Fundación Philippe Cousteau. Unión de los Océanos
Short film created for the Philippe Cousteau Foundation website. Filmed mainly in the Marine Protected Areas of Medes Islands and Cap de Creus.
But also in several of the best diving sites around the Costa Brava such as Tamariu, Llafranch, Palamós, Plato d’Aro, Calella de Palafrugell -all of them located in Spain- during the summer of 2023.
The short movie shows some of the underwater wildlife you can encounter in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Graveyard of Truk Lagoon
"The Graveyard of Truk Lagoon " is a 50 minute underwater historical documentary that brings into the light the story of some of the more than 60 shipwrecks that lie dormant on a Pacific atoll. The ships were sunk by the US NAVY during the "Operation Hailstone", the Japanese "Pearl Harbor". It is a shocking view to witness this somber universe, before it disintegrates by the action of the water, time and pressure.
All underwater and aerial images have been filmed exclusively by us.
The Magic Circle of the Reef
"The Magic Circle of the Reef" is an underwater documentary series composed of 4 episodes of 50 minutes each, showing the ability of the reefs of the Coral Triangle, in the Indo-Pacific, to maintain a self-sustaining ecosystem that defends itself from climate change.
The entire series, broadcast on 2023 and 2024 nationally on TVE (Spanish Television), has been filmed exclusively with our underwater and aerial footage.
Into the Blue: Wonders of the Coral Triangle
"Into the Blue: Wonders of the Coral Triangle" is a multi-award winning underwater documentary series of 8 episodes of nearly an hour each, using our underwater and aerial footage shot over 4 years in some of the best and most remote areas of Indonesia.
The documentary series has been sold both domestically and internationally to more than 10 countries -Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, etc.- since 2022.
The series has received more than 15 international awards in some of the most important underwater film festivals in Europe and USA.
Banda Sea
"BANDA SEA” is the twentieth chapter of the series “Out of the Black & Into the Blue”. The Banda Sea is the deepest sea in the world. You can literally find anything in this waters.
Big schools of fish, big pelagics and of course nice macro life, without forgetting that in some volcanic islands in the Banda Sea you can dive with big sea snakes. Large groups of elusive hammerhead sharks can be seen as well, when is the right season. But Banda Sea is also very colorful. Soft corals, sea fans, shallow reefs and astonishing walls can be found around the spice islands and beyond.
Canon C70 graded RAW Underwater Reel
Underwater Reel filmed with the Canon EOS C70 in Indonesia in 2022. Images filmed in Komodo, Raja Ampat, Triton Bay, Forgotten Islands and Banda Sea. 90% of the shots were filmed in RAW LT 12 bit, C-Log2.
Canon C70 Underwater Reel 4K UHD
Underwater Reel filmed with the Canon EOS C70 in Indonesia in December 2021. Images filmed in Komodo, Triton Bay, Forgotten Islands and Banda Sea.
Alor
Alor is unique for it offers astonishing wall dives covered in soft and hard corals, pelagic fish and top-notch macro with rare critters like rhinopias. You can choose to dive in colorful walls and slopes diving in a kaleidoscope of anthias or diving in scenic rock formations, pinnacles and maybe get the chance to see pelagics like hammerhead sharks or even sunfishes and thresher sharks if you are very lucky.
Triton Bay
Triton Bay is far away and quite isolated. This makes it one of the few truly gems left in the underwater world and has become one of the favorite spots for many underwater photographers/videographers.
Beautiful shallow reefs, incredibly healthy soft coral, very nice macro life and loads of fish…and of course, whale sharks.
Diving in Triton Bay sometimes is subject to strong currents, especially in the area called Pintu Arus and in Little Komodo (named by Dr. Gerry Allen), located just at the South tip of the small island.
But the profusion and beauty of soft corals that you can witness are just MIND-BLOWING.
Ambon
Ambon is one of the best muck diving destinations in Indonesia, and the planet. With a full range of weird critters, some of the them are between the weirdest critters you can find in the world.
