What Is A Split Shot? Also Known As A Half-half Or An Over-under Shot? Well, in the world of underwater photography, technically they’re a way to show the above world and the immediate underwater, all at once, and they’re a really fun way to let the viewer know what it is we do, all captured in the one image. A picture where the topside of the picture and the land or seascape is visible, but the bottom half of the view is the underwater reef scene. As travellers with Snorkel Venture, we’re very lucky to visit some of the most beautiful tropical paradises in the world. And I’ve always been fond of taking shots that show the viewer exactly what it is we do and where, so what better way than a split shot? It’s like two for the price of one click of the shutter. And the great news is that they’re easier and much less expensive to achieve than you may think. The Necessary Kit And Equipment. Being an underwater photographer, also teaching underwater photography workshops alongside my job as a Snorkel Venture guide, has meant that I have amassed a lot of expensive underwater photo kit over the years. My bigger camera, lenses, housing, and strobes come to more than $15-20K, and it allows me to do some extraordinary things with it, but aside from the price, it’s huge and costly to travel with. So it was a revelation that when I started doing more of the Snorkel Venture trips, I could leave it all at home and instead use exactly what the majority of our SV clients use, and that was, in the main either GoPros or similar or the seemingly ubiquitous Olympus Tough range, currently the Olympus TG7. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical at
What Is A Split Shot? Also Known As A Half-half Or An Over-under Shot? Well, in the world of underwater photography, technically they’re a way to show the above world and the immediate underwater, all at once, and they’re a really fun way to let the viewer know what it is we do, all captured
If you’re considering a Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour, your mind is in the right place. There’s no place quite like Raja Ampat in the world. It’s the epicenter for marine life biodiversity; as such, you’ll find that over the course of your snorkel tour you will have snorkeled over and alongside more species of reef and fish than anywhere else in the world! All of this underwater awesomeness is only complemented by the surreal topside beauty that Raja Ampat has also become famous for! Before you book your Raja Ampat snorkel tour, though, there are a few things you’ll want to take into consideration; for example, it’s a good idea to understand just how massive Raja Ampat is—approximately 46,000 square kilometers or 29,000 square miles—with the north and south offering very different snorkeling experiences. You’ll also want to decide how you’d like to snorkel in Raja Ampat, by which I mean: would you rather do so from a snorkel liveaboard or from a snorkel resort, which again will impact your final decision. If this all seems a bit more decision-making than you expected, not to worry, we’re going to break down all these different aspects so you can be sure you’ve made the correct decision for your next Raja Ampat snorkeling tour. The North of Raja Ampat - Dampier Strait and Fam Islands Where snorkeling is concerned, the north tends to offer a bit more diversity when it comes to types of snorkeling sites. You of course the have the iconic limestone islands characteristic of Raja Ampat with their classic mushroom shape, but you also have stunning mangroves that seem to grow right out of the reefs in clear blue water, a few places where mantas come to feed and clean, and several different villages whose large wooden piers or
If you’re considering a Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour, your mind is in the right place. There’s no place quite like Raja Ampat in the world. It’s the epicenter for marine life biodiversity; as such, you’ll find that over the course of your snorkel tour you will have snorkeled over and alongside more species of reef
We’re incredibly excited to finally share something we’ve been quietly working on behind the scenes for a while now… the launch of the Snorkel for Good Webshop! The new website brings together everything Snorkel for Good, our initiative dedicated to giving back to the communities and ecosystems that make the destinations we visit so special. You’ll find a collection of bespoke Snorkel Venture products, including both issues of our magazine, wall art featuring photographs from our trips, Snorkel Venture rash guards and T-shirts, and regional fish ID slates. For every product purchased on the site 50% of all proceeds go directly to our five charity partners, helping support vital conservation and community projects. We’re also launching our newest campaign: Pens & Pads for Schools in Indonesia. You can support this campaign by making a donation towards providing essential school supplies to children in remote Indonesian communities. Many of the schools in the areas we visit lack access to even the most basic educational materials, and we hope this campaign can help change that. You will also find conservation and marine life related articles written by our team as well as information and updates regarding our five charity partners. Snorkel for Good is incredibly close to our hearts. The Snorkel Venture team and our guests have spent years exploring these reefs and getting to know the people and communities who call them home. We also believe sustainable tourism can drive environmental change. As a company, we are deeply committed to ensuring our impact is a positive one. That’s why we dedicate our resources to giving back, protecting, and preserving the incredible places we are privileged to visit. Visit the site to Shop, support and snorkel for good!
