The Underwater Channel presents...

Check out this very cool video from the Underwater Channel filmed at Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center.
Very cool Video from this dream destination in Palawan, Philippines.
No more words needed... just watch this cool Video.
http://www.theunderwaterchannel.tv/clipinfo/4003142

From remote places in the Philippines to Palau in Micronesia the GPS from MotionX on the iPhone
is the perfect dive boat companion.


© Gunther Deichmann - Composite image;
find and mark your dive sites, listening
to your music at the same time.

There are so many applications for the iPhone but this one is super cool! Slick integration allows you not only to find your way but listen to Music direct from the software via iTunes, plus so much more. Read below an article from a very happy Dive Instructor in Palawan Philippines, finding those dive sites again is a breeze now.

A few months ago I introduced my good buddy Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center & Club Paradise to the iPhone and recommended at the same time some cool applications including the GPS from MotionX, with Facebook and Twitter integration.
It is your Global Position System on your iPhone!
After some weeks he strolled into my place again and I ask him, hey how is the iPhone?
…oh buddy, real good and I love the GPS, better than all those expensive ones I have been using on my Boats.
GD

Read below Dirk’s comments:
I am totally amazed how great this software is, the Dugong Dive Center has 3 big dive boats and I have one GPS for each boat from well-known companies. They are complicated to use in particular for my boat Crew.
Then I brought my iPhone, Gunther gave me a crash curse on the iPhone and installed the GPS from Motion X. A few days later during a dive trip my Boat Captain and myself tried it out on my Boat the “Toshina”, we where both amazed.

© Gunther Deichmann - Coron Island Bay, Palawan Philippines

Easy to use, there is no need for studying any manuals. You can go from page to page and the connection to Google maps makes it even more enjoyable looking at the current location.
Like some music in the background? No problems you even have a page with iTunes!
Need a Photo from a waypoint? No problem either, you can find it anytime on your recorded track. (with exact time and location in your logbook)

© Gunther Deichmann - easy to find
those dive sites again.

Finding satellites is very easy and fast, plus the position, speed and signals are very accurate and well displayed, the build in compass works accurate too.
Battery consumption can be a little problem but external battery packs for the iPhone or a charger on the boat can solve those problems easy.
No need for an expensive and complicated GPS, the one from MotionX is doing just fine, the only problem is… I have 3 boats but only one iPhone…at the moment that is, ha, ha.

© Gunther Deichmann - beautiful secluded beaches in Palawan.
Natures Paradise and the last frontier in the Philippines.

Dirk Fahrenbach is the Owner and Dive Instructor from Dugong Dive Center at Club Paradise
Palawan Philippines, it is also the only place in the Philippines where you can watch/dive with Dugongs in the wild.
http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/

For all the details on this GPS go to your iTunes store or check out the website from MotionX
http://news.motionx.com/category/motionx-gps/

But that is not all stay connected all the time with MotionX GPS and share with:
Facebook: To enable Facebook posts, log in using the “Connect With Facebook” button on the share setup screen. If you have a Facebook account, enter your login information in the “Connect to Facebook” window that opens. You can logout at any time, again from the share setup page, by touching the Logout button.
Twitter: To enable Twitter posts, log in using the Login button on the share setup screen. If you have a Twitter account, enter your login information in the “Twitter Login” window that opens. You can logout at any time, again from the share setup page, by touching the Logout button.

MotionX Featured in:
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BusinessWeek, USA Today, iPhone Blogs, Gizmodo, Engadget, Time, Newsweek

Did he run out of Air? No!
He had filled up his 2 Gig memory card...

Excerpts from a recent story on “An Underwater Photographer Guide To Palawan”
By Author: Matt J. Weiss / April 12, 2009 12:00AM CDT
Matt Weiss from DivePhotoGuide visited Club Paradise & Dugong Dive Center last year and filed this very interesting report...

© Gunther Deichmann - Painted Frogfish...recent rumors has it that there is quiet an invasion of Frogfish at present on the Club Paradise House Reef in Palawan, Philippines.

