PRO Galleries: By Invitation Only

A few days ago, I received an invitation from Jason Heller to post some of my images in the PRO Galleries at DivePhotoGuide.com, a unique internet portal serving the global community of underwater photographers & videographers of all levels.

This “By Invitation Only” part of the website allows DivePhotoGuide.com visitors to explore portfolios from, in their words, the best of the best. The PRO Galleries represent the top professional underwater photographers in the world. These photographers’ photography styles run the gamut from wildlife to fashion. Their images are regularly published in editorial or advertising, and appears in museums and in galleries around the globe. DivePhotoGuide.com is honored to provide a comprehensive destination with such a depth of talent and spectacular imagery.

Jason Heller is the savy internet guru who owns and operates DivePhotoGuide.com. He is also a very talented commercial and wildlife photographer based in New York City. His work is regularly published in scuba, travel and mainstream editorial and advertising worldwide. Jason is also a special correspondent for Sport Diver magazine and his work has also been recognized and honored by numerous advertising and marketing publications including Advertising Age magazine. Jason's photo website can be viewed at: www.jasonheller.com

You also would not be reading this blog if I had not attended one of Jason’s presentations (The Underwater Imagery Handbook: The Internet) at the Boston Sea Rovers dive show in 2008. I was also a guest speaker at the same show and can recall saying to my wife that we must sit in on Jason’s presentation. I came away so inspired and had learned just enough that when I returned to our room that evening at the famed Fairmont Copley Plaza, I designed and set up this blog site in just a few hours.

Certainly, an honor for my imagery to garner such high recognition. My portfolio at DivePhotoGuide.com can be viewed at: www.divephotoguide.com/user/jett/gallery/jett_britnell

Mars on Ice, Venus on Fire

August 6, 2009: Some days one's life can take an interesting turn...

My wife Kathryn is a newly minted member of The University Womens Club of Vancouver. She was offered some free tickets for a talk last night by best selling relationship author John Gray at The Chan Centre TELUS Studio Theatre at UBC. Dr. Gray is the author of 16 best-selling books including Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: one of the best-selling books of the last decade. In the past fifteen years, over 40 million Mars Venus books have been sold in over 45 languages throughout the world.

Anyhoo, turns out the event was for a taping of a future PBS broadcast of Dr. Gray's talk for his soon to be released book, Mars on Ice, Venus on Fire. An entertaining speaker who provided some hilarious observations on men and woman and how they can more successfully understand and relate to each other. Observing the taping process of one of these PBS programs was quite interesting. My wife noted that one of the video cameras was focused upon us about 8 times during Dr. Gray's presentation. I can just see it now... our beautiful mugs appearing on late night John Gray PBS re-runs for the next decade or so. "All right Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close-up!"

We stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon!

July, 28, 2009: Often hailed as being one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon is an immense gorge located in the state of Arizona in the United States, that was carved by the natural water flow of the Colorado River.

Although not the steepest nor the longest canyon in the world, the Grand Canyon is recognized as a natural wonder because of the overall scale and size combined with the beautifully colored rocky landscape. The canyon offers a variety of lookouts and experiences that provide visitors with spectacular views that cannot be matched.

My Wife's Grand Canyon Experience:

As I stood taking in the sights and watching Jett photograph the canyon, he was several feet away from the edge and in no way beyond any fence or barrier. An older man walked up the path, muttering under his breath "they don't recover your remains when you lose your balance and fall over", however no one nearby reacted or paid any attention. He then walked directly toward me, stopped and approached me face-to-face. He then said "tell your husband that they won't recover his remains when he loses his balance and falls over the edge". I just quietly nodded and he walked on, seemingly perturbed with my lack of alarm...

Kathryn Britnell

Grand Canyon Quick Facts

• The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long
• The width ranges from 4 to 18 miles (6.4 to 29 km)
• The depth is over one mile (1.83 km)
• It was first discovered by a European in an expedition in 1540
• The Grand Canyon National Park occupies 1,218,375 acres and was created in 1919
• About 600 deaths have occurred in the Grand Canyon since the 1870s. Some of these deaths occurred as the result of overly zealous photographic endeavors, some were the result of airplane collisions within the canyon, and some visitors drowned in the Colorado River. According to "Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon", 53 fatalities have resulted from falls; 65 deaths were attributable to environmental causes, including heat stroke, cardiac arrest, dehydration, and hypothermia; 7 were caught in flash floods; 79 were drowned in the Colorado River; 242 perished in airplane and helicopter crashes (128 of them in a horrific 1956 mid air airplane disaster; 25 died in freak errors and accidents, including lightning strikes and rock falls; 48 committed suicide; and 23 were the victims of homicides. And yes, despite rumours to the contrary, Park Rangers make every attempt possible to recover bodies.

"Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is 50 years old!

Located on the Las Vegas Strip just south of Russell Road, the iconic sign famously reads, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada" on the front and "Drive Carefully" and "Come Back Soon" on the back. The sign was designed by Betty Willis while she worked for Western Neon Company and cost $4,000 to build and install in 1959.

On May 1, 2009, the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign was added to the US National Register of Historic Places.

Mirage Volcano - erupting since 1989

Since 1989, the Volcano Show at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas has been voted as being the cities Best Manmade Wonder!

The Venetian - the World's Largest 5 Star Resort

The Venetian Las Vegas Resort-Hotel-Casino, one of the "all-suite" hotels on the Vegas Strip, was our home away from home during our recent visit to Sin City.

The Venetian stands where the infamous Sands Hotel once stood. During its heyday, the Sands was the hub of entertainment and Rat Pack cool on the Strip, and hosted many famous entertainers of the day. The Venetian continues that fine tradition and offers shopping along its Grand Canal and numerous restaurants. Every meal was superb! The Venetian is a wonderful place to stay!

"LOVE is the answer, and you know that for sure" ~ John Lennon

Mind-blowing, raw, energetic and ethereal, I’ve wanted to see Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE show since it first opened in Las Vegas in June 2006. Celebrating the musical legacy of The Beatles, the specially built 2,013-seat, 100 million theatre at The Mirage in Las Vegas boasts more than 12.000 speakers!!!

Perhaps Sir Paul McCartney said it best when he attended the after show party after the Gala opening. Sir Paul spoke to the performers and said, "Good night everybody, you're all great… I used to wear some of those clothes. It's fantastic, it just gets better and better, it's just beautiful, the energy is fantastic and the love you're putting into it and the skill, beautiful, thank you very much! I don't think we can say thank you enough. Thank you!"

We thoroughly enjoyed sitting in Row B for this amazing show. If you happen to find yourself in Las Vegas, this is a “must see” show that epitomizes the Beatles lyric... "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

Las Vegas - Fremont Street Experience

July 2009: Some grab shot images from Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas!

No Doubt about it... they were Hella Good!!!

July 18, 2009 - Kathryn and I saw the NO DOUBT show at GM Place tonight. Awesome! Gwen Stefani is a true blue show girl and the band simply rocked. So many hits, great tunes, and ohhh sooo very many great moments. Wow!

Paradise, Fiji Style - July 2009

Northwest Dive News published my story & images, Paradise, Fiji Style, in their July 2009 edition.

High Tea at the Empress

June 2009: Victoria, British Columbia: The Fairmont Empress Hotel is one of Victoria’s oldest and arguably most famous hotels The Empress (as it is known by purists) is a majestic establishment that has catered to kings, queens, Hollywood movie stars and many other famous celebrities since it opened for business in 1908. For more than 100 years, the opulent Tea Lobby of this landmark hotel has also been delighting visitors with one of England's much-loved pastimes - the ritual of taking Afternoon Tea. At the Empress, high tea is a major production wherein different blends of tea are deemed to be on par with a fine vintage wine.


Upon our arrival, my wife and I were led into the elegantly appointed Empress Tea Lobby and were seated in two cozy wingback chairs at a table for two in front of a large bay window that presented a majestic view of Victoria’s inner harbour. Our decadent indulgence began with a serving of fresh strawberries topped with a dollop of Chantilly cream. A silver teapot steeping with signature Empress Blend tea was poured into exquisite Royal Doulton tea cups. This rich, coppery-gold blend tea incorporates Chinese, Kenyan, Indian and Ceylon components. A magnificent, silver tiered server was placed in the center of our table with the following mouth-watering delicacies.

Afternoon Tea at The Empress Menu

Fresh Seasonal Fruit with Chantilly Cream Warm Raisin Scones served with Strawberry preserves and Devonshire Cream

Finger-sized Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Mango and Curried Chicken Carrot and Ginger (cream cheese) Cucumber with light Horseradish Mayonnaise Multigrain Crostini topped with mixed Mushroom Pate, drizzled with Truffle Oil (open-faced)

Pastries
Battenburg-Vanilla and Chocolate Sponge Checkerboard wrapped in marzipan Chocolate Cake-Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Butter cream, topped with Ganache
Lemon Tart- Lemon Curd with Berry Garnish Earle Grey Tea Shortbread
Marble Chocolate Tulip- a cherry hidden under milk & white Chocolate in a Chocolate Tulip Cup

The Empress Tea Service costs $ 55.00(Canadian Dollars) plus 5% tax per person. Due to popular demand, reservations are often required one or two weeks in advance. Please remember that a “smart casual” dress code is enforced and allows for dressy jeans but no baseball caps, athletic wear, ripped jeans or beach sandals. Punctuality is recommended as reservations are only held for fifteen minutes.

