This is where artist and underwater fine-art photographer, Christy Lee Rogers differs & stands out from the crowd. If you’re not familiar with her work, get ready for a ride! Why? Because not only is her underwater work absolutely breathtaking, but a lot of it isn’t even captured with her underwater alongside her subjects. In fact, Christy often creates her masterpieces from above!

“I think what I do differently than most underwater photographers is that I am shooting from above the water and I’m using (the) refraction of lights, so you get this sort of bending (effect).”

Recently CNN has compared Christy Lee Rogers‘ contemporary photography to paintings by 19th Century painters like Caravaggio and more. Her work has an almost dream-like feel to it with colors that just draw you in and personally I have to agree.

Christy beat 274,000 entries to win the Sony World Open Photographer of the Year and since then Apple commissioned her to make 12 photographs and a film which they released on New Year’s Eve and Lavazza (who previously commissioned photographers like Annie Liebovitz and David LaChapelle) commissioned her for the cover of their calendar.

I had the chance recently to speak with Christy and ask her for some insight into her current (and past) projects, what inspires her, and what she strives to create, so let’s dive into that conversation and let you enjoy some more samples of her work below.

What Gave You The Idea and Inspiration to Start This Project?

This collection “Human” began as a project about gravity and flight and transformed along the way into something more universal, more human.  It was shot before Covid and finished in the days of lockdown.  That time had a profound effect on me, as it did with most, and needed to be expressed.  So I took that opportunity to dive into the depths of what I felt it was to be human.   Vulnerable and yet hopeful. Somehow I have not been able to deviate from that concept; it has stuck with me.

[Related Reading: Hasselblad Launches A New Underwater Housing Solution From Aquatech For The X1D II 50C]

What Can You Tell Us About the Process? (BTS?)

The process is very raw and organic.  In some ways, it’s freeing and in other ways it’s painful.  Putting together an image that should not exist in reality has both sides.  Planning starts with notebooks of inspiration and concepts, notes about life and existence.  From there I will choose a main theme that really resonates with what I need to express and want to experiment with.  Models, pools, costumes, and fabrics are then gathered to fit with that concept, then I write out the shot lists.  On the day of the shoots, everything is more organic and we all let go and go with what comes.  We experiment.

Which Image Are You Most Proud Of and Why?

They’re all my babies and each one has its place in my heart.  In many ways, it is more of the collection coalescing into these feelings that make me feel like I’ve said what I wanted to say.  And when the image can help someone or when somebody writes to me saying they were in tears of emotion viewing the work; that’s when I feel a sense of peace.

On Average, How Long Does Each Photo Take To Finish? (From Concept to Execution to Retouching)

A collection of about 25 images will usually take me from start to finish about a year to complete.  I think I do spend a lot of time on them, making sure that each one is perfect in the emotion they convey, in its title, colors, and cropping.  It seems that each year I become more of a perfectionist and the process becomes more intense.

[Related Reading: Incredible Images From The Underwater Photographer of The Year 2021 Competition]

Where Did You Learn Your Shooting and Retouching Techniques?

I did study filmmaking in college and took a photography class in high school, but most of my photography skills were self-taught along the way.  Trial and error were the best learning experiences.  Experimentation is the backbone of what I’m doing with water and light, so making mistakes has been about half of what I do.  And I wouldn’t change a thing.  Not knowing the rules allowed me to see things I would have never seen.

On Christy’s New Project – Human

Like most during this period, Rogers has spent much time close to home. Fueled by the events around the world she’s taken this opportunity to dive into her latest underwater collection, Human.

Drama, movement, and light come to life in swirls of color, set against the darkness of night in Rogers’ depiction of the strength and opposing vulnerability of humanity. With many public exhibitions closed indefinitely, she decided to release this collection online, one image a month, with complimentary outdoor installations around the world.  The first being in London on the streets of the design district, with 20-foot outdoor images posted along the walkways.