“When Omar signaled me over, I figured he had spotted a frogfish that he had told me about before the dive. However, he was pointing at another sea moth and started taking pictures of the rock behind it, which I thought was strange. I wondered - was he narc’ed? Nope, I was just a rookie and didn’t notice that the rock was actually a beguiling frogfish that was face to face with the sea moth. I tried to get some shots before the sea moth moved on and we headed up to the surface – not because we were cold, bored, out of air, or hitting deco time, but because I had filled up my 2 gig memory card! The first, and so far only time this has happened to me...
...read the complete story from Matt Weiss @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/an_underwater_photographer_2

TDEX - THAILAND DIVE & TRAVEL EXPO
BANGKOK MAY 2009

The Thailand Dive & Travel Expo finished last weekend, a great show with many exhibitors and activities.

The Crowd...

A modern look at the Canon Photo exhibition

Fins the Media representatives buzzed around recording live interviews and Tony Wu one of the top Underwater photographers in Asia and beyond conducted some cool Underwater Photography Seminars.
As for my part, I helped out where ever I could, shooting behind the scene and had my own seminars on Aperture 2, the leading Photography Software from Apple.
For more information and details on TDEX click this link.

Tony Wu during his Underwater photography Seminars




Gunther Deichmann and Aperture 2


Mean & Aye The Fins Team hard at work with interviews


Tony Wu and David Cheung from Light and Motion (Scuba Singapore)Underwater Housing and lighting equipment at the Dive Supply Booth Bangkok - www.scubacam.com.sg

“No more Shark City - but Ghost City”


© Gunther Deichmann - Underwater Photographer and Shark,
at the Blue Corner in Palau - but for how much longer?

If you CARE... then NOW is the time to voice your opinion,
because if we don’t... images like the one above will be
a thing of the past!

Excerpts from previous Blog post:Tuesday,April, 2, 2009
There are very active negotiations underway between Palau and The Philippines at this very time to enter in to commercial fishing agreements and clearly there are elements of strong political support for the fishing companies as indicated by SB 8-44 and SB 8-50.
The private industry organizations Palau Chamber of Commerce (pcoc@palaunet.com) and Belau Tourism Association (bta@palaunet.com) and the government tourism office Palau Visitors Authority (pva@visit-palau.com) are urging those around the world opposed to shark fishing, shark finning and unsustainable fishing practices to please express their concerns immediately by e-mail to all of the respective organizations.

International Response:Tuesday, April 7, 2009
International Response to Threat to Palau's Sharks!
Just a quick update to thank all of you who have taken the time to submit your comments regarding the proposed legislations to permit commercial shark fishing and promote purse-seining in Palau's EEZ. There is still time to comment, so if you've not already done so, please take the time now and submit your comments. For more information on the issue at hand, please read the post immediately preceding this one.

All messages sent to the Belau Tourism Association bta@palaunet.com and Palau Chamber of Commerce pcoc@palaunet.com have been submitted to the Senate Committee in charge of reviewing these Bills.

By way of clarification, these Bills were submitted by just two of Palau's thirteen Senators and don't necessarily reflect the position of the Administration or other Senators. The Bills will be reviewed in Committee before further action is taken. It is therefore very important that the review committee hears from as many people as possible on the potential damage to Palau's marine environment and tourism industry that passage of these proposed Bills (SB8-44 and SB8-50) may cause.

“A Marine Paradise”... The Dugong Dive Center
Video all 20:18 min. is now available @

http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/video-gallery.html


Click the screenshot and go direct to the Video Gallery

As promised the full version of this truly amazing Video from Dirk Fahrenbach at Dugong Dive Center is now available on their website in the Video Gallery.
We highly recommend using a Broadband/DSL connection, the full lengths of this Video is 20:18 min. approx. 52MB
GD

Another Alien afternoon...