High Tea at The Empress is one of life’s guilty pleasures that should be enjoyed at least once in a lifetime with a loved one, family or friends. Once you've finished your tea service, the servers will bring a complimentary canister of the "Empress Blend" tea for you to enjoy at home. Impressive!

The Empress opened her doors on January 20th, 1908 and has been serving high tea service ever since. Afternoon Tea is served daily, 365 days of the year. Reservations are required: locally (250)389-2727; within North America 1-800-257-7544 or www.fairmont.com

It was all Farrah! R.I.P. 1947-2009

Actress, model, sex symbol extraordinaire and Hollywood bombshell, Farrah Fawcett passed away today after a 3 -year battle with cancer. Born Farrah Leni Fawcett on February 2, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was just 62 years old.

And so we think of “the poster”. That iconic image of perhaps the most famous pin-up girl ever in a red bathing suit, brandishing a killer smile and that infamous mane of hair. Stirring the hormones, err… imagination ...of a countless number of males around the globe, Farrah’s iconic poster, which was released the same year as when she played Jill Munroe on the TV show Charlie's Angels, went on to sell a record 12 million copies making it one of the most famous pin-ups ever. Like many teenage boys at the time, I purchased one and it adorned my bedroom wall for several years. Yes, Farrah had made it big and ruled the 70’s.

When the photo was taken, Fawcett was still an unknown actress wanting a big brake into stardom. She hadn't yet signed on for her hit show Charlie's Angels but got some work doing commercials. Bruce McBroom, a freelance photographer, had worked with Farrah and wanted a bikini shot of the blond beauty. However, Farrah instead chose the now famous red one-piece swimsuit to cover a childhood scar on her stomach. Legend has it that Farrah used ice to enhance her prominent features, the photographer, McBroom, has always dispelled the rumor saying, "It was all Farrah,”

Farewell, Farrah. You came, You saw, and You conquered!

KODACHROME R.I.P.

Kodak announced today that after 74 years, KODACHROME slide film will no longer be manufactured. I used Kodachrome 25 & 64, and occasionally 200, extensively in my underwater photography right up until I made the the leap into digital SLR photography in 2004. Perhaps the best way to bid a fond adieu to this iconic slide film is to quote some lyrics from Paul Simon's hit song, KODACHROME.

Kodachrome

You give us those nice bright colors

You give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah!
I got a Nikon camera I love to take a photograph
So Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away

"Manifesto: Denouncing Discovery Communications for Victimizing Sharks for Profit"

Just helping to spread the word for a very worthwhile cause...

Since 1987, Discovery Channel has annually presented 'Shark Week.' This week-long series of programs featuring sharks claims to present facts about sharks, and its popularity has earned the company millions of dollars. In reality, Discovery uses sharks for the horror-show effect that draws a wide audience. Shark Week dramatizes shark attacks, blood and the animals' unusual dentition, to frighten viewers.

"We call for an International boycott of all of Shark Week's programs until Discovery Communications stops using sharks dishonestly for profit in horror shows, and starts presenting them as the important marine animals that they are, now in danger of extinction."

Please everyone sign the Manifesto, and pass on the link and information to your own friends and networks: "Manifesto: Denouncing Discovery Communications for Victimizing Sharks for Profit"

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Boycott-Shark-Week

Inspiring Photography Quotes

Below is a selection of inspiring photography quotes by famous photographers about the art of making photographs.

“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams

“Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk.” – Edward Weston

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.” – Ansel Adams

“When people ask what equipment I use - I tell them my eyes.” – Anonymous

“It's not the camera, but who's behind the camera.” – Anonymous

“Of course it's all luck.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

"Keep it simple." – Alfred Eisenstaedt

Amateurs talk about equipment. Professionals talk about photos. – Anonymous

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough." – Robert Capa

"I have discovered photography.
Now I can kill myself.
I have nothing else to learn." – Pablo Picasso

Healthy Oceans Need Sharks

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ~ Enviornmental Crusader

Whistler, British Columbia – Environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. brought his Environmental Sustainability Message to the 2009 BC Land Summit in Whistler (May 20-22). The Land Summit is an interdisciplinary conference organized by six professional organizations, all of which share ties to land use in British Columbia.

“You show me a polluter, I’ll show you a subsidy. I’ll show you a fat cat using political clout to escape the discipline of the free-market,” he said. Spontaneous applause erupted from the Whistler Convention Centre audience throughout Mr. Kennedy’s inspiring 1 ½ hour speech that disclosed the long-standing subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and a culture of crony capitalism that is standing in the way of a North American shift to alternative energy sources. Kennedy also commented, “As technology progresses and people move to solar and wind power, the economy will benefit. There’s no need for a trade-off between the environment and wealth.”

