• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • women's history month, Suffragists Parade Down Fifth Avenue,1917Women’s History Month: Women rule!
        • Gemma ManningChanging the game
        • marielleHow digital marketing is changing
        • 2021Back up data and keep safe
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • Easter kids and eggsHave an egg-citing Easter!
        • Things to do with dogs in Singapore cute dogFun stuff do with your dogs in Singapore!
        • dog-friendly cafesDog-friendly cafés, bars & restaurants
        • cdn.cliqueinc.com__posts__258676__june-horoscopes-2018-258676-1527175331570-image-dd084e9663a848659b54ab1d44e8913aYour Horoscopes for the Month of March!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • Kids scooters mini micro scooter 3in1 Deluxe Plus MixedWhere to buy kids’ scooters & more
        • Child with special needsOccupational Therapy for a Child with Special Needs
        • ServiceSchool activities with a lot of heart
        • kidsChildren’s shops & websites for kids’ clothes, toys etc.
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • Arete Culture Black and whtieNot quite a black and white
        • 2021Back up data and keep safe
        • interior decorating cushions for bedrooms5 home décor pieces you shouldn’t overlook
        • SONYHome News: décor, furniture and more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • hotel dealsTravel news + Hotel deals & new launches!
        • places to visit near SingaporeBest short breaks from Singapore
        • DuxtonBest hotels for a staycation in Singapore
        • family-friendly resort family vacation boat12 great spots for a family vacation
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • dog-friendly cafesDog-friendly cafés, bars & restaurants
        • BaristaNew Nibbles: Foodie news!
        • Bars cheap drinksTop bars for cheap drinks in Singapore
        • best breakfast spots brunch cafe tiong bahru bakery diner19 of the best breakfast spots on the island!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • women's sandals in singaporeKeeping comfortable & cool!
        • looksmaxxing trend men aesthetic treatmentsMen – are you “looksmaxxing”?
        • RawbroguhtShopping in Singapore – Fashion News
        • ear piercing singaporeWhere to go to get your ears pierced
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • SParks activeHealth News: What’s up!
        • heavy periods menorrhagia treatmentHeavy periods: How your GP can help
        • comparing health insurance in Singapore doctor and couple3 tips for comparing health insurance plans
        • COVID-19 vaccination vaccine doctor and womanFAQs about COVID-19 vaccinations
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close
Home » Living in Singapore » For Guys » The amazing ocean: our interview with renowned underwater photographer Brian Skerry

The amazing ocean: our interview with renowned underwater photographer Brian Skerry

30th December 2015 by Expat Living 7 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/the-amazing-ocean-our-interview-with-renowned-underwater-photographer-brian-skerry/

American Brian Skerry is one of National Geographic‘s most seasoned explorers and he has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater capturing some of the ocean’s most elusive inhabitants. We caught up with Brian in the lead-up to his visit to Singapore

National Geographic Ocean Wild with Brian Skerry 24 January Esplanade
Southern right whale and diver, photographed by Brian Skerry – underwater photographer Brian Skerry

Which came first for you: photography or diving?

Diving. From a very young age, I was very interested in being an explorer – and particularly an explorer of the sea. That’s what I dreamed about. I was able to become a certified scuba diver at 15, and it was about a year later that I attended a diving conference in Boston and saw underwater photographers and filmmakers presenting their work. At that moment, I had what you could call an epiphany and I realised it was what I wanted to; I would be an explorer but I would do it under the water, with a camera – I would tell stories about the sea.


What’s been the most memorable experience in your underwater photography career?

I’ve had so many. Truly, I’ve been diving for about 38 years, and working for National Geographic for about 18 years, and there have just been so many memorable encounters. One that certainly tops the list, though, was an encounter with southern right whales in the Subantarctic of New Zealand, in a place called the Auckland Islands. I was doing a story for National Geographic about right whales and comparing the most endangered of these animals, the North Atlantic right whales, which live in North America, with their cousins, the Southern right whales, which are also endangered but are doing a bit better because they tend to be further from human industrialisation. I decided to go to the remote part of the planet to try to photograph a newly discovered population of Southern right whales; these animals had never seen humans underwater before. It was a very speculative trip; I didn’t know if the visibility would be good, if the animals would even be there, or if I could get pictures of them. I went down there in the Austral winter, so the weather wasn’t the greatest, but every time I dived I had these giant whales – 15 metres long, 70 tons in weight – coming up and just spending time with me. They were clearly curious and choosing to be with me and allowing me into their world. It was by far one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had.

