A COTTON THOUGHT

A Cotton Photo Sailfish & Bull Shark Photo Trip

2012-01-24T10:12:00.002-06:00

We had a great time diving with bull sharks and sailfish in Mexico this January and are looking forward to our trip back in February 2013. If you'd like details about how you can join us on this upcoming trip please visit our events page at A COTTON PHOTO on FACEBOOK

Krystal Blue International

2012-01-05T15:14:00.003-06:00

I have to say, I was very excited when Valerie Graham, founder of Krystal Blue International approached me to ask if A COTTON PHOTO would like to work with her amazing company. Krystal Blue International's philosophy:

"Krystal Blue feels strongly that we must all do our part to “Be Blue”, preserve our waters for future generations and leave a smaller footprint on this great earth we share. We know that you do too. Together we can do great things and contribute enormously to preserving our earth. But it all starts with water - our oceans, our rivers, our seas. Join Krystal Blue on this journey, help us save our marine animals from extinction, help us maintain our drinking water supply, help us preserve our aquatic eco system and in turn save all of mankind.

Join Krystal Blue on this journey, help us save our marine animals from extinction, help us maintain our drinking water supply, help us preserve our aquatic eco system and in turn save all of mankind. Join Krystal Blue on this journey, help us save our marine animals from extinction, help us maintain our drinking water supply, help us preserve our aquatic eco system and in turn save all of mankind. Join Krystal Blue on this journey, help us save our marine animals from extinction, help us maintain our drinking water supply, help us preserve our aquatic eco system and in turn save all of mankind.

Purchase “Something Beautiful” from our unique selection in Everything Beautiful. We take care of donating 5% to aquatic ecosystem preservation for you. All you have to do is attend one of our fabulous events or purchase something from our unique selection on our website, including professional skincare, jewelry, fashion, photography and gift items."

To learn more about this great company visit their website at Krystal Blue International

2012 Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T14:16:00.003-06:00

As we make our way into 2012 we'd like to wish everyone out there a safe and happy new year! 2011 was full of surprises, twists and turns in a crazy ride, joys, sorrows and lots of growth for us here at A COTTON PHOTO. Exiting 2011 we wouldn't have had things any other way this year, as everything turned out for the best and we now find ourselves surrounded by a truly amazing group of friends, family and INCREDIBLE PEOPLE!

Removing the 'trash' (there really isn't any better description when talking about certain experiences, people and situations) and making room for the treasures the universe has gifted us has allowed an amazing schedule of events, people and experiences on the horizon for us here at A COTTON PHOTO in 2012 and beyond! So here's to new beginnings, tons of sharks, beautiful friends and amazing moments!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Scuba Diver Girls "Water Women"

2011-11-10T07:34:00.003-06:00

Check out Scuba Diver Girls new section "Water Women, their new blog section dedicated especially to women who's passions for the ocean should not be ignored! Check it out and watch for more". I'm thrilled to be featured on the list.

SCUBA DIVER GIRLS "WATER WOMEN"

We Don't Want To Hurt You: The Shark Song

2011-10-24T11:59:00.001-05:00

Written and filmed by a seven year old little girl, who decided to make this video to help spread a message about sharks she felt was very important for everyone to hear.

On The Night You Were Born

2011-10-15T11:49:00.005-05:00

There are few things in life more awe-inspiring than the birth of a child. Author Nancy Tillman capture this joyous event perfectly in her book "On The Night You Were Born". We here at A COTTON PHOTO have been surrounded by friends and family celebrating this monumental time in their lives (ten babies born to the cave diver community over the last year) and we thought it was the perfect time to share these beautiful words from Tillman, because not all of our inspiration comes from the ocean.

On The Night You Were Born
by Nancy Tillman

"On the night you were born,
The moon smiled with such wonder
That the stars peeked in to see you
And the night wind whispered,
“Life will never be the same.”
Because there had never been anyone like you…ever in the world.
So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain
That they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.
It sailed through the farmland
High on the breeze…
Over the ocean…
And through the trees…
Until everyone heard it
And everyone knew
Of the one and only ever you.
Not once had there been such eyes,
Such a nose,
Such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.
When the polar bears heard,
They danced until dawn.
From faraway places,
The geese flew home.
The moon stayed up until
Morning next day.
And none of the ladybugs flew away.
So whenever you doubt just how special you are
And you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,
Listen for geese honking high in the sky.
(They’re singing a song to remember you by.)
Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
(It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!)
Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
(Listen closely…it’s whispering your name again!)
If the moon stays up until morning one day,
Or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,
Or a little bird sits at your window awhile,
It’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile…
For never before in story or rhyme
(not even once upon a time)
Has the world ever known a you, my friend,
And it never will, not ever again…
Heaven blew every trumpet
And played every horn
On the wonderful, marvelous
Night you were born."

"Underground, Underwater" NACD Journal

2011-10-04T13:49:00.003-05:00

Photo Essay "Underground, Underwater" by Amanda Cotton published in the latest National Association For Cave Diving NACD Journal. I'd like to thank the Journal for their wonderfully kinds words that accompanied the essay.

