- Inside Scuba
- Posts
- Inside Scuba Issue #45
Inside Scuba Issue #45
Andy Deitsch & Byron Conroy
October 19, 2025
Welcome to Issue #45 of Inside Scuba
Welcome to Issue #45 of Inside Scuba. In this edition, we're taking a critical look at the very thing that brings us all so much joy: dive travel. In our deep dive piece, we tackle the thorny issue of dive tourism's growing strain on the world’s most iconic sites, prompting us all to consider our own impact. Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan dive into the technical side of the craft with a guide to LCDs, viewfinders, and monitors for mirrorless cameras, and we share the secrets to creating dramatic, impactful black and white underwater images. Plus, don't miss our latest Video Highlight—a fascinating family snorkeling trip to find giant hellbender salamanders in the frigid waters of Appalachia.
If you find value in these newsletters, please do us a huge favor and share them! Word-of-mouth is the absolute best way we grow, and every new reader helps us keep exploring and publishing great content.
What’s happening in this edition?
When Dive Tourism Becomes Too Much: The Growing Strain on Our Favorite Sites
For most divers, including myself, travel is part of the attraction. We plan trips around places that promise something special: healthy reefs, unique marine life, or historical wrecks. Many of us have a list of destinations we dream of visiting, and when we finally get there, it feels like the reward for years of effort and investment. But the truth is, some of the most famous dive locations in the world are suffering from the very tourism that made them popular. Dive tourism has become one of the biggest contributors to both awareness and decline in fragile marine environments. The dive travel industry has grown quickly, and in some regions, the number of divers now exceeds what the local ecosystem can sustain.
The character of a site can change once it becomes a hotspot. New locations pop up from time to time, and the early years are often quiet and unspoiled. Then, exposure increases through social media, magazines, and word of mouth, and before long, boatloads of divers are arriving every day. The pattern repeats across the world: reefs damaged by contact, animals disturbed by overexposure, and local infrastructure unable to cope with the waste and traffic that tourism brings.
Before we begin, though, I need to make it very clear: I am part of the problem. I have dived all the world's hotspots—from new destinations to the most famous and over-dived areas—and in honesty, I will continue. I am tied in for life; I will always be an underwater photographer and as such will travel to the world's best sites. But what I will do is think about the way my personal diving impacts the area, and continue to take photos that endorse the marine environment.
Someone clearly out of control on the reef
The Great Barrier Reef: Physical Impact in High-Density Zones
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the clearest examples of how overuse can harm a site. It's vast, stretching over 2,300 kilometres (1,429 miles), but dive tourism tends to concentrate on a relatively small number of easily accessible sites near Cairns and the Whitsundays. These areas receive thousands of divers each year. Even with good intentions, that level of traffic leads to problems. Coral breakage from fins, hands, or gauges may seem minor on a single dive, but repeated daily over years, it causes visible wear.
In each issue of our newsletter, we will curate some top dive news from around the world. Links to each of the original articles are available.
Ocean Art: The 14th Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition is now accepting entries until the deadline of December 11th, 2025 (23:59 PST). Hosted by The Underwater Photography Guide, this prestigious competition is one of the world's largest, drawing photographers from amateur to professional levels across the globe. It features 14 categories to ensure fair competition across all photo disciplines and camera types, and offers over $60,000 in prizes from various sponsors. The winning images will form a stunning portfolio showcasing the best underwater photography of the year.
Fox 4 News (Dallas Fort Worth, Tx): “Crucial evidence 'lost' in scuba death investigation of North Texas 12-year-old, lawyer says. A Rockwall couple wants answers about why their 12-year-old daughter died during a scuba certification class. The incident happened nearly two months ago, and they still have little information about what happened. Many of the answers the family is looking for could be found in the dive computers worn by 12-year-old Dylan, her instructor, and the dive master. But their attorney has found the Kaufman County Sheriff's office has still not retrieved or analyzed that data and one of the computers has since been ‘lost.’“
The Telegraph: “How the King’s 70s scuba dive sparked his mission to save the oceans. The future King’s voyage to the Canadian Arctic in 1975 was a “formative experience” that helped shape his lifelong passion for the environment. During the visit, he braved an under-ice dive in freezing conditions before acting the joker by pretending to deflate as the air was let out of his voluminous scuba suit. Now, 50 years on, Steve Backshall, the explorer and TV presenter, has retraced the young prince’s steps in an effort to highlight the impact of climate change.”
