gavinparsons

I have started a new regular blog entry entitled 'behind the picture'. I take a look at some of my personal favouite images and give the details around how the shot came about.

The first one is a whaleshark image. They won't all be underwater shots as I shoot on land as well, but they should all, hopefully, be interesting and enjoyable to read. I endeavour to get a new one up each week on a Monday monring.

They are not really designed to be technical pieces with lens choce, aperture and shutter speeds etc, but more of a look at how shots fall into place in front of and behind the camera. If there's a damand for the technical side though I'm happy to put it in.

Let me know what you think. The first one is at: h2oimages.wordpress.com

An interview I did with South African and BBC behind the scenes man Mark Addison appears in the new issue of Diver Magazine here in the UK. Mark is a great guy, I've known him for a while and was only too pleased to interview him.

UK based photojournalist Gavin Parsons is organising an escorted trip with African Space to South Africa in April 2013. The aim is to see and photograph as much as we can while travelling down the east coast and there is an extension available to photograph seven gill sharks, fur seals and great whites in Cape Town as well.

This is a trip designed by a professional photographer to give you opportunities you don't usually get on a general holiday.

The trip will start in Sodwana Bay looking for mantas, whalesharks, dolphins and critters (plus big shoals of snappers), and then head inland for a few days to try and find rare black rhino Diceros bicornis, elephant and some African bush life.

From there we head to Aliwal Shoal to photograph sharks (black tips Carcharhinus limbatus, tigers Galeocerdo cuvier and raggies Carcharias taurus are all found here during the time of the trip). Plus there's a good chance to see Brindle Bass as well.

The optional (but highly recommended) extension takes us to the cool waters of Cape Town, one of Africa's most vibrant cities. Here we will dive in shallow water to find the incredible broadnose seven gill shark Notorynchus cepedianus, plus swim with playful and graceful Cape fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus and finish with a Great White Carcharodon carcharias encounter. All that under the watchful gaze of Table Mountain and surrounded by the sophistication of Cape Town.

We'll have a dedicated driver/guide, plus we'll use some great dive guides including Mark Addison (who gets the BBC into all the right places in SA).

In the evenings there will be workshops (star photography, Photoshop masterclass, plus any ad-hoc ones that may crop up) talks and discussions. The idea is to share as much photographic knowledge as possible.

Full details of the trip are on my website or on African Space's website africanspace.co.uk/diving/sharks-through-a-lens-with-gavin-parsons/

I have a pretty extensive feature on South African diving in Diver (UK) magazine this month. plus I think you can also win the trip I did at the Dive show in October.

UK based divers can read my interview with an truly inspirational man in Diver magazine this month. John Parmitter is in his 80s, was disabled by Polio in his teens and still loves to dive. I hope the interview gets across how much of a great man and a true inspiration is is.

I think Diver is available as a digital download for anyone overseas who would like to read it.