National Geographic Ocean Wild with Brian Skerry 24 January Esplanade
Spotted and Bottlenose dolphins, photographed by Brian Skerry

Tell us something about a marine creature that might surprise people to learn.

There are so many things that people might be surprised about, but the first thing that pops into my mind is in relation to the North Atlantic bluefin tuna – a subject I photographed recently and did a story on, which was published in 2014. Not many people think about fish as being these big predators, but that’s what a bluefin tuna is. And unlike almost every animal I’m aware of on the land or in the ocean, the bluefin tuna continues to grow for its entire life. If we weren’t so efficient at catching them – and we are – you might have 30-year-old tuna out there that weigh over a ton! But they don’t get that big now because there are too many fleets chasing them down. Still, I’ve been in the water with ones weighing 1,000 pounds or even 1,200 pounds – 500 or 600kg; they are amazingly big animals. Not only that, but they cross the entire ocean in the course of the a year, and there’s nothing on land – no grizzly bear or lion or wolf – that can travel that far. These fish are far more extraordinary than we might think. A bluefin tuna can generate heat in its body so it’s essentially a warm-blooded fish, and it swim tens of thousands of miles in a year, and continues to grow for its entire life – far from your average little goldfish!


What are some of the special skills required to take the kind of epic shots you’ve taken under the sea?

Obviously, you have to be a very experienced diver or ocean person. I’ve spent my whole life diving in the ocean and diving in difficult conditions – cold water, temperate water, under ice, in shipwrecks – to perfect my skills. So the diving part comes as second nature. You also have to be a good photographer and understand what makes a good photograph – particularly the type of photojournalistic image that would work for a magazine like National Geographic, a story-telling image. You have to know the difference between taking a picture and making a picture. What do you want the photo to achieve? You have to think about the light, the location of the animal, its gestures, all those things, so that you can capitalise on the moment. Being a good diver, being good in the water, and understanding the elements of photography – all those are essential. You also have to be very patient. Wildlife photography rarely happens the moment you go out into the field. It sometimes takes weeks or even months for things to come together. You have to know how boats work, about ocean currents, about tides, getting the best visibility, about marine biology, the behaviour of certain animals. Bringing all those things together can result in great images.

National Geographic Ocean Wild with Brian Skerry 24 January Esplanade
Great hammerhead shark, photographed by Brian Skerry

 What’s your favourite body of water and why?

There are so many places I love, from the great corals in Fiji to the sharks in the Bahamas. But broadly I would say the Pacific Ocean tends to interest me a little more than most. It’s the oldest ocean on our planet, and there is a greater number of species in the Pacific than any other ocean. Specifically, I’m drawn to countries like New Zealand; aside from the right whale encounter, I’ve had some great experiences there. You can find some temperate waters in the Pacific where there’s an enormous amount of nutrients, and where you can find everything from sharks to beautiful invertebrates. These temperate waters interest me greatly.


What’s your personal take on smartphones, apps and so on – are they a good thing or a bad thing for photography?

Any tool that allows people to make photographs easily is a good thing. I’m not so hung up on technology, though I do have to be aware of it and use it whenever I can to tell my stories, and to make images. I’m always a little bit wary of when we start manipulating photos to the point where they’re not real, not true; and that’s okay too, so long as we divulge that information, for example in a caption. But smartphones and small cameras are great; they’ve allowed people to make pictures in all kinds of situations without the limitations of 36 frames on a roll of film, or having to carry a big piece of equipment around. I think any technology that allows folks to tell interesting stories about our planet and daily life is a good thing.

National Geographic Ocean Wild with Brian Skerry 24 January Esplanade
Manta ray leaping, Sea of Cortez, photographed by Brian Skerry

What’s the most important message to get across with respect to the current and future health of the oceans?