The name human was selected to presuppose a coming together of humanity into a modern renaissance, kindled by adversity and tribulation, and flowering into unforeseen new realities. If art was a passageway into the soul and something more profound within ourselves, she reminds us of our own vulnerabilities within a landscape of hope and magic.  In Rogers’ unique way, she urges us to look beyond the finite boundaries of what’s in front of us and to see between the spaces into a new future.

All of her works are photographed in water, using the refraction of light to create painterly images, and often compared with Baroque and Renaissance paintings.  The water within the images flows life to all areas, taking on bold curving forms and transforming everyday people into angelic creatures, seemly from some other place. In these works, Rogers hypothesizes the idea that if photons of light are without mass and only perceived because of the eyes, then there must be other things around us that we can not perceive as of yet.

Christy also says:  “My purpose behind the work is to question and find understanding in the craziness, tragedy, vulnerability, beauty and power of mankind.”  She’s in the middle of releasing her new series, Human, which you can see here:  www.christyleerogers.com/human

[Related Reading: Removing Water from Underwater Images is Now Possible with Sea-Thru!]

Sirens

A Conversation With Angels

View more of Christy’s work here;

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

*Content shared with permission

A graceful photograph of blacktip reef sharks cruising beneath seagulls at sunset in French Polynesia sees Renee Capozzola from the United States named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021. Capozzola’s photograph triumphed over 4500 underwater pictures entered by underwater photographers from 68 countries around the world. She is the first female photographer to be named overall winner of the prestigious international photography contest.

To shoot “Sharks’ Skylight” (featured image above), Capozzola travelled from her home in California, out across the Pacific Ocean, to the tiny island of Moorea in August 2020. “French Polynesia strongly protects its sharks, it is my favourite place to photograph them,” she explains. “I dedicated several evenings to photographing in the shallows at sunset, and I was finally rewarded with this scene: glass-calm water, a rich sunset, sharks and even birds.”

Chair of the competition judges, Dr Alexander Mustard MBE, commented “this is a photograph of hope, a glimpse of how the ocean can be when we give it a chance, thriving with spectacular life both below and above the surface. The photographer not only persevered until this serendipitous scene unfolded, but more importantly, Renee had the talent to capture this precise moment. The gorgeous lighting is sympathetic, but the picture is made by the elegance of the composition as sharks, sunset and seabirds fleetingly converge. Judging this year’s competition was a pleasure, a much-needed escape into the underwater world, I hope everyone enjoys immersing themselves in these fabulous images.”

The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Mark Kirkland, from Glasgow (Scotland), was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 for his inner-city wildlife vision “While You Are Sleeping” taken close to his home, in early March 2020. “This small muddy pond is an unlikely haven for wildlife, squeezed between a housing estate, supermarket and factory. But for a few nights each year, while the city sleeps, it comes alive with frogs. This frame was the culmination of 25 hours over 4 winter nights of lying stationary in darkness. Was it time well spent? Absolutely!”

Competition judge, Mustard commented, “this remarkable image shows that even in the centre of the city of Glasgow, frogs and world-class underwater photography can thrive.” Fellow judge Peter Rowlands added “I think it is a masterpiece. Savour it.”

In the same contest, Karim Iliya from the United States was named Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2021 for his graphic photo “Crowded Island” representing over-population and the pressure it exerts on the sea, with an aerial view of a small island in Panama. This category is open to both underwater and above water photographs highlighting conservation issues in the ocean, this is the first time an above-water picture has triumphed.

“This densely inhabited village is a visual microcosm, a reminder of how humans across the planet are over-consuming space,” explained Iliya. “Our relationship with nature and the importance of protecting it becomes very apparent when you look at our species from above and see how we monopolize space, forcing nature out.”

Competition judge Rowlands commented “a stark visual reminder of how we humans overrun the land, then overfish the surrounding sea. This photo captures the unnatural and unsustainable imbalance perfectly.” Mustard added “all the problems facing the ocean come down to this – too many people.”

