Need more info about how to select an underwater light? I wrote this for DIVER Magazine w while back, but the information is completely relevant today: https://divermag.com/how-to-choose-a-video-light/
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I learned to dive in Tobermory, Canada, the site of Fathom Five National Marine Park in Lake Huron. In this small park, literally dozens of 150-200- year-old shipwrecks lie at the bottom of the lake. In some cases, they are almost stacked on top of each other, a testament to the storms of November that were immortalized by Gordon Lightfoot as he sang about the Edmund Fitzgerald. But this wreck, the Sweepstakes, has been visited by more people than perhaps any other Great Lakes Shipwreck. It lies in only 20 feet of water in Big Tub Harbor. Today, people snorkel…
Under Thin Ice In the fall of 2018, I was shooting a film called Under Thin Ice for the Nature of Things on CBC. My colleague and fellow filmmaker Mario Cyr, suggested that we work together to get a shot of a polar bear swimming in the open water. As the icons of climate change, these amazing animals normally hunt on top of the ice, but climate change has forced them into the water to find food – a sevenfold increase of time in the water over the ice. Polar bears can swim 10 kph for 10 days without stopping…
The Graveyard of Shipwrecks – Canada’s Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River As a new diver, I was told that there were thousands of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. I began my diving career at Fathom Five National Marine Park on Lake Huron and saw five wrecks on my first weekend of diving. It seemed like a good start. But that count may be a little off. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has documented over 6,000 wrecks with the loss of over 30,000 men. But, historian Mark Thompson has estimated that there are more than 25,000 wrecks beneath the watery…
Dive into the remarkable underwater vistas of Canada through this series in Scuba Diving Magazine. From the Arctic to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada has the longest coastline in the world. Eight percent of the landscape is covered by lakes, greater than any other country. I’ll never be able to experience more than a drop in the bucket of diving opportunities, but last year, I completed my goal to take a plunge in every province and territory. This five-part web series offers a peek into what gets Canadian divers excited about their home waters. PART TWO…
Dive into the remarkable underwater vistas of Canada through this series on Scuba Diving Magazine. From the Arctic to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway, Canada has the longest coastline in the world. Eight percent of the landscape is covered by lakes, greater than any other country. I’ll never be able to experience more than a drop in the bucket of diving opportunities, but last year, I completed my goal to take a plunge in every province and territory. This five-part web series offers a peek into what gets Canadian divers excited about their home waters. PART ONE…
Easy Wireless Audio with the Rode Wireless GO Explorer and filmmaker Jill Heinerth has a simple solution for wireless audio: The Rode Wireless Go system. Wireless Go at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cwPRV2 Amazon links are part of the associate program and at no cost to you, we receive a small referral fee. Thanks!
Scuba regulators are life-support devices. When you use these under ice and in extreme temperatures, it is important to have confidence in their operation. Regulator free-flows are one of the most significant hazards when diving under ice or in very cold water (less than 4°C). The sudden drop in pressure causes the condition as air passes from the cylinder through the first stage. When high-pressure air passes through the first-stage, it hyper-cools the metal moving parts. In a piston reg, small ice crystals can block the piston open, causing more airflow and trapping the piston open, creating a vicious feedback…
Shooting the dancing colors of the northern lights is often a part of a trip of a lifetime. It is critical to have the right gear and settings to capture the stunning visuals to share with your friends. Bring a high-quality tripod capable of stabilization for a 10-20 second exposure. Carbon fiber is lighter and easier to handle than metal. Your camera should be capable of working in Manual Mode so that you can control aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Check the aurora forecast for your area to determine if and when they might peak. The aurora activity is described…
Shooting in the polar regions offers some incredible opportunities for capturing rare wildlife sightings and natural phenomena such as the northern lights. To make the best of your trip, be prepared for the cold. The following tips will help you protect your camera, batteries, and body from the chill. Store extra batteries fully charged and warm inside your parka. I use the inside chest pocket, so they are close to my body. Bring at least three camera batteries so that you have two spares ready to go. You don’t want to miss a shot when the low temperatures shorten the…