The most important message is that the ocean is not too big to fail. I’m taking a quote from my friend and marine biologist Sylvia Earle there, but for a long time people have had a belief that the oceans are so vast and filled with bounty that we can take and take and take, and it’ll be okay. Well, it’s not. We have over 7 billion people on the planet, we’re dumping trash and plastic, chemicals, we’re removing stuff from the ocean – minerals and oil; we’re taking fish at alarming rates – 90% of the big fish in the ocean have disappeared over the last 50 or 60 years because of commercial industrialised over-fishing. We can’t continue to do those things. The ocean is vital to our existence. The very oxygen we breathe comes from the sea. We can’t continue to treat it like a dump. We need to cherish the ocean and preserve it, we need to protect big parts of it so it can replenish. It will take care of us, but we have to treat it with respect and be aware that every action we take can have serious consequences on the health of the sea and of our planet.


What can audiences expect from your live show?

To be taken on a grand adventure. What I do with these presentations, and specifically the one I’ll be doing in Singapore, is introducing people to my work and I do that by talking about the kinds of things I think about when going into the field. What is the thought process; what am I hoping to achieve; and what kind of pictures am I trying to make? I provide that context, and I set the stage by explaining what a wildlife photographer or a photojournalist does. And then I take the audience into the ocean with me, and around the world, and I introduce them to this fascinating cast of creatures, from sharks and whales to dolphins and seals. I talk about the personality of these animals, the challenges of getting up close to them, the rewards of being patient. And of course the images help to really put that in perspective. I also talk about the problems occurring in the ocean. There’s been an evolution in my career; I’ve seen the need to look at the darker side of what’s going on under the water. But I end with a great message of hope – I talk about the ocean’s resilience, and how if we are good custodians and look after the ocean, it will take care of us. Finally, I encourage people to get out themselves and explore. It’s a fun show, but hopefully an enlightening message too.

National Geographic Ocean Wild with Brian Skerry 24 January Esplanade
Whale shark, Mexico, photographed by Brian Skerry

 

Categories: For Guys

Expat Living

Expat Living has everything to help you make the most of living in Singapore! We've got information on neighbourhoods, things to do and see, dining, entertainment, schools, travel, fashion, furniture, finance, health and beauty. And more!

You May Also Like

Online games & how to keep safe when gaming

SRS Singapore

Does SRS Fit Your Financial Plan?

Financial advisor tips to avoid hidden fees!

Primary Sidebar

Expat Living Singapore 🇸🇬

expatlivingsg

Open
Happy International Women’s Day ❤️
Open
Launched in late 2019, Ollie, a locally female owned brand of eco-conscious essential oils, have launched a diverse range of new products to meet the growing needs of their customers.

The brand launched right before the pandemic and was well-received by its fast growing customer base. 

Since the launch they have added some beautiful products to their 100% pure essential oil range. 

Their signature product range consisting of a natural Yoga Mat Sanitiser, Hand Sanitiser and Mosquito Repellent Spray has a new addition; an aromatherapeutic Room Mist which is a blend of floral, minty essential oils and has anti-bacterial and fungal fighting properties. Essential oils of Lavender, Geranium, Peppermint, Eucalyptus are used as main ingredients to create a calming and refreshing experience for the user. This portable Room Mist is safe to be used in cars, on linens and even directly on skin.

Rithika Gupta, Founder, Ollie said, “With consumers increasingly adopting 
environment-friendly ways of life, there is a visible shift towards healthier and organic alternatives. Ollie is our way of helping consumers harness the power of essential oils while supporting their eco-conscious lifestyles. Our signature products are meant to help them use natural products that fulfill their daily needs without the hassle of creating DIY essential oil blends from scratch. The brand is committed to sustainable practices and sources directly from local farmers and eco-friendly distillers. To ensure a green supply chain, they oversee the production at every critical stage and use sustainable packaging for their products.
Open
Alcohol in Singapore is expensive, as you probably know… so we’ve have tracked down some great bars that will help you get more drinks for your dollar! 

Check out the awesome guide (link on our stories) for the best bars and restaurants across the island that offer cheap drinks or great happy hour deals. Go forth and be merry! And, for a date night with a view, check out our round-ups of rooftop bars and other cool bars around town all on our website!

Note: These promotions are subject to changes. Please visit the bar’s social media page or drop them a call to confirm the deals
Open
*** March Giveaway** Is your home ready for a refresh, but you aren’t sure where to begin? 