The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition also aims to promote new photographic talent. SJ Alice Bennett, from the UK, but living in Mexico, was named as Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 for a stylish photo of divers exploring a cave. Her image “Tying In” has a contemporary feel and relies on both advanced scuba diving and photographic techniques. “This photo was shot was taken during cave training,” explained Bennett “the two divers are followed closely by lighting assistants creating the beautiful halo effects that pick them out from the darkness.”

Judge Mustard explains the photo’s appeal “we always reward photographic innovation in this category and the control of light in a totally dark cave combined with the shallow depth of field empower this image with a fresh vision and truly capture the spirit of exploring underwater and underground.”

View A Selection of the Stunning UPY Images Below

@Ryoheilto/UPY2021

@Danny Lee/UPY2021

@Galice Hoarau/UPY2021

@Renee Capozzola/UPY2021

@Mike Korostelev/UPY2021

@Michael Gallagher/UPY2021

@Diane Fernie/UPY2021

@Mark Kirkland/UPY2021

@Dan Bolt/UPY2021

@Atanas Petrov/UPY2021

@Ian Wade/UPY2021

@Karim Iliya/UPY2021

Obviously this is just a small and lower res selection of the incredible images entered and winning from this years competition, to view them all and to read up on all of the details form each shot and photographer, be sure to visit the official Underwater Photographer of the Year Website here.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools. British photographer Phil Smith was the first underwater Photographer of the Year, named in 1965. Today’s competition attracts entries from all around the world, has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. This year’s judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Martin Edge and Alex Mustard.

The Brave 7 LE is a dual-display “GoPro Alternative” action camera that can record 4K video and takes 20 MP photos at an affordable price of only $139 USD, making it one of the more ideal choices for an entry-level action camera. With its front-facing screen, the company is taking aim at the social media influencer world by giving something extra to the Vloggers out there. It doesn’t really do anything but give you a small screen to make sure you’re in the frame, but it’s a nice touch and definitely a useful feature for anyone doing some serious and constant video work.

Features & Technical Specifications

• Video: 4K30, 2.7K60, 1080P120, 720P240
• Video Modes – Normal, Loop Record, Time-Lapse, Fast-Motion, Slow-Motion
• Photo: 20MP
• Photo Modes – Single, Burst, Time-Lapse, Self-Time, and Long Exposure
• Digital lenses: Super wide, wide, medium, narrow
• Burst: 3, 7, 15 and 30 shots
• Time-lapse: 3, 5, 10, 30, 60 second intervals
• Long exposure: 1, 2, 5, 8, 30 and 60 seconds
• Screens: 2-inch rear touchscreen and 1.5-inch front screen
• Waterproofing: 1m without a case, or 30m with included case
• GPS: No
• Voice control: Yes
• Stabilization: 6-axis EIS 2.0
• App support: Yes
• Remote Control
• Adjustable View Angle
• Distortion Calibration
• Driving Mode
• Micro HDMI
• Micro USB

The big difference between this model and the V50 Elite is the addition of a front screen. The backscreen is the usual 2″ touch-sensitive screen we’ve gotten used too with these devices, while the front screen is a much smaller one designed to help you frame yourself should you use the camera for vlogging & selfies. Another difference in this model from the V50 is its IPX7 Water Resistant rating giving this camera the ability to record in any weather condition without its protective case. Should you decide to go diving, you can go as deep as 121ft/40m with the included waterproof case.

The Brave 7 LE also has stabilization built into the camera, and while it’s not bad when just walking or splashing about in the water, as soon as you start any real heavy movement the stabilization gets quite choppy and, well, just not good.

[Related Reading: Akasotech V50 Elite Action Camera Review – A Low-Cost 4K Alternative]

Images & Video

Given the price point of this camera, you can’t really complain about its quality. I have used several action camera systems over the years, and none have been particularly amazing, butter quality from this camera I’d argue is pretty comparable to the currently “industry leaders” like GoPro and Sony. Check out a few quick samples below.

