Dwarf Minke Whales are curious and friendly whales that inhabit the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. They also make a great underwater photography subject. The species was identified in the late 1990′s as separate from its northern hemisphere counterpart and has been closely studied ever since. A task that has been made much easier by the whale’s own behaviour as it commonly approaches divers and snorkellers to ‘check them out’

The Dwarf Minke Whale’s inquisitive nature have made it very popular. Dwarf Minke Whales seek out interactions with snorkelers and divers – one of most special experiences you can have in the ocean. The Minke Whales are sighted (most commonly) between June and July each year, and the hotspot for interactions is the Ribbon Reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. The whales arrive here from the deep waters of the Coral Sea, but where they migrate to or from remains a mystery.

To understand more about the minke whales, especially the great research being done by JCU scientists, please download the minke whale project newsletter or join the Minke Whale Project Facebook group Friends of Minke Whales.

Creating great images of minke whales can be challenging due to the fact that minke whales turn up during the ‘trade winds’ when seas are often rough and the sky grey. Their close approaches can mean that you cannot frame and compose the entire animal as it is simply TOO CLOSE! Plus with both dark areas and bright white on the fins exposure needs to be just right. The results however make the challenge very worthwhile.  A wide angle lens and the sun behind you, shoot with natural light and adjust the exposure down a stop to avoid overexposing the fins.   When you are in the water with a minke whale, do not swim toward it, let it approach you and this makes the whale more bold, often resulting in spectacularly close encounters.

In 2010 a small group of Cairns Underwater Photographer’s began to meet for coffees and gatherings in various venues around Cairns.  The group was made up of established underwater photographers, amateur/ hobby underwater photographers, underwater photography business owners and dive-tourism operators.  In 2011 plans are coming together for the Cairns Underwater Photographic Society to establish a list of events such as equipment try-out days, workshops, dive days and of course more casual coffees and Salthouse gatherings.  If you are interested in joining the Cairns Underwater Photographic Society (affectionately known as CUPS) then please join the facebook page at:

CUPS Facebook Page

The Coral Sea is a globally important habitat for many species which are listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Green turtles are long lived, highly migratory and are found in tropical, and to a lesser extent, sub-tropic waters.

By providing the Australian Marine Conservation Society and IUCN with this underwater image for their use, I hope I can help contribute to educating more people about the plight of the many marine species which are included on the IUCN Red List.

The publication “Underwater Cultural Heritage in Oceania” produced by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) was released in September this year and features an underwater photograph of the HMCS Mermaid wreck site taken by Xanthe.  The photograph (shown below) was taken on a joint Silentworld Foundation / Australian National Maritime Museum expedition to locate the wreck of the HMCS Mermaid in January 2009.

The publication can be viewed online or downloaded as a pdf and describes some of the important maritime and underwater heritage sites throughout the Oceania region, categorised by country.  Xplore Dive, an Australian company which specialises in creating dive site maps for divers, which can be taken underwater with them, also had their incredible map of the S.S. Yongala wreck featured.

Dwarf Minke Whale IUCN Conservation Information

Three of my underwater images are currently being used to promote the conservation status of marine species on the IUCN Red List. The first photograph to be show-cased is of a Dwarf Minke Whale (pictured).  Details on the conservation status of the Dwarf Minke Whale is detailed on the IUCN website, or you can download the pdf document.  Two additional photographs will also be featured: Coral Sea Manta Rays and a photo of a Green Turtle taken on the Great Barrier Reef.

Marine conservation, and awareness of marine issues, is central to the core values of Xanthe Rivett Underwater Photography.   These photographs will be used to help educate the public about the conservation status and importance of marine species.

After a lot of work, much hair-pulling, etc. the new site is live!  I updated the website to: bring my photo galleries within the site, add an easy way for people to purchase my images and modernise the look and feel.  I hope you like the new site, and if you come across any hiccups along the way, please let me know!

Underwater photography helps bring the underwater world topside. Through images we can show people the special creatures and habitats that exist in the aquatic world. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2010 produced a publication called ‘Protecting Critical Marine Habitats – The Key to Conserving our Threatened Marine Species.’

The Australian Government has committed to international and national biodiversity goals for conserving threatened species, yet the globally agreed target to significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 has not been achieved.

Underwater photography can help bring to public attention, images of the habitat and creatures we are losing, and raise awareness of the importance these habitats have.

For those interested in the underwater world this is a very interesting and educational publications to read:
http://www.wwf.org.au/publications/wwfprotectingcriticalmarinehabitat.pdf

Cairns is the regarded as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, and along with this title comes a plethora of diving companies offering trips to the Great Barrier Reef, and also a multitude of divers!  The happy result for those that live in Cairns, is that to supply divers with underwater photography equipment we also have two local companies that offer a great range of products and also advice peppered with a lot of knowledge and experience.  I

Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Patima and a great range of literature:

Digital Diver is the stockist for Ikelite in Cairns, they also offer a range of metal housings made by Patima.  Digital Diver are a great place for the beginner to intermediate underwater photographer to shop.  The team offer friendly service, good advice and a large range. http://www.digitaldiver.com.au

Aquatica, Gates, Light and Motion, ULCS, Nauticam – Video and DSLR specialist:

Scubapix specialises in the higher end of underwater photography.  With decades of experience and a no nonsense attitude when delivering advice, Scubapix is the place to visit if you want to drool over top-end underwater video and photo equipment.  Underwater photography equipment includes the  Aquatica and Nauticam housing range, Ultralight Control System Arms (ULCS), and a range of lighting options.  Underwater videography equipment includes: Gates, Light and Motion and Amphibico ensures a large range for both professional and hobby underwater video. http://www.scubapix.com

The IUCN Species Programme works to classify species into different conservation statuses. This then highlights the species which are most in need of protection. Species are ranked as (from most in danger to least):
- Extinct
- Extinct in the Wild
- Critically Endangered (on the threatened species list)
- Endangered (on the threatened species list)
- Vulnerable (on the threatened species list)
- Near Threatened
- Least Concern

There are also categories for ‘Data Deficient’ and ‘Not Evaluated’.

Working with the Protect the Coral Sea Campaign, the Australian Marine Conservation Society I am currently helping to promote the threatened species which inhabit the Coral Sea.

Forty-two percent of the world’s critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable coral species, as identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are found in the Coral Sea Conservation Zone. This internationally significant region is home to more than 300 animal species currently listed on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.

Forty-two percent of the world’s critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable coral species, as identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are found in the Coral Sea Conservation Zone. This internationally significant region is home to more than 300 animal species currently listed on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.

You can view the IUCN Red List here: http://www.iucnredlist.org/species-of-the-day

On Tuesday 2nd November I will be holding a 2hr workshop for $60pp at the Cairns Diving Company.  Read on to find out about the bonus FREE course included with this workshop.

We all know that the underwater world contains amazing photographic opportunities, however it also presents very specific photographic challenges.  This workshop is designed to deliver some of the knowledge and skills that can make a huge difference to the quality of your underwater images.

- This is an intensive workshop to learn the essentials of digital underwater photography.
- A flexible session which can be tailored to the knowledge level of participants and delivered in a small group to ensure quality of learning.
- Topics include: white balance, controlling light, exposure, composition and equipment.

To help launch my new online courses (which go live in November) anyone attending this workshop will also receive FREE enrollment in the online course “Introduction to Underwater Photography” at www.learnunderwaterphotography.com with all its resources and activities.

Please contact me to reserve your space or to register your expression of interest in the online course.