WIE Symposium 2011 Sept 18th & 19th

2011-09-13T10:04:00.002-05:00

To Entrepreneurially Minded Women: New York Welcomes You!

June Sarpong, one of the most recognizable faces of British television (she even co-hosted Nelson Mandela’s 90’th birthday party), and Dee Poku, former head of international marketing at Paramount Pictures, have one thing on their minds: empowering women.

They pulled together some of the biggest names in media and started the Women: Inspiration and Enterprise conference in New York last year, and are gearing up for a second conference in September. All proceeds from the WIE Symposium benefit the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

WIE Symposium 2011, four days of empowerment, inspiration and change making. WIE 2011 is bigger and more dynamic than ever and will again feature the wonderful Sarah Brown, Donna Karan and Arianna Huffington as hosts. Our diverse range of speakers come from the worlds of business, fashion, media, philanthropy and politics.

To learn more and to purchase tickets please visit WIE Symposium

Blue Ocean Institute's Annual Benefit

2011-09-12T18:51:00.010-05:00

We are honored to donate work to the Blue Ocean Institute's Annual Benefit taking place next month. The benefit will honor Sven-Olof Lindblad, Founder of Lindblad Expeditions. The gala will raise funds for Blue Ocean's ongoing efforts to bring awareness to ocean issues, inspire solutions and a deeper connection with nature.

Blue Ocean Institute 2011 Gala Benefit

Gala guests will have the opportunity to bid on a variety of one-of-a-kind artwork, fabulous trips, jewelry, and unique furniture in the silent and live auctions. Save the date for Blue Ocean Institute's Annual Benefit, October 4, 2011. The cocktail reception and "by the bite dinner" will begin at 6:00pm at The Lighthouse, Pier 61, New York, NY.

See a Sneak Peek of auction items

For more information, please contact:

Hospitality Resource Group, Inc.
Phone: (914) 761-7111
Email: cleo@hrginc.net
or contact Blue Ocean Institute directly:
Phone: (631) 659-3746
Email: info@blueocean.org

A COTTON PHOTO Oceanic Shark Photography Expedition

2011-09-03T13:03:00.005-05:00

A COTTON PHOTO Oceanic Whitetip Shark Photography Expedition
Sunday, May 6, 2012 through Saturday, May 12, 2012
Location : Cat Island, Bahamas

We are very excited about our upcoming Oceanic Whitetip Shark Photography Expedition happening May 2012. We have quite a few surprises in store for everyone on this amazing trip, more details on those coming very soon. This is going to be one trip you're not going to want to miss.

Diving:
Our primary focus will be Oceanic Whitetip Sharks, but we often encounter many other species of sharks including caribbean reef, nurse, lemon, bull, blue, silky, and tiger sharks.

Trip includes an optional underwater photography course with professional photographer Amanda Cotton, open to all skill levels from point and shoots to advanced shooters.

For more information on this trip email us at:

info@acottonphoto.com

"Beauty Of Sharks" Exhibition: Hong Kong

2011-09-01T16:46:00.007-05:00

As part of Ocean Geographic's 1000KidsOneMessage initiative, Elizabeth Quat, the Founding President of Energy Saving & Environment Concern Alliance, kicked off “Beauty of Sharks” and Antarctic photo exhibition on July 10th, at Olympian City HK, featuring images contributed by David Doubilet, Amos Nachoum, Chris and Monique Fallows, Amanda Cotton, Brian Skerry, Doug Perrine, Henry Yip and Michael AW. This two month long exhibition will be moved to 8 various shopping malls throughout Hong Kong, raising public awareness of sharks and ocean conservation.

X-Ray Magazine Press Release

To learn more please visit the following websites:

www.OceanGeographic.org

www.1000KidsOneMessage.org

http://energysaving.hk/

2011 International Photography Awards Announces Winners of the Competition

2011-08-26T09:27:00.007-05:00

Press Release:
*Amanda Cotton was Awarded: 3rd place in Nature - Underwater category for the winning entry "Sailfish On The Hunt"

*Amanda Cotton was awarded an Honorable Mention in Nature - Wildlife category for the winning entry "Feeding Whale Shark"

About Winner:
Amanda Cotton, Professional Photographer specializing in underwater and travel imagery. As an avid scuba diver and dive instructor, my goal is to help the general public embrace the beauty below the waves, in hopes that with awareness comes concern. The conservation and preservation of this ecosystem is of the highest priority to me. While I enjoy owning and operating a conservation minded design/media company A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works, LLC, I am thrilled to be working with other like-minded organizations that truly care about our planet and ALL of it's inhabitants. I am quite honored to have been the recipient of many awards including several from the International Photographers Awards (IPA), Celebrate The Sea, Underwater Photography Annual Awards, and many others. Currently I write for Ocean Geographic Magazine covering environmental and marine conservation issues and am Gallery Editor for Shark Savers, a non profit shark conservation organization dedicated to bringing awareness, education and action toward protecting one of the oceans most misunderstood animals, the shark.