Jpg Timelapse Test

4k Video Test

Image Samples

What’s Included / In The Box

The Akaso Brave 7 LE comes with a ton of accessories in the box, including a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi Bracelet Remote Controller that has 2 buttons that start/stop the Video and Photo recording. In the box is also a waterproof housing, 2 batteries and a charger, and a wide variety of mounts, clips, pivot points, straps, and cleaning wipes. I was actually surprised by the number of mounts, clips, cables, and more that came pre-loaded with. this device. Making its purchase price all the more appealing considering most other brands, these add-ons would be sold separately.

• 1x AKASO Brave 7 LE Action Camera
• 1x Remote Control
• 2x 1350mAh Battery
• 1x Waterproof Case
• 1x Battery Charger
• 1x Bicycle Stand
• 6x Mount
• 2x 2-sided tape
• 2x Helmet Mount
• 1x Bandages
• 5x Tethers
• 1 x Protective Backdoor
• 1x USB Cable
• 1x Lens Cloth
• 1x Quick Reference Guide

Note: The accessories kit is compatible with most other action cameras including GoPro.

What I Liked

• The Price Point is great
• A Ton of accessories included in the box. Much more than expected.
• Looks and feels like a “pro” action camera
• Menu is relatively easy to navigate
• Easy to use out of the box
• Includes 2 batteries and a double charger
• Front Screen is handy for selfies
• 4k Video was actually impressive (like it’s predecessor)
• Underwater Images and Video were incredibly sharp and vivid

What Needs Improvement

• The Smartphone app is still rather clunky and poorly designed (in terms of the UI)
• The waterproof case for going underwater is very easy to scratch and scuff up (compared to the GoPro versions)
• The touch screen is sometimes over-responsive making you scroll past what you’re actually trying to get to / use in the system.
• Images and video taken above water felt a bit flat and overexposed

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an action camera that can shoot wirelessly controlled, has multiple 4k video options, and is so affordable you won’t be upset if it happens to get destroyed “getting the shot” then this may be the perfect action camera for you. Just like it’s little brother, this camera is actually quite good for its price point. If you want something with a little better OS/UI design and are willing to spend the extra money than hop into the GoPro realm. An added bonus of the newest GoPros is they are waterproof with mounting options right on the camera itself without the need of any cases. But, if you can survive without those features, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is actually, and surprisingly a viable choice.

Frankly, we never want to just throw money away, but this guy is actually so affordable that if it happens to get damaged or lost, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, it’s so cost-effective, like the V50 Elite, you can get multiple Brave 7 LE’s for the price of one newest GoPro, giving you the ability to capture multiple angles and point of views, or even one for each family member out on your adventure/holiday!

While the V50 Elite was decent, it was still underwhelming. However, the Brave 7 LE is definitely a camera I’ll be keeping around in my kit for use on all of my random adventures. Given how rapidly the Akaso team seems to be updating and improving their devices, I’d imagine they’ll have tackled most of the negative review points mentioned in the post here by the next model they release. The only thing I wish they would spend more time on is the mobile app. While it does work, and work pretty decently, it’s pretty clunky and can be difficult to navigate given the UI doesn’t fit properly depending on what model of device you’re using. IE for me, on an iPhone 10 (smaller one) some of. the buttons were not accessible due to placement where the bevel is on the screen. That’s really my only complaint on this system, and given how cheap the whole thing is, it’s pretty minor.

At any rate, be sure to tell us what you think. Have you used any of the Akaso products before? Do you think you’ll pick one up for your next project? Let us know in the comments below.

Check Pricing & Availability Here – $139.99

Founded in 2006 and now in its fifth edition, Red Bull Illume is the premier photo competition in action and adventure sports. The event gives wings to photographers by providing a creative platform for both emerging and established artists.