I have picked up this Blog Post from our good friend and top Underwater Photographer Tony Wu, I personally have never seen or encounter this one, if any larger it will send shiver down your spine. Now I know where Hollywood gets all those Alien Movie Ideas from, of course from our so precious and little explored oceans.
You have to check this one out… on purpose I have not included the image, I like to keep you in suspense, he, he. See the LINK below.
GD
Excerpts from Tony Wu’s Blog post:
Incidentally, a few nights ago on another night dive, we found and played with a couple of bobbit worms (Eunice aphroditois)…
a nocturnal, predatory polychaete worm.
I first sought out and photographed these scary animals about a decade ago in Secret Bay, Bali. We stayed up most of the night, diving in dark, cold waters to observe bobbit behaviour…read more and view the Bobbit Worm @

http://www.tonywublog.com/20090319/fright-night.html

A Marine Paradise... The Dugong Dive Center Video!

This Video has been around for sometime but the full length has never reached the Web, now we have decided to share this truly amazing Underwater Video by Dirk Fahrenbach with you in YouTube.
All the footage taken in Palawan, the majority being at the Club Paradise House Reef, only meters away from you accommodation.
More than 20 minutes of great Marine Life, “Dancing Cuttle Fish”, Turtles, Dugongs and all the Critters you can imagine captured on this truly great Video by Dirk. Unfortunately YouTube allows us only to run 10 min. the full version 20:18 min. will be uploaded shortly on the Video Gallery of Dirk’s Website
@ http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/

Click on the screenshot and go to YouTube

The original Video is part of a High End DVD available at Club Paradise (order base) composed of three sequences, edited and sound by Gunther Deichmann using GarageBand, Soundtrack Pro and Royalty released tracks from Sounddogs created on a MacPro.
I am sure once you have seen the Underwater World from this exotic destination you pack your dive gear and book your next trip to Club Paradise and Dive with Dirk at Dugong Dive Center.
Visit YouTube for a preview and the 8:52 min. version @ http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMEJOURNEY
Broadband DSL recommended.
Contacts us @
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/

In recent months FINS online has been undergoing
some major renovations...& I mean MAJOR.

A complete NEW Look and Concept...Congratulations to the hard working TEAM at FINS.
Check out the latest News from the Underwater World, spiced up with Videos, Podcasts and Images from all over Asia, including Equipment reviews, Underwater Photography, tech tips, Movies and a lot more.
On their most recent Blog I contributed an article on Aperture 2 using a Mac, a comprehensive introduction to Aperture 2 for our Underwater Photographers.
Check out the NEW FINS ONLINE @ http://www.finsonline.com/category/blog/
& for more tutorials on Aperture 2 go to my Blog at: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

FiNS Contributor Gunther Deichmann is an Apple Pro Certified Trainer for Aperture 2. If you use a Mac and haven't tried Aperture yet, here are some thoughts from Gunther.
Aperture 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use digital image management system that can track thousands of digital images. This software provides advanced photographers with high-quality image management and adjustment tools, perfectly suited to meet the needs of professional photographers and serious amateurs.
Aperture is the perfect companion in the field, providing you with all the editing tools you need, so that by the time you get back home from a trip, your work is almost done. During down time between destinations or waiting for your next connection at the airport, you can add captions, input keywords, determine ratings and apply some adjustments like straightening and cropping.
If you haven’t tried Aperture, here are a few highlights..read MORE and click the screen shot or the LINK above.

An Octopus from Puerto Galera makes it into a major
105 page science Paper.

I supplied this image for research purpose some time ago and now it is published in a major study on Octopuses.
If you interested in Octopuses or if you are a Marine Biologist and like to read the complete article you find the address below.
To many pages to post here.
Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 2008, 46, 105-202
© R. N. Gibson, R. J. A. Atkinson, and J. D. M. Gordon, Editors
Taylor & Francis
Biology of the planktonic stages
of Benthic Octopuses
ROGER VillANUEVA & MARK D. NORMAN
Institut de Cičncies del Mar (CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la
Barceloneta 37–49, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain
Sciences, Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Vic 3001, Australia

Colour Figure 16 (Villanueva & Norman) Adult Octopus cyanea in camouflage display amongst soft corals,Puerto Galera, Philippine Islands. (Photo: Gunther Deichmann.)