About IPA:
The International Photography Awards is a sister-effort of the Lucie Foundation, where the top three winners are announced at the annual Lucie Awards ceremony. The awards event will be held at the Lincoln Center in New York on October 24, 2011, before returning to Los Angeles in 2012 in celebration of the 10-year anniversary. Over 8,000 submissions from 90 countries were received for the 2011 International Photography Awards with over 70 jurors, the largest to date. The Foundation's mission is to honor master photographers, discover new and emerging talent, and promote the appreciation of photography. IPA is dedicated to recognizing contemporary photographers' accomplishments in this specialized and highly visible competition. Visit www.photoawards.com for more details.

Contact:
Amanda Cotton:
amanda@acottonphoto.com
http://acottonphoto.com

IPA Contact

Jade Tran
Competition Director
International Photography Awards
jtran@iawardsinc.com

A COTTON PHOTO Manatee Snorkel Trip

2011-08-02T12:56:00.008-05:00

Join A COTTON PHOTO's
Amanda Cotton and crew as we swim with Florida's gentle giants, the Florida Manatee. This is our fourth year taking a group out to swim with "sea cows" and we can't wait to get back in the water with them, it's always a great time for everyone. Crystal River is a perfect place to enjoy these interactions and provides a beautiful backdrop for underwater photography.

Location: Crystal River, Florida
Dates: January 24th - 27th 2012

This is an all snorkel experience in shallow water (average depth 5 to 20 feet) open to the entire family. Minimum age recommended is 6 years old.

Trip includes:
2 days of diving on private charter (8 divers max per boat)
3 nights hotel accommodations

Learn more about Crystal River's Florida Manatees in Amanda Cotton's article "Gentle Giants of Crystal River" published in the magazine Beyond Blue. Beyond Blue Issue 9

For further details please contact us at info@acottonphoto.com

"Children and Sharks" Part Two: Blue Shark Encounter for Thirteen Year Old

2011-07-25T14:11:00.012-05:00

In an effort to effectively challenge the current mindset of so many in the general public in regards to sharks, A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works has begun a new media series titled "Children and Sharks". By sharing our experiences of introducing children to this magical world through video and still imagery of their encounters we hope to help showcase a different side to this highly misunderstood creature while creating brand new ocean warriors.

PART TWO: BLUE SHARKS OF RHODE ISLAND with THIRTEEN YEAR OLD

"Children and Sharks" last encounter took place in Rhode Island, USA as we brought an incredible young lady (age 13) out to dive with the blue sharks that inhabit these waters. It was an absolute thrill to watch her as she encountered these beauties for the first time. Blue sharks, like many other species of shark cannot live in captive environments and therefore the only place for interactions like this is in the wild. Everyone on the boat was in awe of her maturity, grace and composure in the water.

With safety divers positioned around her during her dives, we watched as she swam for hours in the water with the sharks. This young lady was amazing, lasting longer in the water than many of the adults on the trip. I have never seen someone more absorbed in the experience and the sharks than her. Upon exiting the water after each dive the first words out of her mouth were, "When can I get back in?"

...and a new shark lover is born.

ACP would like to extend a huge thank you to Brian Raymond of Blue and Mako Shark Expeditions and Joe Romeiro for making this experience possible; as well as to Vincent Canabal and Debra Canabal who did an incredible job working as safety divers for this experience.

If you would like to participate in our "Children and Sharks" Media Series please contact us at info@acottonphoto.com, or to learn more visit us at A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works on FACEBOOK

Beyond Blue: The Disaster Issue

2011-07-06T18:55:00.005-05:00

Issue 12 of Beyond Blue: The Disaster Issue looks at the "disasters that have ravaged our oceans, and the harm still occurring from our over-zealous harvesting of oceanic wares." Amanda Cotton's work graces the cover of this just released issue, along with her accompanying portfolio portraying the negative impacts humans and natural disasters are having on our oceans.

Contributors Deb Castellana, Mike Markovina, Amanda Cotton, Michelle Ainslie, Barbara Laesser, Amanda Barratt, Michael Reynolds, Kimberley Lowe, Lucinda Farmery, Jordan Aria Housiaux, and Kristin Walovich delve into topics ranging from over harvesting of the oceans to revisiting the Deep Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Beyond Blue is an action packed magazine focusing on marine research, conservation, and exploration projects being conducted around the world represented by a unique fusion of marine scientists and environmental journalists. It is the official magazine of Oceans Society; a non-profit organization dedicated to helping budding researchers and conservationists find funding and support for projects and expeditions. A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works was honored to contribute to this very important magazine issue.

Huge Victory For Bahamian Sharks

2011-07-01T16:49:00.010-05:00

Wonderful news from the Bahamas today; in response to a shark ban petition sent out by the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) that collected 5,000 signatures, the Bahamian government has chosen to support regulations protecting sharks in their waters. "The government has agreed to amend the fisheries legislation to prohibit the export of sharks from The Bahamas as a result of the petition and advocacy of the Bahamas National Trust,” Environment Minister Earl Deveaux announced yesterday.