After receiving a record-breaking 59,551 images in 2019, an expert panel of 50 photo editors and digital experts revealed the top 60 finalists in 11 categories, illuminating the images on 6’ x 6’ light boxes in the snow following the ceremony. Honestly, I wish I could have been there to see this installation as it looked wildly incredible!

French photographer Ben Thouard took home the top honors of the night, becoming the Red Bull Illume Overall Winner for his amazing underwater surfing shot taken in Teahupo’o, Tahiti (See featured image at the top), and American, Noah Wetzel won the Raw category for his spectacular image a mountain biker riding under the total solar eclipse in Teton Valley, Wyoming.

Thouard revealed: “I’ve dedicated the last few years to shooting underwater, looking for new angles and a new way to shoot surfing and waves. Tahiti has some of the clearest water in the world. This photo was shot during a freesurf session right before the WCT event in Teahupo‘o. This is Ace Buchan kicking out from the barrel through the wave, a technique to escape a close-out wave. Luckily I was right below, breathless with my waterhousing waiting for this moment.”

The 11 category winners and Overall Winner took home more than $100,000 in equipment and prizes! Be sure to visit the official Instagram page to see all of the finalists and winning images & videos.

The first recipient of the SankDisk Extreme trophy was Austrian Philip Platzer with Salewa’s Best Mountain Sports Image trophy won by Australian Kamil Sustiak.

Overall, each and every one of these images is pretty epic and worth taking some time to check out each one and their respective creators! Check out the category winners below, and be sure to also view the collectible hardcover Limited Edition Red Bull Illume Photobook that also features 260 of the best action and adventure sports image submitted in 2019. I’ll tell you this, these shots have got me very inspired to get out and attempt to capture some of my own to enter next year. How about you? Let us know in the comments below.

CATEGORY WINNERS

• Best of Instagram by SanDisk: Baptiste Fauchille, France, with a shot from a buddies trip with a business goal showing Alex Bibollet’s shadow in the bowl of Fillinges, France.
• Creative by Skylum: Denis Klero, Russia, for his visually striking image of Paul Alekhin to celebrate the change of season in Streetfire Club, Moscow, Russia.
• Emerging by Red Bull Photography: Jean-Baptiste Liautard, France, joins the big leagues with this mirrored shot of Jeremy Berthier at his trail in Bourgoin-Jallieu, France.
• Energy & Overall Winner: Ben Thouard, France, shows the power of surfing with this underwater shot of Ace Buchan kicking out from the barrel through the wave in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
• Innovation by Sony: Laurence Crossman-Emms, United Kingdom, takes the imagination by storm with this image of Katy Winton BMXing through a puddle at Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales, United Kingdom.
• Lifestyle: Alexander Wick, Germany, for his tribute shot of Philipp Bankosegger, Chris Rudolph and Luke Lalor taking a nap by Salathé Wall, El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, USA.
• Mastepiece by EyeEm: Lorenz Holder, Germany, for his shot of Senad Grosic flying in the magical Game of Thrones location, The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland.
• Moving Image: Rupert Walker, Canada, for his precise shot featuring Brandon Semenuk and Ryan Howard riding down a custom built slalom line in Paso Robles.
• Playground: Lorenz Holder, Germany, with a shot of Vladic Scholz in the surreal Ouse Valley Viaduct, South England.
• RAW: Noah Wetzel, USA, for his shot of Chris Bule riding under the Total Solar Eclipse in Teton Valley, Wyoming, USA.
• Wings: Philip Platzer, Austria, captures athlete Marco Fürst flying on an unthinkable hot air balloon swing in Fromberg, Austria.