Bird’s Head Seascape: “Raja Ampat Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve…finally! Many of you probably thought Raja Ampat was already a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve…now it’s official, finally.”
Divernet: “Dive industry mourns tech-diving icon Nancy Easterbrook. The dive industry, particularly the technical fraternity, are mourning the passing of technical-diving pioneer Nancy Easterbrook, who sadly died this morning. Nancy got hooked on diving back in 1973 and it became her true passion, so much so that she moved with her two children, Brandee and Walker, to the Cayman Islands in 1994. She was a force of nature who, when she started Divetech on Grand Cayman, created what many fondly look back on as the epitome of what a top-notch dive centre should be, and something that centres throughout the Caribbean, and beyond, sought to emulate.”
BBC: “Death of diver hit by propeller 'could have been avoided'. The death of a diver who was struck by a boat's propeller off Orkney could have been avoided with "basic watchkeeping", investigators have said. Paul Smith, 70, from Greater Manchester, was diving at the wreck of German battleship SMS Markgraf in Scapa Flow in 2023 when the accident happened. A Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) report said he had been diving from the Jean Elaine, and was struck by the rotating propeller of the Karin, another dive workboat.”
Divernet: “Shark Trust seeks divers’ help in Indian Ocean. UK-based conservation charity the Shark Trust hopes to enlist divers’ support as it expands the reach of its Oceanics Programme to champion sharks in the Indian Ocean – a hotspot nowadays for shark fisheries.”
New York Times: “Faulty Engineering Among Causes of Titan Submersible Implosion, N.T.S.B. Concludes. Federal investigators blamed experimental designs, undetected damage and construction flaws for the death of all five people aboard the submersible headed to the Titanic wreckage.”
Daiji World: “Indian Air Force & Coast Guard complete joint scuba diving expedition in Goa. A joint scuba diving expedition by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Coast Guard concluded in Goa on Wednesday, showcasing strong inter-service collaboration and a shared commitment to marine conservation. The week-long mission, titled “Forging Bonds Beneath the Waves,” was ceremonially flagged in by Air Vice Marshal Manish Khullar, ACAS (Org & Cer), marking the successful completion of the venture.”
Dive Magazine: “Lookout failure and improper DSMB use caused Scapa diver’s death – MAIB. The 2023 death of an experienced diver killed by a boat strike was likely caused by the boat captain’s failure to post a proper lookout, and improper use of a delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) by the diver himself, according to a report by the UK government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).”
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 Winners
The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) competition, run by the Natural History Museum in London, typically delivers a portfolio that is as breathtaking as it is urgent. While the 2025 contest's overall winner captured a ghostly brown hyena in a Namibian ghost town. The winners, selected from a record-breaking 60,636 submissions, highlight the incredible beauty and the pressing threats facing marine life. The aquatic entries—from the dedicated 'Underwater Images' category and others—were a bit disappointing this year. Let us know what you think.
The Winning Glimpse: A Future in a Purse
The top prize in the Underwater Images category was awarded to US photographer Ralph Pace for his photograph, Survival Purse. The image features a backlit swell shark eggcase—often called a mermaid’s purse—tethered to the base of a giant kelp stalk in California’s Monterey Bay.
Ralph Pace / Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Location: Monterey Bay, California, USA. Nikon D850 + 28–70mm f3.5–4.5 lens; 1/125 at f14; ISO 640; Nauticam housing; 2x Sea & Sea strobes
Faced with strong currents pushing him from side to side, Ralph struggled to keep steady to photograph this egg case, or ‘mermaid’s purse’. He lit the case from behind to reveal the swell shark embryo within, its gill slits and yolk sac clearly visible among the dark kelp forest. Researchers estimate that kelp forests in Monterey Bay have declined by more than 95 per cent over the past 34 years. Swell sharks depend on kelp to lay their leathery eggs, making them especially vulnerable to such losses.