Trust representatives visited different islands within the Bahamas in an effort to collect signatures of locals who supported an increase in protection. During the BNT's visit to Cat Island owners of Epic Diving, Vincent and Debra Canabal, who run a dive operation that offers shark diving trips in the waters off Cat Island worked closely with Bahamas National Trust Education Officer, Shelley Cant to raise awareness throughout the local community. "It was an honor for Epic Diving to work with the Bahamas National Trust. We gathered as many Cat Islanders as we could to a town meeting to sign the Protect The Sharks of the Bahamas petition. We had a great turnout and many of the locals were eager to learn more about sharks. Many people had questions about how important sharks are not only to the marine ecosystem, but also the economic impact of their removal. We collected a ton of signatures that were turned into Parliament in support of legislation that would ban the sale and exportation of any shark or shark product within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas," Debra Canabal shared in a recent posting on their website.

This is a huge victory for Bahamian sharks and a wonderful step in the right direction for stronger protection of sharks worldwide. Big kudos to the Bahamas National Trust, the organizations and companies that supported this action, as well as the 5,000 people of the Bahamas who decided to get involved and signed the petition.

Images below from the town meeting held the first week of June on Cat Island to collect signatures for the Protect The Sharks of the Bahamas petition courtesy Epic Diving.

Children and Sharks: An A COTTON PHOTO Media Series

2011-06-30T11:50:00.003-05:00

In an effort to effectively challenge the current mindset of so many in the general public in regards to sharks, A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works has begun a new media series titled "Children and Sharks". By sharing our experiences of introducing children to this magical world through video and still imagery of their encounters, we hope to help showcase a different side to this highly misunderstood creature while creating brand new ocean warriors.

"Children and Sharks" last encounter took place in Isla Mujeres, Mexico as we brought a beautiful little seven year old girl out to meet the whale sharks of Mexico. It was a thrilling time for all of us on the boat. We had the pleasure of spending two days in the water shooting as she swam with whale sharks in the wild. This experience proved to be an incredible one, not only for her, but for us as well. We are so thankful that we could share these treasures of the ocean with her and know that giving children opportunities like this will ensure their love for the oceans and help create a new generation of ocean warriors.

Video from ACP's "Children and Sharks" whale shark encounter...

Our series will continue to share amazing encounters between young ocean warriors and different species of sharks throughout the world. Next stop on our list of locations is Rhode Island where we will be introducing a very special thirteen year old to the blue and mako sharks that call these New England waters home.

Updated imagery from the series "Children and Sharks" can be found HERE

World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2011

2011-06-28T15:36:00.005-05:00

"The oceans provide an irreplaceable resource to humankind which must be protected and managed into the future. The impact of changes in biodiversity as a result of direct and indirect human impact must be fully considered.

Taking place September 26-30, 2011, in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK) the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity has the overall aim of bringing together scientists, practitioners and the public to discuss and advance our understanding of the issues surrounding the importance of biodiversity in the marine environment. The conference will address issues of marine biodiversity across a deliberately wide range of relevant spheres and interacting topics.

More specifically the conference aims to:
-Review our knowledge of marine biodiversity and its role in marine ecosystem functioning
-Assess the most critical threats to marine systems and consider management strategies
-Discuss sustainable development and socio-economic impacts on the marine sector
-Identify future research priorities
-The conference will be aimed at the widest possible groups of participants stakeholders from academics to industry and include elements specifically targeted at the public and school children.

For more information and to be included on the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity Mailing list please email marine-biodiversity@abdn.ac.uk including your name and organisation indicating if you are interested as a delegate or an exhibitor."-WCMB website

Marine Biodiversity 2011 World Conference Website

Young Ocean Warrior Meets Whale Sharks

2011-06-21T17:23:00.009-05:00

We had the pleasure of spending two days in the water shooting one extraordinary seven year old while she swam with whale sharks in the wild. This experience proved to be an incredible one, not only for her, but for us as well. We are so thankful that we could share these treasures of the ocean with her and know that giving children opportunities like this will ensure their love for the oceans and help create a new generation of ocean warriors.

Video footage courtesy: Carlos Estrabeau
Images by: Amanda Cotton and Santiago Zurbia

A huge thank you to Rodrigo Friscone of Solo Buceo for providing a fantastic crew, boat and experience.

1000 Kids, One Message Event

2011-06-11T11:15:00.004-05:00

AN OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC INITIATIVE

"1000 Kids, One Message is a world leader in presenting a sustainable event dedicated to shark conservation and extensive environmental initiatives and awards. A non-profit awareness initiative driven by Ocean Geographic Society, attendees will be privy to a string of very family friendly programs currently billed to fill this unique day. The event will be held at Hong Kong's Cyberport, a creative digital community best selected for this special intervention. 9 July, 2011 will see 1000 kids gathered at this prestigious location to voice the pledge, "I am the future, I won't eat shark fins". The spectacle will be filmed and broadcast live on this website and distributed on YouTube.