Playground Category Lorenz Holder @lorenzholder

Lifestyle Category Alexander Wick alex.ander .wick

Emerging Category Jb Liautard @jbliautard

Best of Instagram Category Baptiste Fauchille @baptistefauchille

Masterpeice by EyeEm Category Lorenz Holder @lorenzholder

Innovation by Sony Category Laurence Crossman Emms @laurence ce

Creative by Skylum Category Denis Klero @denisklero

*Images shared with permission

Sea-Thru: Capturing Marine Life in Crystal Clear Images

Derya Akkaynak is an oceanographer and engineer who specializes in problems of imaging and vision underwater. She’s recently been conducting tests in the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia to test a new imaging algorithm she’s developed called Sea-Thru.

From the images seen in this video, you can tell that this isn’t just some gimmick of underwater photography. Sea-Thru takes an underwater image and makes it look almost as if the photo was actually taken on dry land. It’s simply incredible what this algorithm can do!

“I really see this as the start of the artificial intelligence boom in marine science,” says Akkaynak at the start of the video.

She goes on to explain that, in the past, it’s been tough for marine biologists to study corals and creatures on the ocean floor. Typically, if a marine biologist wants to study these life forms—for instance, their colors and textures—they have to do it manually, without the aid of photographs.

“Because light—as it travels through the water—gets absorbed and scattered, colors fade away,” says Akkaynak. “That’s why underwater images look so dull and distorted all the time.”

With Sea-Thru, Akkaynak isn’t just Photoshopping an image—nor is she enhancing or increasing the colors in the image. “It’s a physically accurate correction, rather than a visually pleasing modification.”

Yes, this opens up many photography options for marine biologists, but it also allows recreational divers and other underwater photographers the chance to take incredible images of the ocean floor!

Would you shoot more photos underwater if you had easy access to this photo algorithm? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Sadly, these predators are being hunted by man for a variety of reasons. Shark soup is a delicacy in many parts of the world; shark cartilage and liver oil are put in medicines and beauty products; shark teeth are sold as souvenirs. The shark population is depleting at an alarming rate, and photographer Benjamin Von Wong wanted to do a project to advocate their conservation.

If you’re unfamiliar with the work of Benjamin Von Wong, first check out these articles. Von Wong is known for taking on seemingly impossible projects and creating stunning images in the midst of the chaos. Each shoot seems to be more challenging than the last and each full of the element of surrealness, photographed in some remote part of the world. In his work, you can’t help but try to figure out if it’s Photoshop magic or if he really did dangle the CEO of SmugMug off the edge of the tallest skyscraper in San Franciso. So, it’s no surprise that Von Wong’s latest shoot involves tying a model down while sharks swarmed around her in Fiji. No big deal.

In his recent work, Von Wong has been striving to use his talent to bring attention to the conservation and protection of nature. In this project, Shark Shepherd, Von Wong’s vision was to bring attention to the plight of sharks and where better than in a land known for its shark dives. Working in unpredictable elements (underwater) with unpredictable creatures (sharks), Von Wong and a team of support divers, a marine biologist/shark expert, plus champion freediver as the model, went beneath the surface with the goal of capturing a shark shepherdess in her element. They had a two-hour window to work with each day. The shoot took three days to capture the perfect images of the skittish sharks.

Gear Used:

Sony A7R II, 16-35mm,  Nauticam Housing, 180mm Dome Port

Von Wong hopes that this project will encourage supporters to sign a petition to create shark sanctuaries to protect these magnificent creatures. You can sign the petition here: www.sharkshepherds.com.

See more images in Von Wong’s blog post here and watch the video below for a behind the scenes look at how it all came together.

Credits:

Photography: Von Wong
Video editing: Adam Frimer
Model: Amber Bourke
Underwater video operator: Steve Hathaway – Young Oceans Explorers
Drone operator: Joost Glaser
Shark Expert: Thomas Vignaud
Dive Team:  Lydia Murray, Kris Mcbride, Rachel Young, Carlo Acosta
Special thanks: Barefoot Collection, Tourism Fiji, Nauticam

Conservation Partner: Shark Stewards