South-East Asia
EAST TIMOR: THE ART OF UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
The Edge of Discovery with Shannon Conway
Dates: Tuesday 16th September - Friday 26th September 2014 (11 days)
Leader: Shannon Conway
Group Size Limit: 13 divers plus leader
Anemone on wall (Shannon Conway)
With the help of an experienced and acclaimed photographer at your shoulder, who can teach the secrets of producing stunning images, you will soon find that the ‘Art of Underwater Photography’ suddenly gets much easier. Shannon believes that there is no substitute for having your own workshop right on your doorstep so that you have the time to practice what you have learned and the opportunity to go back again and again to work towards achieving that perfect image. He will help you evaluate the range of underwater photography and computer equipment and programmes available and explain the many techniques, methods and styles of contemporary underwater photography. Shannon will be available to critique your work and suggest ideas for improving your images. He will present optional talks and workshops relating to the Art of Underwater Photography, sharing his approach and experiences with you.
Shannon Conway is a professional underwater photographer creating images for the advertising, editorial and fine art market. He has an energetic passion for his photography and the patience to capture the peak of the action. You’ll quickly understand how Shannon obtains such remarkable images time and again – he puts a great deal of effort, energy and research into every shot and he does not give up! Shannon is a popular leader and his enthusiasm is infectious.
Originating from Poole, on the Dorset coast of England, Shannon has always been fascinated by the ocean, spending most of his childhood summer holidays in Bournemouth with his grandparents, searching rock pools for marine creatures. Shannon and his wife Amanda moved to Fremantle, Western Australia, in 2006 in the search for crystal blue waters and sunny skies. After changing from a previous working life in IT, Shannon now focuses on his new career, sharing his passion by teaching underwater photography.
Shannon is a very successful underwater photographer, and has won a variety of awards from the Western Australian Underwater Photographic Society and the British Society of Underwater Photographers. He has also been awarded the top slot on many Photoquests and was the winner in the underwater category of the prestigious Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and Papua New Guinea Nature and Landscape Photographer of the Year award in 2007 and 2008.
An Art of Underwater Photography trip is not about how much you know, how much equipment you use or even how much experience you have. The trip is about making wonderful images, about achieving your potential and, ultimately, having a huge amount of fun. Being amongst a group of like-minded friends who are also keen and eager to improve their photography is a huge advantage over taking a trip with the general diving public.
Shannon will be available to critique your work and suggest ideas for improving images. He will present optional talks and workshops relating to the art of underwater photography, sharing his approach and experiences.
East Timor. A location, that as a dive destination, has for many years remained shrouded in mystery, but what we did know was that this country had a turbulent history and was not always necessarily high on the list of tourist destinations. More recently however, East Timor has given its rare visitors a treat, especially under the sea.
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th Century, the now autonomous state was known as Portuguese Timor. In 1975 it declared its independence but in the 1980s and 1990s the state was occupied by Indonesia. In 1999, Indonesia left the Timorese to their own devices and East Timor (or Timor L’este) has been independent since the 20th May 2002.
East Timor enjoys a location in the Coral Triangle, a mecca for divers who relish biodiversity and rich marine life. The clean, warm waters that surround the world’s newest country support a vast array of creatures, from the shrimps and nudibranchs to reef and Whale Sharks! The north coast of East Timor sits on the edge of a three kilometre trench known as the Wetar Strait. Whales, dolphins and great schools of tuna rely on this ‘passage’ to navigate part of their migration paths. The coastal coral reef is constantly refreshed by the deep water, which brings both predators and prey to divers lucky enough to venture forth. The country’s dramatic topography extends underwater: a vertiginous cliff crashes down to a sweeping beach, which plunges within meters to a spectacular coral wall that slopes off into a marine prairie of sponges and fans grazed by flashing shoals of brilliantly coloured fish.
Shannon Conway must be one of the most adventurous photographers in the underwater field and is keen to lead photographers on a photography workshop to explore East Timor diving and take advantage of diving a location hardly visited by other underwater enthusiasts.
Outline Itinerary
Tuesday 16th September: Afternoon arrival at Dili. Transfer to Oriental Siren for 10 nights.
Wednesday 17th September: Check dive at ‘Bubble Beach’, so called by the bubbles released from the sea bed through volcanic activity. Dive at ‘Tasi Tolu’ on a critter hunt with the chance of a dugong sighting! Head to ‘Pertamina Pier’ for nudibranch spotting and an exploration of the pier. Finish the day with a dusk dive admiring the bobtail squid and pygmy seahorses.
Thursday 18th September – Friday 19th September: Two days at Atauro Island to marvel at the sheer walls and fabulous visibility. Diving here is characterised by drift and the conditions present some great wide angle opportunities as larger pelagic life arrives.
Saturday 20th September: Day five will be spent at Manatuo a mixture of shallow coral gardens and sandy slopes. Hawksbill turtles, squarespot anthias, ghost pipe-fish and plenty of fish await to have their photographs taken.
Sunday 21st September – Tuesday 23rd September: Three days at Tutuala and Jako Island. The playground for reef sharks, rays, swordfish and schooling trevally and snapper. Currents can be swift here so bring a reef hook! Sheltered sites offer more opportunities to see pygmy seahorse and frogfish.
Wednesday 24th September: Four dives at Manatua offer an array of habitats. ‘Secret Garden’ is jam-packed with nudibranchs whilst a dusk dive at ‘Pinnacle’ can yield some impressive shark sightings.
Thursday 25th September: The final two dives of the trip are back near Dili and are a relaxing end to the cruise. Shallow dives with anemone and ghost pipefish ease you back into reality!
Friday 26th September: Disembark Oriental Siren and transfer to Dili airport.
$4170 Dili/Dili (Provisional price, to be confirmed)
Includes:
• Airport transfers in Dili.
• 10 nights cruise with full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, soft drinks, fresh fruit and beer on a twin/share basis on Oriental Siren.
• 9 full days of air or nitrox diving (up to 4 dives per day), and one or two dives on the last full day (subject to local conditions and outbound flight times). Should you wish, dive gear (3 mm shorty wetsuit, regulator, BCD and fins) is included.
• Services of Shannon Conway as leader.
In addition, there is a marine park fee of €65 (subject to change), which is payable onboard.
Single Occupancy Supplement: $3860 (provisional price, to be confirmed).
Deposit: Initial deposit $200, followed by a further $1200 at 12 months before departure, for Dili/Dili arrangements.
Accommodation en route to Dili: The cost is not included. We will book you a room if your flight arrangements require overnight stays in Dili before or after the cruise.
Flights: From about $2100 to Dili from Los Angeles via Denpasar.
Grey Reef Shark (Shannon Conway)