The underlying positioning of this project is clear – Children are the future. They are technological savvy, communicative and coherent to make important decisions for the preservation of our planet. That is why we are sounding the call to all children around the world to step up as the next generation of young ambassadors for sharks. By turning up for this event, children attendees will be officially named Shark Ambassador by the members of Ocean Geographic Society.

Over 70 million sharks are culled each year for shark's fin soup and shark related products. This is indisputably unsustainable. Sharks are already regionally extinct in South-East Asia waters. As more than 50% of the shark's fin world trade are consumed in Hong Kong, evidently, it is the ground zero for saving sharks. By supporting this project, not only are you supporting a generation of foresighted children, but also the conservation of the quality of our ocean environment. Sharks are the cheetahs and lions of the ocean; without them the ocean will collapse. We need to preserve the sharks and whales for the wellbeing of the future generation." -excerpt from 1000 Kids, One Message website

THE MISSION: The mission of the 1000 Kids, One Message project is to convene 1000 children from ages 6 to 18 years on 9 July 2011 at one location (Cyberport Hong Kong) for the ‘I don’t eat shark fins’ pledge.

OBJECTIVE: By encouraging children in Hong Kong to refrain from shark fins, we aim to produce a new generation of non-shark fins consumer.

EVENT INFORMATION: On 9 July, 2011, we call upon 1000 kids to convene at Hong Kong's Cyberport for a very important mission. We are calling for children with the initative and passion to help save sharks from extinction. Together with international and local celebrities, luminaries and politicians, we shall make the "I am the future... I won't eat shark fins" pledge!

SUPPORTING NGOs:
OceanNEnvironment
WWF Hong Kong
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation
Shark Savers
Shark Alliance
Hong Kong Sharks Foundation
Shark Research Institute

For more information; 1000Kids, One Message Website

Where is Away: Solving Plastic Pollution in 4 minutes

2011-05-20T08:40:00.001-05:00

A Cotton Photo Oceanic Photo Expedition

2011-05-19T09:32:00.010-05:00

We've just returned from our Oceanic Whitetip Photo Expedition on Cat Island in the Bahamas and are pleased to share that it was a huge success. Shooters from across the globe joined us for this action-packed week of diving, shooting, learning and fun! Cat Island shared her treasures with us all week long as we encountered a vast array of shark species including reef, lemon, nurse and oceanic. We had several lengthy encounters with oceanics at the infamous Charlene's Reef dive site which allowed for numerous photographic opportunities for our guests.

It was a treat to work with operators Vincent and Debra Canabal of Epic Diving during our time on Cat Island; both Debra and Vincent are devoted conservationists and outspoken proponents of responsible shark diving. Debra is currently working on a research project with the oceanics of Cat Island in hopes of increasing protection for these sharks in the Bahamian waters.

We'd also like to extend a huge thank you to Carlos Estrabeau, who worked as our safety diver during our dives. His hard work and dedication to the comfort and needs of, not only the expedition's guest, but to the sharks themselves, made for an incredible week of amazing encounters.

We've already begun booking spots for next year's expedition. To learn more information contact us at info@acottonphoto.com and/or stay tuned at A COTTON PHOTO ON FACEBOOK for further details.

The Fin Trail

2011-04-15T09:55:00.003-05:00

The Fin Trail

"The fact that sharks are facing extinction to satisfy the demand for soup is becoming well known. But how do the fins reach the markets? Who is making the money? How much money is being made? When and where is shark finning legal, and when is it illegal? And should we care?

The Fin Trail will follow this trade from beginning to end and will travel the world in search of the answers. We will track down the profiteers and gangsters behind the business that is pushing a group of animals towards extinction. We will calculate their profits – in effect the price of extinction – and will smoke out the corrupt officials turning a blind eye to what is happening. We will try to find out to what extent governments across the world are colluding in the extermination of one of the oldest inhabitants of our planet. And we will meet the conservationists around the globe who are fighting a rearguard action against the slaughter.

The unique shark filmmaking partnership of Steve Bowes, Richard Peirce and Simon Spear, will lay bare The Fin Trail. Stunning imagery of sharks in their natural environment will balance graphic footage showing the cruel brutality of the fin trade. The film will name, shame, pull no punches and will unmask those who would rather stay in the shadows. The Fin Trail will leave audiences in no doubt about who is guilty and who is innocent and at the same time will celebrate the efforts of those around the world who are involved in the battle to save the kings of the ocean.

This will be an international documentary for an international market and will be the most revealing and hardest hitting shark film ever made. " - (excerpt from thefintrail.com)

Learn more about this project at: www.thefintrail.com

Oceanics of Cat Island

2011-03-15T12:42:00.007-05:00

We're getting ready to head back to Cat Island, Bahamas in search of the beautiful and bold oceanic whitetip shark. If you're interested in joining us in early May please visit: EPIC DIVING

Last season was a blast. We had a great group of people, amazing encounters with a wide variety of sharks and memories that will last a lifetime.

