Underwater Photography/ Videography

[Allie Jayne]

I have been shooting fish through a lens since 1985. This had led me to many amazing places, many amazing experiences with whales, sharks, fish, turtles, snakes, shipwrecks, and amazing reefs. It also gave me my life partner. We are fortunate to have our own dive boat, and live close to some of the prettiest temperate reefs anywhere.

Who else dives?

Allie

[Anne Blake]

My partner and I dove for ten years but dropped it a few years ago due to her health. I loved diving and have experienced it in many beautiful places. The most exotic were Taiwan and Indonesia, but our favorite go to place was always Bonaire. As for underwater photography, I found that if I carried a camera I could not focus on the rest of the neat things around me, I was always looking for "the shot". I was also concerned that if one person carried a camera, their partner was diving without a buddy. That said, I was the lone buddy for my photographer partner on many a dive.

I am considering doing some more diving in the next year or so, the bug is still biting at me.

Where are your favorite dive locations and where do you keep your dive boat?

Tia Anne

[Allie Jayne]

Hi Anne!

I live in the southern part of Australia, near Melbourne, and we keep our 24 foot dive boat on a trailer at our house. I know what you mean about people with cameras diving solo, and we accept that is the case and mostly dive with redundant air. We live very close to some very colourful reef dives, and with lots of critters unique to this region, so we are spoiled for diving opportunities. The water here is cool, 70 deg F in summer, and 50 deg F in winter, and we have an amazing diversity. We can dive deep wrecks, sponge gardens miles long, walls, current drifts, bizarre reef formations, and muck dives under piers which provide habitat for lots of weird and wonderful critters. The local dive charter lists well over 100 sites on their itinerary!

We do like to travel, and have been to Dominica to film Sperm Whales, Tonga, to film Humpback Whales, Fiji for sharks and soft corals, Bali for muck diving and Mantas, Chuuk for wrecks, Vanuatu for wrecks and reef, New Zealand for sea caves and reefs, Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) for crabs, Whale sharks, and reefs, plus most of The Australian continent for, well pretty much everything! We are off in 5 weeks to Tubbataha in the Phillipines for big fish and reef diving on a live aboard boat.

I am also wondering about the impacts of transition as I am just starting HRT. I guess I'm going to change shape a bit, and this will need different suits. I am also trying to figure ways to hide my changes, ie, while changing in and out of suits on the boat, and those hot tropical days when you wear as little as you can! Winter will be OK as I'll leave my drysuit on and get changed back on shore.

I'd love to post pics and videos, but they would identify me which I can't afford to do atm.

Bubbles!

Allie

[Dani]

Another scuba diver here. I live in Miami area with many dive sites and charter boats along the Florida Keys and also going north along the Atlantic coast.

[Allie Jayne]

Hi Dani!

              We have toyed with the idea of spending a month in the US to see the great natural formations like the Rockys and the Buttes in Arizona, and of course diving in the California kelp forests and the sharks of the Tiger Beach. What other sites off Florida and the Atlantic coasts are must see dives? ( we love critters! )

How safe would it be for an older cis and trans woman to tour the country in a camper?

Allie

[Dani]

Hi Dani!

              We have toyed with the idea of spending a month in the US to see the great natural formations like the Rockys and the Buttes in Arizona, and of course diving in the California kelp forests and the sharks of the Tiger Beach. What other sites off Florida and the Atlantic coasts are must see dives? ( we love critters! )

How safe would it be for an older cis and trans woman to tour the country in a camper?

Allie

Touring the US in a camper is very safe for everyone. Just be sure to park overnight in an approved camp ground. I prefer a camp ground in a state or national park. In addition there are a few commercial camp grounds. Prices are economical and many have toilet and shower facilities.

The state and national parks all have a theme centered around some really interesting local geology. Many families with young children do this for their summer vacations. This is a great way to spend some family time that will be remembered for years.

[Allie Jayne]

Thanks Dani!  Sounds like we should start doing some research for a couple of years down the track, when I'm feeling more myself!!

This is an image of a spider crab aggregation at a dive site near me!

Allie

[Kylo]

I dive a lot, but never got around to any photography until last year when I got a go pro for it. Unfortunately last year was bad for visibility in general and most of the footage I shot sucked as a result. 2017 was a great year for it in terms of weather but I didn't have the camera yet. Up here in the Atlantic coast the weather greatly impacts the visibility in the water and you have to wait for 1-2 ft or flat wave conditions to get some good images.

[Allie Jayne]

Although I live in a temperate area. (38 degrees South ) I am lucky with conditions, sure, we get strong winds and big seas, but nearly always a lee coast, and vis ranges from 0 to 100 ft plus, and averages 30 ft.  Photography keeps us poor, even though we are semi professional at it, it doesn't pay for itself. But it has taken us to some amazing places we wouldn't have gone to otherwise. I am currently in the Phillipines about to board a liveaboard for a week to dive and film Tubbataha reef!



Allie