This could be your lucky day! Known for its luxurious and eclectic style, The Cinnamon Room offers an extensive collection of artisan-crafted home décor that’s bound to add a touch of flair to your space. The store’s popular signature hide rug collection is handmade using high-grade, ethically-sourced hides. They’re as durable as they are stylish – red wine and coffee stains simply wipe away, making these low-pile beauties an effortless solution for any area of the home.

This month, we’ll be selecting one special reader to enjoy a 90-minute home consultation with The Cinnamon Room’s founder and designer Visha Nelson. What’s more, you’ll also receive a $900 voucher to use towards a rug of your choice!

To stand a chance to win, all you need to do is follow us on Instagram (@expatlivingsg) and @thecinnamonroom and click below to enter or check out our stories for the link! expatliving.sg/wccr/

The competition closes on 31 March, so hurry and enter now!

#homedecor #rugs #beautifuldesign #singapore #awardwinning #expatlivingsg #thecinnamonroom #hollandvillageshowroom
Open
Check out what's inside our March issue! To get a copy delivered to you, visit 👉 expatliving.sg/mag/ig

In this issue, we feature our best finds to make your bedroom look and feel great. Check out two renovated homes, get an insider’s view of Siglap, and discover useful tips and trends on the property rental market. There's plenty more too, including delicious Mexican food, top quality meat, cool fashion, fab facials and fragrances to try. 

🎁 Plus, there's a bonus mini guide on Preschools!
Open
We think home-grown label Love, Bonito’s fourth loungewear collection is super cute! 

Whether you’re in bed, at home lounging, or out and about, find comfort in effortless pieces of super-soft separates and one-pieces.

Get the complete package with matching accessories - plush slippers as the latest addition - and twinning pieces for your 
mini-mes.

Love, Bonito Loungewear is priced between S$9.90 to S$41.90 and available from lovebonito.com and in-stores island wide
Open
Photographs are some of our most prized possessions so we wanted you to meet Tekkie Help experts Sarah and Bo who are passionate about helping people keep photos (and data) safe. 

They feel that organising, managing and protecting our digital photos should be a top priority. Their number one piece of advice...create a centralised location where photos are stored in full-size resolution. 

Click on our stories for a handy guide to creating a Digital Photo Hub of your own 📷
Open
** Friday Giveaway**

Are you looking to revitalise your skin? 🤔
Well, today is your lucky day! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
We have TWO Visible-repair Replenishing Eye Cream and Galvanic Intensifier sets from @flesette to give away!

Bring the spa to your home with this great bundle, which consists of two tubes of eye cream and the reusable Intensifier, which attaches to the eye cream and gently vibrates and massages the thin, sensitive skin around the eyes, improving absorption and helping to turn back the clock! 

Use it to combat any or all of the below:

PREMATURE AGEING ⏳
 
DULL SKIN 😑
 
FINE LINES + WRINKLES 👵🏻

EYE BAGS + DARK CIRCLES 🐼

How to join? 
1. Follow @expatliving and @flesette 
2. Tag a friend who you want to give the other set to 
3. Go to expatliving.sg/VRRECGIS and enter your details 

Giveaway ends 4 March. Good luck! 
 
*
*
*
*
*
#expatlivingsg 
#youthfulskin 
#Flesette 
#singapore 
#expatlife 
#fridaygiveaway 
#beautifulskin
Open
No doubt you’ve been out walking around Singapore more than usual lately and maybe you’ve noticed more plants than you do when zipping by in a car, but what are they exactly? 

There are so many different types of flowers, trees and other plants in Singapore – some are native, but heaps have been imported over the years. 

Take a look on our stories for a handful of pretty pics and a cool website link from NParks to satisfy your curiosity.

Here are some interesting facts about plant numbers in Singapore...

• 4712 flora species
• 88 tree families
• 1,689 tree species
• 259 heritage trees

🌸 🌳 🪴
Open
Order your copy of the March issue here 👉 expatliving.sg/mag/ig

Inside, we feature our best finds to make your bedroom look and feel great. Check out two renovated homes, get an insider’s view of Siglap, and discover useful tips and trends on the property rental market and plenty more, including delicious Mexican food, top quality meat, cool fashion, fab facials and fragrances to try. 