Epic Diving has a new boat starting this season. Check out images of it below. Looks like it's going to be a dream to dive off of!

Shark Finning; How You Can Help Stop It

2011-02-10T17:10:00.002-06:00

An undercover look at the incredibly destructive trade of shark finning from Animal Planet. Millions of sharks are killed every year and their fins sold due to the demands for shark fin soup. Completely losing sharks from our oceans will be devastating.

YOU CAN HELP!! Please check out the site STOPSHARKFINNING.NET, it's a great resource loaded full of useful information about how you can get involved in the fight to end this.

Working Towards Protecting Bahamian Sharks

2011-01-12T17:14:00.002-06:00

Lady Bulls of Playa

2011-01-11T09:29:00.006-06:00

ACP’s Malapascua Underwater Photography Workshop

2010-11-27T09:49:00.006-06:00

A COTTON PHOTO’s Malapascua Underwater Photography Workshop just wrapped in the Philippines and we are happy to say it was a huge success. Our primary reason for holding the workshop on this island was to encounter the elusive thresher shark. Malapascua Island is one of the few places in the world where divers can dive specifically with the intention of seeing these beautiful sharks with incredibly long and elegant tails. During our workshop we encountered 14 thresher sharks while diving Moad Shoal; we were also fortunate to dive with two large manta rays at this site too. Malapascua, although known for their threshers, is also a macro divers mecca; allowing many opportunities for students to practice with their skills in both wide angle and macro photography. Students captured images of cuttlefish, sea krates (sea snakes), octopus, squid, pygmy seahorses, mandarin fish, turtles and more while working in macro settings on their cameras. Malapascua’s manta rays, thresher sharks, white tip reef sharks, caves, and wrecks provided ample opportunity for practicing wide angle shooting.

ACP would like to thank Sea Explorers for hosting our event. With an incredible crew, outstanding divemasters, and great accommodations we couldn’t have been more pleased during our time on Malapascua. Stay tuned for details on our 2011 trip back to Malapascua. We hope to have you join us! To learn more about A COTTON PHOTO's Underwater Photography Workshops check out our current list of upcoming events through ACP on FACEBOOK

Save Japan Dolphins Day

2010-10-25T07:18:00.009-05:00

Miami had a great turn out for the Save Japan Dolphins Day Rally with Ric O'Barry and Pete Bethune last week. Amanda was very excited to be able to document the event for Oceanic Defense and help spread the word of the importance of getting involved. Thank you to everyone especially Samantha Whitcraft of Oceanic Defense and Kendra Silvera of Keep Paddlin for their dedication and hard work during the event.
The extremely talented film crew from Keep Paddlin's "One Person Can Make a Difference For Our Oceans" was also on scene to film the days events. Check out their beautiful piece they put together below.

It was a huge honor standing side by side with everyone on Thursday! Go Team Ocean!!

Put It Right

2010-10-01T12:39:00.006-05:00

"Put it Right (www.unicef.org.uk ) is a five year initiative by UNICEF UK to inspire action to protect the rights of children everywhere. This film is a glimpse into the lives of children around the world who are missing out on these basic rights - the right to an education, to a childhood, to be healthy, to be treated fairly and to be heard. This is wrong. Please take action today and help put it right."

Do something now...
UNICEF.ORG.UK

Creating A New Generation Of Shark Enthusiasts

2010-09-20T20:07:00.006-05:00

During a recent presentation at the New Directions For Youth Center in Los Angeles, Eli Martinez (Editor of Shark Diver Magazine) and myself were able to share our enthusiasm and excitement about sharks, as well as the underwater world with a wonderful group of kids. Their curiosity proved to be quite infectious and we were thrilled to see hand after hand quickly raise in the audience throughout our talk. I want to thank Mr. Martinez for taking the time to share he stories with this eager group. I am happy to report we now have several new young shark lovers added to the fold, which makes me happy beyond words. Thank you also to Patti Jo Wolfson for welcoming us into the center so that we could share our world with them.

To learn more about what you can do to help the center please visit...
New Directions For Youth

ACP On National Geographic

2010-08-08T19:55:00.008-05:00

National Geographic Television-"dynamic storytelling that inspires viewers to care about our world."

A recent episode of the television series "Nat Geo Amazing!" included Amanda Cottton's images from Tiger Beach in a story highlighting the tiger sharks of the Bahamas. Be sure to check out the rebroadcast on Friday August 13th, at 3PM Eastern, 12PM Pacific!

Underwater Photography Workshop Cancun, Mexico

2010-07-12T15:28:00.014-05:00

Sponsored by: DIVE ENCOUNTERS
Underwater Photography Workshop with Amanda Cotton
Place: Cancun, Quintana Roo.
Date: August 19th to 23rd

Workshop will be open to all skill levels from point and shoots to advanced shooters. Curricula will be customized based on students needs.

