #perth #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwater #uwphotography #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #seadragon #dragon #fish

"Did you hear that? I think I heard something!" A

"Did you hear that? I think I heard something!" A punctuated flatworm (Maritigrella fuscopunctata) uses its front sensory ruffles to pick up anything moving around it. 27 Apr, 2024
Coogee, Perth, Australia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing] #australia #perthdiving #perth #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwater #uwphotography #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #flatworm #flatworms

"Fractals in nature - like roots of a tree". The f

"Fractals in nature - like roots of a tree". The fingers of a warty sea cucumber (Cercodemas anceps) around its mouth reach out to grab floating food passing by. One by one, it sticks them in its mouth and sucks them clean, like it was just eating some greasy chicken wings. 25 Apr, 2024
Kwinana, Perth, Australia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing] #australia #perthdiving #perth #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwater #uwphotography #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #cucumber #seacucumber

"What did you just say? Oh no you dinnit." A Hypse

"What did you just say? Oh no you dinnit." A Hypselodoris saintvincentia nudibranch seems almost incredulous that I would dare. 15 Apr, 2024
Bulk Jetty, Perth, Australia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter] #australia #perthdiving #perth #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #nudibranch

"Hiding from the big boys". When you're small and

"Hiding from the big boys". When you're small and delicious, sometimes you need to hide in an unusual place. 6 Apr, 2024
Perth, Australia [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing] #australia #perthdiving #perth #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #jellyfish

"Reach for the stars, but stay grounded." A tiny D

"Reach for the stars, but stay grounded." A tiny Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) stretches out near Moalboal in the Philippines. Denises are slightly smaller and more slender than Bargibants, which are more common and well known, but do look similar, and live on similar fan coral. 2 Feb, 2024
Moalboal, Philippines [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter] #philippines🇵🇭 #itsmorefuninthephilippines #philippinestravel #ilovephilippines #visayas #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #muckdive #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic #cebu #seahorses #pygmyseahorse

"There's no room in here, I wanna move out!" These

"There's no room in here, I wanna move out!" These baby Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) are so close to hatching they're stretching their eggs out! 28 Jan, 2024
Siquijor, Philippines [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter] #philippines🇵🇭 #itsmorefuninthephilippines #philippinestravel #ilovephilippines #visayas #siquijor #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #muckdive #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #fish #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic

"Dr. Teeth: No, no - BEAT drums!", The Muppet Movi

"Dr. Teeth: No, no - BEAT drums!", The Muppet Movie, 1979
Looking a lot like Animal from The Muppet Show, an orang-utan crab (Achaeus japonicus) is a red shaggy animal that relies on its mimicry of algae-looking hair to camouflage itself from predators. 25 Jan, 2024
Siquijor, Philippines [#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter]
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#philippines🇵🇭 #itsmorefuninthephilippines #philippinestravel #ilovephilippines #visayas #siquijor #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #muckdive #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #crab #crabs #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic

"Almost ready to see the world for the first time!

"Almost ready to see the world for the first time!"
A baby flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) is almost ready to hatch from its egg, in Dauin, Oriental Negros, Philippines.
22 Jan, 2024
[#Sony A7R IV with a 90mm macro lens in a #Nauticam housing, with a #Fantasea / #AOI UCL-09F+12.5 diopter]
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#philippines🇵🇭 #itsmorefuninthephilippines #philippinestravel #ilovephilippines #visayas #dauin #dumaguete #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #ocean #diving #divinglife #muckdive #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #cephalopod #cuttlefish #macro #macrophotography #underwaterphotography #underwaterpic

"Put your dukes up! I'll take all youse all on!" A

"Put your dukes up! I'll take all youse all on!" A blue ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata) threatens to clean our clocks with some fisticuffs in Dauin, Philippines.
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20 Jan, 2024
[Sony A7R IV + 90mm lens]
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#bluering #blueringedoctopus #philippines🇵🇭 #itsmorefuninthephilippines #dauin #octopus #oceanlife #scuba #scubadiving #sony #sonyalpha #sonya7riv #cephalopod #philippinestravel #ilovephilippines #ocean #diving #divinglife #muckdive #visayas #dumaguete #paditv #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel

"Mom, make him stop touching me!" The first lot of

"Mom, make him stop touching me!" The first lot of eggs of a golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) are just about ready to hatch. They've been carefully watched over and protected by their mother for many, many days now, and there are still later eggs glued to the same piece of whip coral she will continue to protect until they have all hatched.
8 Jan, 2024
[Sony A7R IV, 90mm macro lens, AOI +12.5 diopter]
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#aquatic #aquaticlife #conservation #discoverocean #discoveryearth #dive #diver #instadive #macro #macrophotography #macrophoto #marinebiology #natgeohub #natgeowild #natgeoyourshot #oceanconservation #oceancreatures #oceanlife #oceanography #reef #scubadiving #seaanimals #seacreatures #sealife #turningthetide #underwaterphoto #underwaterworld #uwmacro #uwphotography #wildlifeonearth

"Oi! What's that over there then?!" A Coryphellina

"Oi! What's that over there then?!" A Coryphellina sp. nudibranch rears up to get a better look around. That black dot is its "eye spot", not a true eye, in that it doesn't have a lens, just light receptors. By the by, "sp." is short for "species", meaning it's an unidentified species that's probably a type of Coryphellina. This species has been found around Tulamben, Bali for many years, but like most animals, hasn't been fully distinguished yet and given a proper name.
6 Jan, 2024
Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
[Sony A7R IV, 90mm lens, +12.5 diopter]
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#nudibranch #conservation #oceanography #seacreatures #aquatic #oceanconservation #tauchen #buceo #fotosub #scubadiving #canon #travellingindonesia #exploreindonesia #thisisindonesia #saltlife #total_underwater #natgeowild #marinebiology #amazinganimals #oceanlove #capturethemoment #lovediving #underwaterpics #uwphoto #createexplore #visualambassadors #underwaterlife #underwaterphoto #diving #dive

"A difficult shave." A close up of a shaggy aegire

"A difficult shave." A close up of a shaggy aegires nudibranch (Aegires villosus) highlights the fuzziness we don't get to see from a distance. Bali, Indonesia. 5 Jan 2024 [Sony A7R IV]
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#critters #nudibranch #conservation #aquaticlife #oceanography #seaanimals #seacreatures #aquatic #oceanconservation #tauchen #immersioni #biologamarina #buceo #fotosub #scubadiving #canon #philippines #itsmorefuninthephilippines #scubaview #scubadivingtrip #saltylife #paditv #biodiversity #underwaterphoto #amazinganimals #saltlife #splendid_animals #blueworld #capturethemoment #wildlife_perfection

A mother dolphin and her child, cruising through t

A mother dolphin and her child, cruising through the shallows of Rockingham, in Perth, Australia. #dji #mini3pro #djimini3pro #dolphins #perth #drone #ocean

This tiny Spotted Hypselodoris (Hypselodoris macul

This tiny Spotted Hypselodoris (Hypselodoris maculosa) nudibranch is laying eggs on a dark volcanic rock near Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. 22 Dec, 2023
[Sony A7R IV + 90mm macro lens + 12.5 diopter]

Slipper lobsters (Scyllaridae sp.) are very shy, a

Slipper lobsters (Scyllaridae sp.) are very shy, and usually only seen at night. This tiny juvenile was very patient with me, and let me get surprisingly close for this shot. Amed, Bali, Indonesia
18 Dec, 2023
[Sony A7R IV + 90mm macro + 12.5 diopter]

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