Search the Community

Have you been dreaming of Raja Ampat recently? Me too.So, I created a video DREAMING OF RAJA AMPAT to share our memories and dreams about the breathtaking Raja Ampat. In this video, I used footage from our two most recent trips to Raja Ampat. Both times we stayed at Sorido Bay Resort (Dampier Strait), which is our favorite dive resort. If you are interested in more technical details, please keep reading below. On the first trip I used a Sony A7Rii camera, Ikelite housing and Keldan Video lights 8X 11,000 Lumen CRI 92 (5400K). Sony A7Rii had some problems with autofocus and did not allow to set WB manually. On the second trip I used the following equipment: Camera: Sony camcorder HXR-NX80 Housing: Gates AX700 / Z90 with Gates GP34A Wide Angle Port and internal UR Pro Red Filter Diopters: SAGA +5 Diopter Achromatic Close-Up Macro Lens, and SAGA +10 Diopter Achromatic Close-Up Macro Lens Video Lights: Keldan Video 8X 11,000 Lumen CRI 92 (5400K) with Keldan Ambient Filter M1 (10-20m) for 4X/8X Camera Settings: 4K, 30 FPS, Picture Profile: BT709, and on several dives - HLG picture profile. For camera settings, I used recommendations from the following article : AX700-Z90-Housing-Recommended-Settings-R2.pdf HDR clips were converted to Rec.709 color space using the following two methods: 1 - FCPX HDR Tool HDR to Rec.709 SDR, 2 - Leeming Camera LUT Pro Sony A - HLG to Rec.709. For reasons I could not explain, FCPX HDR Tool worked better for some clips and Leeming Camera Lut worked better for other clips. Juan Miguel Núñez Arellano provided me invaluable guidance and mentoring in shooting and grading HLG footage. You could visit his website (http://wetpixel.es) to learn more about underwater videography in general and about using HLG in UW videography. Juan's videos could be found at the following YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JUANMONTEREY/featured

I am happy to share my latest video-interview with Max Ammer, the pioneer of diving in Raja Ampat, West Papua in Indonesia. About 30 years ago, Max came to Raja Ampat in a search of World War II relics. This is a story about how Max built the very first dive resort in Raja Ampat - Kri Eco Resort, and later - Sorido Bay Resort, about conservation efforts of Max and his partners, training local people and building the very first electrical boat in Raja Ampat. Video is shot with Sony NX80, and a few clips with Sony 7Rii. ENJOY. https://youtu.be/vcmAxOhLgEM

Raja Ampat season is coming to an end, so here is a short film celebrating some of the things that make it such an amazing place. The visibility may at times be challenging, but the scenery and wildlife is truly spectacular both above and below the waves. Altogether, I spent 7 trips in Raja Ampat aboard the Blue Manta liveaboard in 2017/2018. It's incredibly hard to try to condense that into 3 minutes, so my initial version was 6 minutes long. But most people's attention spans being what they are, here is a shorter edit. Hope you enjoy it! https://youtu.be/hUBSZQ-SphI Edit: Here is the 6 minute version as well:

I just posted a five-minute short video from a recent dive trip to Raja Ampat in West Papua, Indonesia onto my website. http://www.peterwalker.com/rajaampat.html I was only in Raja Ampat for 3 days to shoot a promo video for a dive resort (see below). But, even in that short time, I came across an amazing amount of marine life. Rather than squeeze in lots of quick snippets of the myriad of creatures, for this short video, I just edited down to a few of the more impressive or colourful fish. Raja Ampat really is a diver's paradise! (And, if you want to dive the northern area from a very comfortable resort, I can recommend the Raja Ampat Dive Lodge which is, not only in the midst of the sites, but also has an amazing dive under its own jetty) Regards Peter Shot with a GH4 in a Nauticam housing.

July 10-17, 2015 Join internationally published Lonely Planet author and Getty Images photographer TIM ROCK aboard the luxurious Damai 1 to go to West Papua's Cenderawasih Bay's incredible new marine park for whale sharks and cool endemics. This is good for couples or good diving buddies as currently we have ONLY 2 (two) spaces left available in our spacious Master Cabin. The week is July 10-17, 2015!!! We will start and leave from historic Biak, West Papua. This is a 7 day trip on the luxurious Damai One. Cost per person is $4025 Possible Itinerary: Day 1: Catalina Sea Plane, Padaido – Biak Rock Islands – The Cave & Salmon Point Day 2: Peninsular coastal sites to include Japanese Zero and some great Macro Days 3 & 4: Cendrawasih Bay and Whale Sharks – Open Deck 2 days Day 5: Tanjung Mangguar and Pojok Berwarna Sea Mount Day 6: Yappen Island – Tanjung Kelapa & Kebunku Day 7: Hanging Gardens, Rock Island Wall, Sea Fan Alley Read details here: http://www.guammicronesiadivetravel.com/travelblog1/?page_id=2133 Contact Tim at: timrock@doubleblue.com