An Underwater Photographer's Guide to Southeast Asia
Author: Matt J. Weiss / August 10, 2008 12:00AM MDT
Category: Photo

After 3 months in the field, and a brief stint manning the DivePhotoGuide booth at the Malaysian Dive Expo (MIDE) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I am finally home and in the process of preparing a series of articles about South East Asia, sometimes referred to as the coral triangle and the most bio-diverse marine ecosystems in the world. Therefore, this is also one of the most productive regions for underwater photographer and video. Of course in no way is this nearly a complete guide to Southeast Asia (that would take years!), but rather some recommended destinations to dive and shoot.
I will be providing comprehensive trip reports on the diving and photo opportunities in each location. I was fortunate enough to stay at some of the top resorts in each destination, and the articles will include some information on the resorts and their facilities. We intend for these articles to be fairly different from other trip reports. I plan to concentrate on all aspects of my trip, including some that are often overlooked, solely from an underwater photographer’s point of view – How was the camera room set up? How large were the rinse buckets on the boat? etc. This vital information is often ignored by non photographers, so I hope to cover all the idiosyncratic requirements that are very important for underwater photographers and videographers to keep top of mind while traveling..

You will see that a lot of my images are macro shots, with little coral around them. The reason for this is simple - I am very interested in the seemingly barren benthic environments that nurture a surprising amount of life. It is here that I found the smaller, interesting and charismatic critters that make you scratch your head and ask - “why?” It is my intention for each article to be informative by answering not only what and who, but also the how and why of the marine biology behind these environments.
Underwater photography stargazer Lembeh Strait
Did you know that stargazers (family Uranoscopidae) are represented by 50 species in 8 genre? This amazing animal was one of two species I found while searching the benthic environments of the Coral Triangle.
I will be covering the following destinations in the upcoming weeks. Each article will have a link back to this main page, where you can access each article as it goes live online.

Bali, Indonesia with AquaMarine Diving-Bali
Puerto Galera, Philippines with El Galleon Resort/Asia Diver
Palawan, Philippines with Club Paradise/Dugong Dive Center
Lembeh Straits, Indonesia with Lembeh Resort
Manado, Indonesia with Minahasa Lagoon Resort
Sipadan/Mabul/Kapalai, Malaysia with Borneo Divers

For any readers who are looking for ideas for your next dive trip, South East Asia is full of them, feel free to bookmark this page, and within the upcoming weeks, you'll find links to each of the destinations I've visited with a complete report on each. I certainly hope to bump into many of you as I return to these destinations in the future.
Happy Diving & more from Matt Weiss @
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/an_underwater_

Tags: Matt Weiss, Indonesia, Philppines, Puerto Galera, Palawan, Asia Divers, AquaMarine Diving-Bali, Bali, Assignment, Southeast Asia, El Galeon, Dugong Dive Center, Cluba Paradise, Coral Triangle

DID YOU KNOW? Is brought to you by the
Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!

© Gunther Deichmann - Nudibranch, Nembrotha kubaryana
from Puerto Galera Philippines diving with Asia Divers

How did he achieve this? That is a very good question…you might say Photoshop…but I have heard another story…moving a complete studio underwater, tons of equipment and of course a dozen or so assistants. Wow what a budget given to him by National Geographic, however there is no way that this could have been executed without moving the Nudibranchs from their original location…
As mention in my previous blog I have seen David’s other images and one can only admire him, absolutely fantastic there is no question about it…

…read the feedback from Marilyn an employee of the National Geographic Magazine who has shed some light on the subject… certainly an interesting topic, worth while talking about it... how far we can or cant go in today’s Photography. Now it is up to you and form your own opinion after you have viewed the mention Video or checked out the other supported link How did he do it? Find out @
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
GD

Great shots with such a small Camera, this gets to show you again what can be done with limited equipment, I guess in Underwater Photography you have to be a good Diver first, and Omar has that mastered for sure.
Hey, lets not underestimate these Dive Guides with perfect diving skills they can show even the most experience Photographer a trick or two…in particular in finding you this elusive critters, remember they dive these places all the time, so next time you at Dugong Dive Center have a chat with Omar or even better have a dive with him.
A big thanks to Omar for sharing his images with us, he has a lot more cool shots, these are only few of them.
GD

Tags: Gunther Deichmann, Aperture 2, Digital Cameras, Dive Master, Underwater Housing