We’re incredibly excited to finally share something we’ve been quietly working on behind the scenes for a while now… the launch of the Snorkel for Good Webshop! The new website brings together everything Snorkel for Good, our initiative dedicated to giving back to the communities and ecosystems that make the destinations we visit so special.
The Coralia Liveaboard is well known for many things: its spacious cabins, romantic wooden finish, stellar crew, and convenient and uber-comfortable design. At least, that's something we talk about a lot whenever we talk about Coralia. One thing we haven't really highlighted too much, at least in any great detail, is its food! The chefs on the Coralia have cultivated an extensive menu that beautifully combines a variety of Western flavors along with Indonesian favorites. With enough notice, they can accommodate just about any dietary preferences or requirements while still delivering the rich flavors you crave. Here's one of our guests' favorites from past tours aboard the Coralia. Ayam Bakar Taliwang ('Taliwang Style' - Spicy Grilled Chicken) A flavor-packed Indonesian favorite from the Coralia galley, tender chicken simmered in a fragrant spice blend, then finished over the grill for a smoky, caramelized char. Ingredients 200 g garlic, roughly chopped 300 g shallots, roughly chopped 1 inch fresh turmeric, or 1 tbsp turmeric powder 2 inches fresh ginger, or 2 tbsp ginger powder 2 inches fresh galangal, optional 3 stalks lemongrass 3 bay leaves 3 kaffir lime leaves 200 ml coconut cream 1 chicken, chopped into pieces Neutral oil for sautéing ~100 ml Water Method Sauté the garlic, shallots, turmeric, ginger, and galangal in a little neutral oil until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a blender, add 100 ml water, and blend until smooth. Return the spice paste to the stove. Add the lemongrass, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves. Add the chicken and enough water to just barely cover it. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the coconut cream and simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Remove the chicken and finish it on a hot grill pan, or even better, over a barbecue, until cooked
The Coralia Liveaboard is well known for many things: its spacious cabins, romantic wooden finish, stellar crew, and convenient and uber-comfortable design. At least, that’s something we talk about a lot whenever we talk about Coralia. One thing we haven’t really highlighted too much, at least in any great detail, is its food! The chefs
Normally, asking someone, "How old are you?" might be considered a little rude. But when it comes to the creatures of the reef, the answers are simply too intriguing not to ask. We've all had those moments while snorkeling when a wrinkled, barnacle-encrusted sea turtle glides gracefully past, making you think, "That dude has seen some things.". Or perhaps you've drifted over a coral colony stretching for tens of meters and found yourself wondering, "Were you alive when the dinosaurs still roamed the Earth?". Well, in this blog, we're going to ask that nosy question "How old are you?" to some of our favorite residents of the reef. The answers might just leave us all feeling a little younger. Giant Barrel Sponge On tours, every now and again, I encourage our guests to swim towards deeper water and peak over the edge of the shallow plateau we are snorkeling over. One of the most prominent things you will likely see are these giant barrel sponges that can grow to be so large that you could easily fit inside one. When it comes to age, these sponges absolutely knock it out of the park... and right into outer space. Giant barrel sponges tend to grow anywhere between a few millimeters to a couple of centimeters a year. Depending on their position on the reef they will have more or less nutrient rich water flow through them which correlates with their growth rate. By taking repeated photographs of their growth over time scientist have estimated that many of these sponges are 100s of years old. And most impressively, the oldest giant barrel sponge measured to date is over 2000 years old!!! If this has you wondering how old your favorite sponge is, Dr Joseph Pawlik has made it easy for us to
Normally, asking someone, “How old are you?” might be considered a little rude. But when it comes to the creatures of the reef, the answers are simply too intriguing not to ask. We’ve all had those moments while snorkeling when a wrinkled, barnacle-encrusted sea turtle glides gracefully past, making you think, “That dude has seen
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The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
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