Scubazoo photographer Jason Isley will host a 10 day photographic trip onboard the luxury liveaboard S/Y Maldives Siren from the 10th – 20th May 2012. Underwater photography will be the focus of the trip with an emphasis on sharing ideas and techniques, having fun, and creating great images. The route will revisit many of the sites dived by Jason during the shooting of Scubazoo’s coffee table book Maldives – The Underwater Kingdom
To maximise your chances of getting great underwater photos we are keeping numbers low. Each trip will have a maximum of 12 guests and we’ll be diving the best sites repeatedly. During the day Jason will be giving hands-on advice and assistance to help you get the most out of your dives. In the evenings there will be presentations and workshops focusing on underwater photo technique.
The Boat – S/Y Siren
The luxury 34 metre S/Y Maldives Siren was purpose designed and built by Worldwide Dive and Sail on the island of Sulawesi. A traditional Indonesian ‘gaft-rigged Phinisi’ handcrafted from ironwood and teak, she has been custom-made with all the luxury facilities for the modern diver including a spacious air-conditioned saloon with cocktail bar and 42 inch flatscreen, covered outdoor dining area, Enriched Air Nitrox, and two high-speed zodiac tenders. In particular, this luxury vessel has been specialized for the Underwater Photographer and Videographer with the addition of camera storage and prep workspaces, rinse tanks and a computer with a 20″ flat screen in each cabin. For more detailed information please visit the Maldives Siren webpage.
The Host – Jason Isley
An award winning photographer, and head of Scubazoo Publications, Jason Isley has been filming and photographing the underwater world for 15 years. Choosing to focus on his passion for underwater photography full time, Jason is now the driving force behind Scubazoo’s Publications division. Pivotal in the production of all Scubazoo’s coffee table books to date, from our first book Sipadan-Mabul-Kapalai, to the 150,000 selling reef, and of course Maldives – The Underwater Kingdom, Jason’s photographs and articles have been published in magazines and books around the world. Renowned as an experienced and entertaining educator, Jason has given presentations at the Royal Geographic Society, Visions in the Sea and many other events. To find out more about Jason please visit his Bio page.
The Route – Ari Atoll
Ari Atoll is widely accepted as being the leading atoll for diving in the Maldives. Drawing on the experience of shooting photos for our latest book, Maldives – The Underwater Kingdom, the Maldives Siren will be visiting Ari Atoll’s best dive sites including Maaya Thila, Fish Head, Maamigili and Panettone. Maldives’ diving varies from the norm in that there are a lot of thilas, submerged pinnacles inside the atoll lagoons, which act as sites of marine aggregation, making for wonderful diving both on the thilas and in the kandus (channels) where larger marine animals can be found feeding on the incoming current. There will be opportunities for both wide angle and macro photography at the many varied sites. We’ll hope to encounter manta rays, stingrays, napoleon wrasse, turtles, moray eels, and much more, plus there will be an entire day devoted to whale shark images.
The Details
The cost of the trip is US$3400 per person based on twin sharing
Included:
- Food and accommodation
- Free-flow tea, espresso coffee, soft drinks & beer
- 34 dives including 5 night dives
- Nitrox fills (for certified nitrox divers)
- Dive equipment
Not Included:
- Flights, additional transfers and hotels
- Internal seaplane transfer (approx US$175)
- Marine park and port fee (approx US$75)
- Dive computer rental
- Underwater torch rental
- Laundry
- Massage
The combination of quality teaching and photo support, the renowned dive management team from Worldwide Dive & Sail, the ease of diving and a relaxing liveaboard environment should make the ideal ingredients for a great trip. We hope you can join us.
For bookings and further information please email Jason Isley