Most mornings in the office are spent looking over various social media and news platforms to see what has happened in the last 12 hours in the dive industry and seeing if there is anything interesting to follow up on and share with our PADI Members and fans.
This morning an article about underwater photography caught my eye and I was soon looking through a number of unique, imaginative and, most of all, amusing images. This was underwater macro with a difference.
What difference? Find out by checking out Jason Isleys flickr set.
I decided to contact Jason Isley, a trained PADI Assistant Instructor and underwater photographer to find out more. Jason gives us the following explanation behind these great shots:
“Underwater macro photography has become very repetitive and that is why there are lots of different techniques and gadgets to spice it up like snoots, external macro dioptres, bug-eye lenses etc.
“I wanted to shoot something completely different and remembered seeing some miniature images online a couple of years ago by Christopher Boffoli and Slinkachu. Slinkachu was actually creating art installations by placing the model train set characters on the street in funny and interesting predicaments and shooting a set of images of them, then leaving the installations for people to see.
“The idea of placing miniature people amongst underwater macro creatures and creating a completely surreal scene entered my head and I couldn’t stop thinking of various options like mantis shrimps.
“My images currently fall into three categories, the first one being the scenario where the underwater creatures are attacking the miniature people, then the soldiers fighting back against the underwater creatures. And finally the idyllic scenario of miniature people living and working side by side with the underwater creatures, like the workmen helping the shrimp and goby excavate their home. There will be a fourth chapter which will show the miniatures cleaning the seabed, ie removing plastic and fish hooks.
“Most of the people in my office think I have lost the plot, will the images make money? Who cares, they’re lots of fun to create and certainly beat shooting another boring nudibranch!”
We hope you agree and enjoy these shots as much as we have and look forward to future installments.
You can also find more of Jason’s work here at scubazoo.
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