Born on the east coast of Scotland, I learned to swim in the North Sea, had a passion for nature and spent as much time as possible in the huge rock pools along the East Neuk.
I started diving in 1977 with the Jamaica branch of the British Subaqua Club (JSAC). I qualified as a BASC Advanced Diver/CMAS *** in 1978. I was involved in projects with the marine labs at Port Royal and Discovery Bay, and had the privilege to be taught about Caribbean corals by the pioneering marine scientist Nora Goreau. Identification in those days was from research papers only. My first underwater photos were taken then with a friends’ Nikonos 2. It was impossible not to become passionate about reefs with the great people in the JSAC and the marine labs.
I left Jamaica in 1980 with some 425 dives under my belt and spend a short time diving with the Institute of Marine Affairs in Trinidad. There I helped with research dives on the north coast and in the rip currents of the Grand Boca. We even found a new species of coral. I’m now based in Frankfurt and travel extensively. With my wife, we now dive mainly in Indonesia, and to a lesser extent in the Philippines. With well over 2,000 dives (I no longer count) I’ve seen many fascinating dive sites. Pulau Saparua, Pulau Pef, Alor and North Sulawesi all have rich and varied reef ecosystems, … still!
Today I use a Nikon D750 in a Seacam housing, Seacam flashes and Achromat wet micro lenses for ultra-close work. The Nikon 105mm macro lens is my favourite, but the Sigma 15mm fisheye lens with a Kenko Teleplus Pro adapter together with a Seacam Compactport produces crisp images with a huge depth of field.
I’m fascinated by the huge diversity of reef life, and amazed at how often I photograph fish, crabs and shrimps that have not yet been described. Healthy reefs I knew in the 70s and 80s are no longer there. I’ve been under water when fishermen have dynamited the reef, and swum over cyanide reef deserts. If we – particularly divers – do not do more for conservation, then there will be nothing left to photograph, and local communities will go hungry.
With that in mind, and finding out how little money is donated to charities supporting reef conservation, I decided to use my knowledge and photos to create a website to encourage people to donate to Greenpeace, Sea Shepard, Conservation International etc. Reef Image-Stories – Help save our reefs! Visit the site and donate even a little to a charity!
Dermatobranchus ornatus – Raja Ampat, West Papua
Bongo shrimp, Pulau Pef, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
Greater blue-ringed octopus, Mopuka, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Southern reef squid, Mopuka, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Filamented flasher wrasse, Mopuka, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Blueside wrasse, South Ambon, Indonesia
Peach fairy basslet, Pulau Saparua, Ambon, Indonesia
Whale shark, Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia
Nembrotha chamberlaini with emperor shrimp, South Batanta, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
Ghost nudibranch, Romblon, Philippines
Midas blenny, Pulau Saparua, Ambon, Indonesia
Gorgonian & black coral gardens, Misool, West Papua, Indonesia
Pontoh’s pygmy seahorse, Pulau Saparua, Ambon, Indonesia
Male green hairy shrimp (4mm long), Pulau Saparua, Ambon, Indonesia
Golden sweeper school, Dampier Strait, West Papua, Indonesia
Cyerce sp. nov. aff. bourbonica – Romblon, Philippines
Find more from Andrew on his website
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