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There are many hidden wonders in the world still to explore even for the most adventurous. As a photographer and scuba diver with the love of remote dive-areas, my passport is filled with all kinds of destinations which makes immigration officers at the airports on my return raise their eyebrows. Places like Komodo, Alors and Northern Sulawesi in Indonesia, Papua Guinea and Sudan’s Red Sea waters to mention a few. One of my absolute favourite escapes is located about 35-40 hours of open water travel by boat off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Its name is Isla del Coco, or Cocos Island, at times referred to as the Island of the Sharks.

Whitetip on the lookout. Image courtesy of Li Westerlund.

The abundance of marine life surrounding Cocos island, which is the only emergent island of the relatively minor Cocos Plate, comes with some of the strongest currents you will encounter as a diver. Thus in many ways this marine preserve not only provides one of the most intensive adrenaline rushes but also some intriguing challenges for divers and underwater photographers.

Abundance of life. Image courtesy of Li Westerlund.

In August of this year I made my fifth trip, deliberately choosing the rainy season – and does it rain in Cocos Island! – with the hope of encountering enormous schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks that grace the pinnacles around the island. There may not be a real on or off season for encountering these sharks and we all have to remember that the sea gives you what the sea wants to give you, not what you desire when descending into its depth. My preferred time though is between July and September, which also coincides with the time of the year when in the past I’ve encountered the giant whale sharks. And for this year, my trip truly became the trip of whale sharks.

Whaleshark in the deep. Image courtesy of Li Westerlund.

Even though we saw scalloped hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, tiger sharks, whitetip reef sharks, yellowfin tuna, the enormous school of jack fish that is always present, bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales on the surface, the mantra “May the whale shark be with you” was forever coined among some of us. There are several destinations around the world known for whale shark encounters but most only permit encounters while snorkelling or scuba diving in fairly shallow waters, when they come closer in to feed on plankton. Yes, the biggest shark on the planet lives on the smallest plankton, which is quite incredible in the bigger scheme if you think about it.

Hammerhead in for cleaning. Image courtesy of Li Westerlund.

Compared to other encounters with whale sharks, what mesmerized me the most diving with them in Cocos was the thrill of mingling with them in the greater depth of the ocean and how gently, gracefully, they interacted with us divers. How they were curious and almost inquisitive, and not anxious or troubled by our presence. The monsoon rain pouring down over the island affected the visibility most times, making lighting quite challenging for photography but it also creating an opportunity to capture these magnificent creatures in the mysterious fashion they suddenly appear from the depth.

See more images from her trip in her series “Gentle Giants of the Deep” and “Galenaea” at www.lifethrills.com.

If the top priority for your photography website is to get your best images out there for the world to see, next on the list should be having a unique About page. Your About page is your chance to incorporate a little extra personality into your work which will help you stand out from the competition.

For many of us it’s second-nature to shoot, shoot, and shoot some more, but when it comes to talking about ourselves and writing a few paragraphs about what we do we often just throw something together about our education, qualifications and experience. This is a huge lost opportunity!

Imagine, as a potential client, that you’re looking for a photographer for your wedding day. You’ve narrowed it down to two photographers with comparable talents at the same price range, but one has a typical About page and the other shows some personality and makes you laugh. Who are you going to choose?

Photographer and director David Emmite’s About page. www.davidemmite.com

Clients are getting savvier every day, and with a run-of-the-mill bio you risk looking like someone merely going through the motions rather than a photographer full of ideas and energy who is ready to deliver amazing photos. Don’t be afraid of posting something a little quirky and off-beat. A little something different is a breath of fresh air.

In addition, from a photographer’s standpoint, having a unique About page works great as an extra level of pre-qualification. We all know that the best, most rewarding shoots are the ones where the client shares our tastes and sensibilities and therefore trusts our vision and judgment. By having a unique About page, you will attract clients that see the world as you do and also weed out clients who may not be the best fit. We’ve heard from countless photographers that people who mention their About page in their initial contact are almost always on the same page as they are when it comes to stylistic choices for their shoot. In this age of fast, fast, and faster, with so many decisions being made based on what can be found online, a unique About page is critical to help you stand out from the masses.

Kavira Kabambi, 15 year old survivor. Photographed by Sarah Fretwell.

The Truth Told Project

One girl or woman is raped every minute in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The rape is not random, as you might think. It is a power play that targets those who are not in a position to fight back. The rebel and military groups use rape as a scare tactic and way to control and destroy local communities. The DRC’s society is so broken rape is now “normalized.” Millions of girls, women and men have been raped. Many more will be raped in the time it takes you to read these few paragraphs. More »

The internet is constantly changing and as creative small business owners we need to evolve as it changes. It seems like everyone is touting the importance of the mobile experience these days – and for good reason!

The number of smart phones in use worldwide has exceeded 1 billion, and it’s only continuing to climb. In fact, although only 1% of small businesses have optimized their website for mobile viewing, 50% of all local searches are performed on mobile devices. By the end of 2014 mobile is predicted to overtake desktop Internet usage. With consumers using mobile devices and tablets more often, it has become more important than ever to have a well-designed mobile website for your business. More »