The annual Photo Week is back here to SWV again! So the whole resort is buzzing with underwater photography enthusiasts with their cameras, discussions about underwater photography techniques, fishes they saw, fishes they wish to see, how well their new strobes are working, what's the problem they faces with their cameras in the water and how to overcome them and lots and lots of interesting topics...all about one core subject, Underwater World!
This Photo Week event has been held annually since 1997 and SWV has been participating and organizing the event since then. During this photoweek, there will be underwater photography workshops held to teach and share underwater photography skills and knowledge among the professionals and the participants. Three professional photographers will be at SWV to conduct seminars on underwater photography and to dive with all participants. The three professional photographers are Clay Wiseman, Mauricio Handler and Marty Snyderman. (See columns below to know more about them). Other than that Fred Dion from Underwater Photo Tech and Joe Wysocki from Optiquatics will be here for equipment consultation and assistance during the whole course of the photo week. And of course, we will have all our divemasters here for your disposal to look for the fish that you want to shoot! No holidays for all divemasters until Photo Week ends! Well, what else can we say? The participants here have got all the expertise in every field that they could ever need in one place at the same time.
The actual date for the Photo Week will be from 21st Oct to 29th Oct 2006. Currently they are a group of underwater photo enthusiasts at the resort attending underwater photography workshop with Mauricio Handler and yes they are having a blast right now switching from wide angle and macro and making shore dives and night dives everyday!
Know the Pros!!Clay Wiseman
Clay Wiseman has a degree in ichthyology (fisheries biology) and a minor in marine invertebrate zoology from the University of Washington in Seattle. After working commercially in mariculture and in diving he went to work for the Aggressor Fleet of live-aboard dive boats as ship's captain and photo pro working contracts in Cayman, Belize, Turks and Caicos, Hawaii, Truk Lagoon and Palau. In 1995 he left the Fleet to pursue a career in professional photography. Since that time he has published his
photography and writing in National Geographic Magazine, Time Magazine, International Wildlife Magazine, Ocean Realm Magazine, Skin Diver and Sport Diver Magazine to name just a few. He is a regular features contributor as well as a column producer for Sport Diver Magazine. Additionally, he co-authored Guide to Marine Life of the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida with his friend and colleague Marty Snyderman (Aqua Quest Publishing). In June of 2003 his documentary production Medicines From the Sea aired on PBS as part of the California Connected series. He is currently working on several ocean oriented productions for television. Clay and his wife Martha operate Underwater Art Travel a company specializing in exotic underwater photography and videography expeditions.
Mauricio Handler
Mauricio Handler is an underwater photographer of International regard. His body of work emphasizes his ongoing passion with unspoiled destinations and their unique marine wildlife.
Handlers credits include eight assignments with National Geographic Magazine. His editorial and commercial work have taken him throughout most of the Caribbean from The Turks and Caicos Islands to Cuba.
He has photographed Humpback whales in the Silverbanks, Blue holes in the Bahamas as well as the reefs of isolated Cuba. He has worked with Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas and the North Atlantic as well as Sperm whales and Tuna in the Azores. In addition, his images from Fiji, The Galapagos Islands, Cocos Island and Great White Sharks off Guadalupe have gained him International recognition. He has a healthy obsession with sharks, whales and dolphin
Mr. Handler teaches digital as well as film based underwater housed SLR systems workshops in many exotic land based destinations as well as aboard the finest diving vessels worldwide. Many of his students return year after year in what has become one of the industries most complete and intense teaching weeks for underwater photography. During these workshops Handler emphasizes the creation of original images using simple as well as elaborate lighting techniques combined with a true understanding of the fine art of image making. The latest in digital technology and techniques is also brought to the forefront of every workshop week.
Marty Snyderman
Residing in Solana Beach, CA, Marty Snyderman is a still photographer, film producer, author and speaker specializing in the marine environment. Marty's still photography and/or writing has been utilized by National Geographic Magazine, Skin Diver Magazine, numerous National Wildlife Federation publications, Natural History, Dive Training, Sport Diver, Time, Newsweek, Time Life, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, New England Aquarium, Sea World and Seattle Aquarium, and by numerous other publications and organizations expressing interest in the marine environment both in the United States and overseas
.
To date, Marty has authored nine books, including California Marine Life, his first book, that has just been revised and re-released in cooperation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Guide To Marine Life of the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. Marty has been involved in underwater photography for 25 years and continues to produce compelling images of marine life in attempts to raise awareness and interest about many marine issues.
An Emmy Award winning cinematographer, his film, The Secret World of Sharks and Rays, a documentary about the natural history of sharks, premiered during October of 1998 on the PBS series NATURE. Marty produced and filmed To Be With Sharks (View From The Cage) which premiered on the Discovery Channel in July 1994 during Shark Week. A big ratings success, it is the second most widely watched premier in the history of Shark Week. In addition, Marty's cinematography has been used by Warner Brothers (Free Willy released in the summer of 1993), the National Geographic Society, NOVA, the British Broadcasting Corporation, many major broadcast networks and many more organizations expressing interest in marine wildlife.
Marty has also put together an online photo course where students can subscribe for a six month period and work through the different courses at their own pace. The classes range from Beginner to Advanced and will soon include a digital segment.
Another stunning shot by Jeff.......
Flamboyant cuttlefish by Janet 
Another stunning macro shot bu Jack, gold-spec jawfish swimming out to eat
Bushy phylodesmium nudibranch by Barbara Laidlaw
Darling Darling Hip Hop
Singing performance by the divemasters
Janet Czapski's octopus in a bottle
Jay giving his presentation
Mauricio Handler's workshop participants: 
"The toys..."
Just another one of their camera
Brad Easton
Everly Dudas
Mauricio Handler
Geri's "So adorable turtle"
School of batfish