"Amanda Cotton is a freelance photographer based in Florida, U.S.A. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Professional Photography while attending Brooks Institute of Photography and currently works as a correspondent and field editor for Ocean Geographic magazine, as well as Gallery Editor for Shark Savers and is on the Advisory Board for Oceanic Defense. Her imagery has been published in several major publications including National Geographic, Discovery, Times Publishing, Shark Diver Magazine, Natural History Magazine, Science Daily; as well as many international advertising campaigns. Amanda is quite honored to have been the recipient of many awards including several from the International Photographers Awards (IPA), Celebrate The Sea, and Underwater Photography Annual Awards among others. To learn more about Amanda Cotton visit www.acottonphoto.com"

CONTACT: gerardo@diveencounters.com.mx

Day 1
Everyone together in a pool setting for a couple hours to go over the following:
Camera set up-including:
Strobe/housing configurations.
Basic exposure and understanding.
White balancing.
Shooting modes/ etc.
Strobe use and function

Day 2:
Snorkeling with whale sharks:
Information on shooting large animals.
Tips and secrets.
Photoshop tutorials including workflow

Day 3:
Cenote Diving:
Information on shooting in low light including strobe use.
Exposure and lighting techniques, etc.
Photoshop tutorials including workflow

Day 4:
Reef Diving:
Information on shooting close up wide angle.
Exposure changes for different environments.
Strobe techniques.
Macro shooting information and techniques.
Photoshop tutorials including workflow

Photoshop tutorials will include:
Working in bridge and cs3 and cs4
Backscatter removal
Basic workflow for image cataloging
Keywording
Data collection
Dodging and burning techniques
Masking/adjustment layering techniques
Copyright protection information
Curves
Conversion to black and white
Removal of unwanted items in image
Printing techniques
Calibrating monitors
Cropping and transformation
Other subjects of interest.

Includes:
4 hotel nights in double occupancy
1 day whale shark
1 day 2 tanks Cenote
1 day 2 tank Reef dive
Photo workshop
Lunch when diving
Beverages
PADI underwater photo manual.
Credentials for the specialties

Not included:
Air and land transportation
Meals
Tips

Payments:
50% of payment to hold your reservation
50% remaining of payment 15 days before departure date.

Terms
Certified Open Water Diver
Own a camera.
Laptop.

Cost $850.00 USD per person.

CONTACT: gerardo@diveencounters.com.mx
or info@acottonphoto.com for further details.

Way Of The Ocean

2010-06-16T19:35:00.002-05:00

"Every drop in the ocean counts." -Yoko Ono

WAY OF THE OCEAN is a definitive look at wave riding in the current state of our worlds oceans. Follow the worlds best surfers around the globe exploring all the natural wonders of our mother ocean. The salt water gives life and energy on a daily basis and the time to restore and preserve our oceans is now.

Talkin' Monkeys

2010-06-01T11:52:00.011-05:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit with an incredible woman, Deborah Misotti who has created through much blood, sweat and tears a labor of love, The Talkin Monkeys Project, Inc.

"The Talkin’ Monkey’s project provides a life-long home for animals that have been rescued from abusive private homes or released from research laboratories and breeding facilities. Our main focus is to provide a home for these forgotten apes and monkeys while striving to connect people to earth-friendly lifestyles." -Mission Statement of The Talkin' Monkeys Project, Inc.

"Hope, a Lar Gibbon who resides at TMP"

Not only has Deborah and her husband provided a safe haven for these monkeys and primates, she also provides an environment full of enrichment and stimuli, enabling them to thrive in their daily lives. All too often these animals are thrown away and forgotten, but thanks to the efforts of Deborah, her husband and a few caring visitors to the project, these primates have a chance at a truly fulfilled and loving life within the sanctuary of The Talkin' Monkey Project.

"Hope with Marc Ellis, project photographer"

I implore you to visit their website, learn more about the project and help out in whatever way you possibly can. So rarely do we come across individuals truly making a difference, but Deborah is certainly one of them.

"Deborah getting some Spider Monkey love from Koan"

Visit The Talkin' Monkeys Project to learn more.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

2010-04-20T16:16:00.009-05:00

After viewing a recent Oceanic Dream's blog post, we felt it was imperative to share it with as many people as possible. Below is OD's original post along with links to their site.

"We thought things were going well in reference to the ban on shark finning - but apparently there has been a setback being led by one man - a politician: Riki Karamatsu. The guys over at Shark Diver having been reporting about the situation in Hawaii and have written a pretty detailed post on Karamatsu:

"He is a politician.

He has been charged and convicted with drunk driving resulting in a crash.

He is currently running for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii.

This man also hates sharks.

Enough to actively work against a new shark fin bill making the rounds through the hallowed halls of Hawaii's legislative offices.

Why is he doing this?

What can you do about it?

The answer to the first question is money. Riki Karamatsu is the patron of several well heeled shark fin businesses in Hawaii, businesses that sell thousands of tons of dried shark fin to Asia.