My wife and I felt privileged to be in attendance. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing some extremely important work with a view to saving and improving the environment for ours and future generations. To learn more about his noble efforts, check out his website.

www.robertfkennedyjr.com

International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association's Newest Member

Today, I was welcomed into the illustrious ranks of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association as a Regular Member.

Founded in 1956, the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) strives to be a gathering point and resource base for an active membership composed of professionals engaged in the food, wine and travel industries. The association's membership includes professionals in culinary arts and sciences, the wine growing and production industry, destination travel, and in the hotel and hospitality management industries.

Predators as Prey ~ a report from OCEANA

OCEANA is an international conservation organization that is focused 100% on protecting the world's oceans. They have posted on their website several reports related to the overall cause.

One in particular, "Predators as Prey", can be downloaded by following the link below...

http://oceana.org/north-america/publications/reports/

Save a shark, stop shark finning today!

Greatness Comes In Many Forms

In my lifetime, I’ve seen Bob Dylan croon Like a Rolling Stone, The Rolling Stones bump n’ grind to Brown Sugar, The Police turn out the red light with Roxanne, The Moody Blues perform Nights in White Satin, Neil Young singing Heart of Gold, Glen Campbell singing Wichita Lineman, Elton John trying to remember if they were green or blue in Your Song, Rare Earth mining the song Get Ready, Yes unleashing Roundabout, Neil Diamond bah, bah, bah Sweet Caroline, Gordon Lightfoot performing If You Could Read My Mind, J. Geils Band singing Give It To Me, Rod Stewart and the Faces drinking their way through Stay With Me, Van Halen wailing Ain’t Talking Bout Love, Bon Jovi Living On A Prayer, Alice Cooper singing I’m Eighteen, Paul Anka beseeching Diana to stay with him, Billy Idol punching his fists to Rebel Yell, Tony Bennett performing I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Eric Clapton playing Layla, Eric Burdon and the Animals doing House of the Rising Sun, The New York Dolls talking bout Trash, The B52’s grooving to Love Shack, Kiss shouting I Wanna Rock n’ Roll All Night, and I’ve stood in the Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, and watched The Preservation Hall Jazz Band play some spine tingling jazz, along with many more artists too numerous to mention who it could be said were at the top of their game.

Tonight, however, my wife and I were privileged to witness an unaccompanied live performance from a man sitting on a chair and cradling a cello in his arms. His instrument, named “Petunia”, is a vintage 1733 Montagnana cello from Venice. The cellist performing some musical selections of J.S.Bach at the Chan Centre for The Performing Arts this night was the incomparable Yo-Yo Ma, a French-born American cellist and winner of multiple Grammy Awards. It has been said that greatness comes in many forms. On this evening, Kathryn and I experienced greatness from the eighth row in a magnificent theatre. Transcendent bliss!

Jett Versus The Tiger Shark

It may not have been the biggest tiger shark in the water with us that day...but at approximately 12 feet long and weighing somewhere between 800 to 900 pounds... one would think it was entirely unsporting of the shark to chomp down on my underwater camera housing while I was still holding on to it. Somehow... I remained calm and managed to fend the shark off. I figured that in its frenzied state it mistook my camera housing for being a tuna head. Anyway... there was no way my life was going to end then and there. Not if I had any say in it. Quite simply... it was not to be. It was not my time.

Alex Mustard, one of the world's top underwater photographers was in the water with me that day and was about 15 feet away. It is a testament to his humanity that, despite possessing enormous photographic talent, he could not snap a picture of me vs the shark. Pity, as it would have made a great keepsake. The picture above is one of the shark just as it was about to open its mouth.

"I was next to Jett on the line.

Wow. That tiger shark that

grabbed his camera was big.
I didn't even take a shot of it.
I was quite worried for Jett...."

Alex Mustard
March 15, 2006
(Wetpixel Blog)

2009 B.C. ASSOCIATION of TRAVEL WRITERS' SYMPOSIUM

May 2, 2009: We attended the annual travel writers symposium at the Listel Hotel on Robson Street today. Apart from providing an opportunity to meet and mingle with fellow members of the BCATW, there were also attendees from other media & tourism organizations.

Featured guest speakers were Julie Ferguson, a successful freelance non-fiction writer for 40 years and a popular speaker at writers' conferences and renown photojournalist, Michael DeFreitas, who has published three travel guides and has written and illustrated hundreds of travel articles featuring over 60 countries.

My lovely wife, Kathryn, a writer who has her first yet to be published book lurking on her computer's hard drive, won the first door prize of the afternoon. I also won a later door prize (a spa visit to absolute spa group at the Century Plaza Hotel) which my wife will be enjoying, along with my mom. when I send them both there to be pampered and spoiled.