LCDs, Viewfinders, and Monitors: Our Take
By Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan
In this episode of The Underwater Photography Show, Alex Mustard and Matthew Sullivan dive into the pros and cons of LCDs, viewfinders, and external monitors for underwater photography. The ability to choose between these three options is a major advantage of mirrorless cameras, as they all provide a live, up-to-the-minute view of what the lens is capturing. The choice really comes down to which viewing position offers the best ergonomics for your shooting style and subject matter.
One of us (Alex) prefers using an electronic viewfinder (EVF), while the other (Matthew) has recently transitioned to an external monitor. However, we both agree that the LCD screen is often underrated. A major benefit of using the LCD is that it doesn't require an expensive accessory to get the most out of it. We've found that having the ability to angle the LCD screen slightly back towards you makes for a more comfortable shooting experience, but not all housings offer this flexibility. If you plan to use the LCD as your primary way of framing shots, it's a good idea to check what kind of angling flexibility the housing provides. The main drawback of angling the screen is that it can be a bit awkward when shooting vertical shots [1:16].
Large optical viewfinders combined with a bright EVF give an excellent view and a comfortable angle.
For years, Alex resisted mirrorless cameras because of the EVF, but now it's his preferred viewing method due to the advancements in technology. He particularly likes using an EVF with an angled viewfinder, as it creates a bright, cinematic view through a shaded eyepiece, which helps him concentrate on the details. The EVF also allows you to adjust the view to your eyesight and provides a consistent view for shooting, reviewing images, and navigating menus. Alex also likes the traditional feel of using an EVF, which he says inspires him and suits his shooting style. When he does use his LCD, he keeps it flat against the camera body, especially for shots where the camera is further away from him…
Shooting with Intent: Your Guide to Dramatic Black and White Underwater Images
There is one major reason I'm not a huge fan of the vast majority of black and white underwater photography: people are usually converting poorly taken color images to black and white in order to save them. This bastardizing of black and white photography as an art form has led to the hobby being filled with a plethora of bad photos. But, if you can fight through some of the images we see posted, there is still an awful lot of value in a great shot, and it's a skill well worth having in your arsenal. If you can master the art, then you will be able to stand out from the crowd.
Black and white photography has a timeless appeal; stripping away color allows texture, contrast, and mood to come forward in a way that color images often struggle to match. Underwater photographers have embraced black and white from the earliest days of the hobby, long before digital sensors and editing software made it easy. Today, we can revisit that tradition with modern tools and a more deliberate creative approach, producing images that feel both classic and fresh.
A strong Black and White image is a powerful tool in your portfolio
The History of Black and White Underwater
The roots of underwater black and white photography reach back to the very beginning of the art. In the 1940s and 1950s, pioneers such as Hans Hass and Jacques Cousteau were working with cameras that could not effectively capture color film underwater. Their early explorations of reefs and wrecks were recorded in monochrome because it was the only practical option. These images, grainy and dramatic, captured the mystery of the underwater world and set the stage for generations of photographers. Even when color film improved and strobes became available, many shooters continued to prefer black and white for its ability to create a strong emotional impact. Looking at those early photographs today, you can see the power of simplicity. They remind us that composition and light matter more than technology.
Our Video of the Week comes from Joseph Ricketts. Ever wonder what it's like to snorkel in the frigid, rushing waters of the Appalachian mountains? Underwater photographer Joseph Ricketts takes you on a fascinating, once-a-year family trek to the Blue Ridge mountains to find one of nature's most elusive—and largest—salamanders: the hellbender. You never know what you'll find, but over the course of four days, Ricketts' camera captured some truly awesome underwater action.
Summary
That wraps up Issue #45. From the critical discussions around over-tourism to the creative challenge of black and white photography, and the unexpected beauty of a giant salamander in a mountain river, we hope this edition has given you plenty to think about. As always, thank you for being a part of the Inside Scuba community. We encourage you to share this newsletter with a fellow diver or photographer, and we'll see you again next time for another deep dive into the underwater world.
Andy & Byron
Reply