📕 Plus, there's a bonus mini guide on Preschools!
Open
Now facelifts can be non-surgical and non-invasive which we love.

This facelift in Singapore uses painless High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).

How it works.....
HIFU uses ultrasound technology to reach three different depths of the skin, in order to deliver focused beams of 60 to 70 degrees Celsius without disrupting the skin surface. These beams will melt the fats in the face, while tightening the skin and boosting collagen production; this allows your skin to continually lift and tone after the treatment. 

We thought this was super cool so we tried it out. Read the full review on our stories
Open
If you’ve just arrived (or been here a while) and wondering where to buy furniture in Singapore, we’ve pulled together this huge list of the best furniture shops on the red dot for you to start on! 

This comprehensive guide to Singapore furniture stores covers all areas, budgets and decorating tastes. 

There’s furniture shops for Asian, contemporary, chic, recycled and vintage furniture. So, whether you’re after a good sofa, antique lamp, modern dining table or a cute kid’s bed, grab a coffee and get scrolling via the link on our stories
Open
** Friday Giveaway**

Win a fabulous Glam Makeover & a 1 to 1 Makeup Workshop worth $350! 

How to join? 🤔

👉🏻Follow @expatlivingag and @falakamaar 
👉🏻tag the person who you want to win- it can also be you! 
It’s that easy! 

Falak Amaar is a Singapore based MUA trained and certified by celebrity Makeup artists (for Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande to name a few) Mario Dedivanovic and Samer Khouzami (aka the king of contouring)

She loves to share the techniques she has learnt from the Makeup Maestros in 1 to 1 as well as group makeup workshops and uses them to create the most natural to the most transformative looks.

She regularly posts videos for simple makeup tips and tricks on her Instagram & Facebook Page along with the stunning makeup looks she creates for her clients.
*
*
*
*
*
#makeup
#Falakaar 
#expatlivingsg
#singapore 
#expats
#beautifulmakeup 
#makeupartistsg
Open
In Singapore, the year-round summer weather means you can’t do without swimwear, and you’ll need a few. It’s a hard life! 

Whether you are wondering where to buy a bikini or a full swimsuit, or even something more sporty for swimming laps there’s a good range of shopping options. 

The round up (link on our stories) includes the best online and physical stores to buy swimwear for women of all shapes and sizes 👙
Open
After four years in Kampong Bahru, local eyelash extensions studio The Lash Company has shifted to a bigger and brighter space in Holland Village! We visited the new salon to review their eyelash extensions service.

Read the reviews on our stories
Open
Looking for a house in Singapore? 

We asked the Expat Team at real estate company Knight Frank to give us some insider tips for a home search and to reflect on some of the property trends arising from the COVID-19 situation. 

What’s the current situation if you want to lease an apartment, and how difficult is it to find a house to rent now. 

Read the full story on our stories now
Open
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Expat Living Team ❤️

All we really need is love, but if you do fancy something else then we have fun trivia, gift ideas and some lovely dining options on our stories
Open
🏮 Gong Xi Fa Cai to all our friends celebrating Chinese New Year!
Open
What would make a doctor like DR MENKA GUPTA transform herself into a functional medicine practitioner and nutritionist in Singapore? 

Her lifelong passion for healing is the answer – and she hasn’t looked back. Born and raised in Lucknow, India, she knew from the age of three that she wanted to be a doctor. After years of working as a specialist in the fields of gastroenterology, general medicine and gynaecology in leading hospitals in the UK, India and Singapore, she joined the Institute for Functional Medicine in 2012, and established Nutra Nourish here five years ago. 

Dr Menka is the the only IFM certified practitioner (IFMCP) in South Asia (there are less than 1,000 globally) 

Read the full article in our stories
Open
Noticed all the lanterns and bright lights across Chinatown? 

Yep, it’s that time of the year again! Chinese New Year is in full force in Singapore, so we’ve listed some great events and handy tips for you to experience a truly authentic, fun and prosperous start to the Year of the Ox 🐂 🍊 🧧 

Check out our guide (link on stories) of what to do (and also what not to do!)
  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2021 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.