
The Mantas and Whale sharks expedition is the benchmark experience of its kind in the world; of all the locations in the world, Socorro, Yap, Raja Ampat, PNG, Kona, Komodo, Mozambique where mantas are known to congregate, the Maldives is without doubt the capital. Documented by science and photographic evident, the mantas and whale sharks feeding phenomenon at Baa Atoll is unique and occur nowhere else in the world. When the tide, moon, sun, wind are align, a vortex of 200 mantas…whale shark hang on the surface to feast on the broth of living wriggling planktons. Superlative takes on new meaning. During this expedition, we will also explore some new sites in the northern atolls – these area are pretty new to marine tourism and you will be diving some of the most enchanting and pristine marine environment of the Maldives. The photo pro and nature guides for this expedition are two professional photo journalist and sharks expert Michael AW and Doug Perrine. Doug and Michael will share with you photographic and Photoshop tips that will take your photography to the next level. There will also be natural history lectures about ecology and conservation of sharks.
Mantas & Whale sharks Video Trailer
The Expedition platform for the expeditions is the Maldives latest state of the art live-aboard, the Ark Royal. Exquisitely designed and furnished, the Ark Royal offers boutique styles live-aboard diving experience. Palatial cabins are equipped with LCD TV, en-suite and the spacious lounge is set up with wi-fi Internet, generous space for camera work, presentations and fine dining experience. Diving supported is on spacious dedicated dhohi, three to four dives per day and nitrox is free.
Photo Pro & Naturalist
Doug Perrine - Author, Marine Scientist, Photojournalist
Doug Perrine is widely regarded as one the world’s foremost marine wildlife photographers. His photographs have been published in thousands of magazines, books, calendars and other graphic products. He is the author of seven books and numerous magazine articles on marine life. He founded the stock photo library SeaPics.com, and operated it for 18 years before selling it in 2003 to concentrate on his own writing and photography. He has served as a consultant for filming projects for the BBC NHU, National Geographic, Discovery, Disney, and other companies. His photographs have won a number of awards, including the grand prize in the prestigious international Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2004.
Michael AW
Pursuing the art form of documentary photography, Michael AW is well known for his saturated colour imagery. His work on environmental issues, wildlife and eco-travel , besides earning him more than 50 international awards, have also been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Action Asia, Asian Geographic, GEO, Ocean GEOGRAPHIC, Nature Focus, Smithsonian magazine, to name but a few. His photographs won the jury of the prestigious Nikon International Photo Contest three times and the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Antibes, five times. He was named Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife in 2000 and in 2006 and the Best Winner for the underwater category. Michael AW was the founding director and publisher of Asian Geographic and Scuba Diver Australasia for seven years before founding Ocean Geographic in 2007. To communicate the beauty of our blue planet and the need to protect it, he founded OceanNEnvironment, a charity organization registered with Environment Australia. “Beneath the Bunaken”(1993) was his first and “Philippines- Heart of the Ocean” is his 27th book of the sea. Michael AW was the official photographer for National Geographic’s Emory Kristoff Inner Space Speciation Project 2007 in the Celebes Sea. In 2008, recognizing the highly effective and unrelenting campaign against the consumption of shark fins soup in the Asia Pacific region, Stan Waterman, the President of the Sharks Research Institute conferred upon Michael AW, the prestigious Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award, in Manila at the Celebrate the Sea Festival - a festival he created eight years ago to honour the sea and has been celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and soon in Indonesia. He remains today, an active Fellow International – The Explorer Club; Fellow – International League of Conservation Photographers; Ambassador – SEACAM
www.michaelaw.com