To capture an image of the crystal octopus, one of the ocean's rarest and most elusive creatures, became the ultimate goal in Ali bin Thalith's obsession with underwater marine photography. Over ten years of searching has produced cornucopia of extraordinary deep sea images, of which 100 are selected here, shot in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. From Swimming with Giants to the God of Small Things, six chapters portray the inspirational qualities of marine life. Large mammals such as sharks, shoals of tuna, swimming antelope and elephants shot from below are truly exceptional. The microscopic creatures that camouflage themselves so expertly from their predators, coral gardens of the ocean bed, night dive images and the highly decorative patterns found on so much of marine life, provide a sourcebook not just for marine photography enthusiasts, but for everyone interested in colour, pattern and texture. Care is taken to explain the practicalities of the dive, the shoot, or the location and the author willingly shares the difficulties and the techniques of striving to achieve that perfect image.
Ali bin Thalith was born in Dubai. In the Seventies, it was made up of a series of villages, and Jumeirah Beach was yards from the house where he grew up. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau, he learned to dive and operate his first camera - a Nikon FM2 - and realised he could combine these twin passions and trained in France and London as a marine photographer and documentary filmmaker. As the official photographer for Prince Hamdan al Maktoum, he was asked by the Prince to set up Dubai's first photography award, HIPA, becoming Secretary General and overseeing its global development.
Introduction; Ch 1: Dancing Squid and Floating Flatworm; Ch 2: God of Small Things; Ch 3: Frills, Feathers and Polka Dot Tails; Ch 4: Swimming with Giants; Ch 5: Now You See Me Now You Don't; Ch 6: The Garden and The Oasis; Ch 7: Heart of Darkness; Captions.
Eye-catching, jaw-dropping images have the power to stop people in their tracks, to make them stare and, most importantly, to care. Ali's wonderful work will do just that, raising awareness of the fragile beauty of life in our seas. I am thrilled that there will be an Arabic version of this book, which will bring these stories and these characters to a new audience, winning the oceans many new friends. Dr Alexander Mustard, Underwater Photographer and Marine Biologist