Although Ambon is not so well known as Lembeh or Anilao by many divers, the muck diving in the bay is unvelieable. Sadly the dive sites can be littered with man-made waste, but they are home to an astonishing array of bizarre and beautiful critters.
This short movie was completely filmed in Laha and surroundings with Critter Junkies.
Ring of Fire
The Ring of Fire, also referred as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. The Eastern part of Indonesia, between East from Bali until Papua, it is known as well -for some divers and dive operators- as The Ring of Fire.
All the volcanoes along the way and their seismic activities have created a unique landscape above and below the water. In this area you can witness different kinds of schooling fish, including the elusive scalloped hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, oceanic mantas and sperm whales -if you are lucky- to colorful reefs and steep walls covered in soft corals with spawning giant barrel sponges, not to mention the outstanding critters you might see.
Komodo
“Komodo” is the fourteenth chapter of the series “Out of the Black & into the Blue”. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its stunning diversity of natural beauty, Komodo National Park is without a doubt, one of the best places on earth to explore above or below water.
From trekking the savannah for an up-close encounter with the legendary dragons to exploring an unbelievable variety of dive sites, Komodo offers an unforgettable experience.
Bali
The island of Bali is located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Bali without any doubt has some of the best dive sites in the world.
Nusa Penida is well known to be the home of the giant sunfish (mola mola) and manta rays. In Tulamben you can explore the incredible SS Liberty wreck where you can dive through bumphead parrotfishes and colorful softcorals. Tulamben has one of the best macro dives in
Indonesia -and the world- as well, plenty of incredible and rare critters. And in Amed you can find amazing shallow coral reefs plenty of colorful fishes teaming up with an outstanding underwater life.
Philippines
Philippines is a great diving destination. With more than 7.600 islands the only difficult decision to make is where to go.
Besides the breathtaking landscapes and islands, Malapascua, Moalboal, Negros, Cabilao and Bohol have an amazing sea life, healthy coral reefs as well as beautiful macro sites. During the entire month I was diving in all those places I felt in love with the small critters as well as big school of fishes, turtles and sharks.
Without hesitation, Philippines is one of the best diving places in the world.
Janji
On April 2021 I was called to film another expedition in Indonesia. Even though the COVID-19 travel restrictions were still strong in Indonesia, we sailed off to Lucipara with high hopes.
After creating a new MPA in Serua, our Marine Conservation experts wanted to create a new one as well in Lucipara.
We traveled more than 1,300 nautical miles aboard The Seven Seas, diving in one of the most remote areas in Indonesia.
Berharap
During November 2020 due to the restrictions produced by COVID-19 and the impossibility of receiving tourists in Indonesia we traveled 1,384 nautical miles (2,586 km) for a whole month on board The Seven Seas Liveaboard.
We left Labuan Bajo -Komodo-, and our trip ended in Ambon. In between we sailed through Flores, the Forgotten Islands, Watubela , Koon, and Banda Sea. We got in touch with local villages spread around the islands to try to create new MPAs to guarantee the protection and sustainability of the reefs and the marine life.
We also visit other MPAs already established with marine conservation experts and in fisheries that were on board during the whole trip. This short film testifies to the marine life - not all of it - that we saw underwater and we need to protect at all costs.
Nauticam EMWL 130º Lens Field Test
Although you can find some info. and pictures taken with the new EMWL lens from Nauticam, there are not too many videos at the moment showing what you can accomplish if you use it mainly for video.
So, during April and May 2021 I finally managed to start to work on a daily basis with the new Extended Macro Wide Lens -EMWL-. I used the 60 mm macro lens from Olympus with the 130 degrees wet lens from Nauticam alongside a Panasonic GH5S.
The EMWL is not really a diving friendly lens. It is heavy and bulky, but the results are unique. It is a game changer lens in terms of creativity for any underwater videographer.