Currently the cost of shark fin is hovering at 1980's gold price levels. The shark fin industry is a multi-billion dollar global industry. It is also one of the most barbaric animal cruelty issues the conservation world is dealing with now. Akin to sedated wild bears and gall bladder secretions, a wild animal product that is as equally disturbing and one that has no place in Hawaii's business trading community.

So, what can you do about it?

Here is the list of contacts for Jon Riki Karamatsu. Your voice, in your own words, may help this man realize how many people care about sharks and how sometimes, being the patron of people whose business depends on shearing the fins off live animals for a soup product...is a bad career choice.

You can also tweet, blog, and re post this far and wide.

Let's send a clear and unambiguous message to Jon Riki Karamatsu.

"Mr.Karamatsu if you want to see your political career continue, get on the side of millions of people who care about our oceans, and our wildlife. Stop your solo attempts to block or modify legislation that would put and end to shark fin sales in Hawaii."

Note: Do not send threatening or abusive emails, phone calls or letters. You are entitled to use words that describe disgust, distaste, you are entitled to detail how you will support his opponent in his race for the Lieutenant Governor seat in Hawaii. You are also entitled to mention the fact that this man, who would aspire to the higher levels of government, was once so intoxicated he drove his car off the road.

Is this the man who should be leading Hawaii into the new decade?

For the many thousands of sharks that are currently being finned just outside the territorial waters of Hawaii the answer to that question is clearly no.

Contacts:

Jon Riki Karamatsu - Blog

Jon Riki Karamatsu - jonriki@gmail.com

Jon Riki Karamatsu - Democratic Offices

Jon Riki Karamatsu - Facebook"

Go at it and let Riki know how you feel about shark finning...

Guidelines For Success

2010-04-13T13:38:00.003-05:00

Check out the National Association For Cave Diving's (NACD) newest book "Guidelines For Success" featuring A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works LLC photographer Amanda Cotton's work on the cover. Cave diver featured is Larry Hack from our Peacock Springs Photo Shoot last fall. Thanks a million Larry for the wonderful job modeling! Larry's image from his photo shoot with Amanda was also featured on the cover of the latest NACD Journal magazine issue.

Interested in scheduling a cave diving photo shoot yourself with A Cotton Photo? Contact us at info@acottonphoto.com. Who knows, maybe you'll end up on the magazine cover next time!

To learn more about the NACD visit their website at: SafeCaveDiving.com

Turn The Tide

2010-01-11T10:58:00.004-06:00

Imaging Foundation presents "Sea Save", a discussion about current ocean challenges and what they are doing to "turn the tide". Imaging Foundation-Sea Save is one of the finalists in the “Chase Community Giving” Facebook contest. With enough votes, they will win $1 million to help protect our oceans! Please vote for Imaging Foundation in the Chase Community Giving contest between January 15th and 22nd.

Become a member of the Vote For The Imaging Foundation group on Facebook and receive a courtesy reminder on those important dates to get your vote in! This is such a great opportunity to DO SOMETHING productive, proactive and positive for our oceans. Please take the time to share this special call with your family and friends. Thank you everyone!!

Man Made Plankton

2010-01-04T09:00:00.002-06:00

It has become commonplace that a walk on a beach involves careful footing around the morass of washed up trash. It’s obvious when you look at the growth on it that it’s been in the sea for a while; but how long, and where has it been?

There are 5 major gyres in the world, formed by the circling currents in the north and south Pacific and Atlantic, and the Indian Gyre. Trapped in these gyres is the trash that has found its way from wherever we left it to the ocean. Occasionally pieces find their way back to shore, but the majority of it just collects out in the “great garbage patch” in the ocean.

The effects of this are the topic of thousands of websites, articles, books, and movies. I’m only going to touch on one aspect; plankton. Plastic isn’t biodegradable, but that doesn’t mean that it stays ‘whole’. It eventually gets broken up into smaller and smaller pieces and mixes into the water column. Studies in the gyres have not only shown that there’s more plastic then plankton in the water, but that there’s as much as 6 to 10 times more plastic then plankton.

Add in the propensity of plastic to absorb harmful chemicals, you know have these little poison pills replacing the plankton in every swallow of a filter feeding animal. I can’t even begin to imagine how much plastic is sitting in the stomachs of the whales and filtering sharks of our oceans.

I urge you to search the web for “plastic gyre”, do some reading. Check out Addicted to Plastic. Read, Research, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

-Jeff

Conservation Attenuation

2009-12-28T10:06:00.000-06:00

Attenuation is a wonderful word, it applies to a number of different fields, and has a litany of uses.

Attenuation in electronics is the reduction of signal strength due to destructive interference. Think of it as the overhead on a wire; the longer the wire, the more the signal is lost on the way to its destination.

Similar to the loss of signal strength in electronics, I found attenuation to be a great term to reflect what I watch occurring in the shark conservation world. There is so much bickering and infighting, so much concern on what the others are doing, that the message is getting lost. Too much time and energy is being spent micromanaging each other, looking through a microscope to try and find what someone else is doing wrong, that we lose the signal on what good is being done.

Attenuation in biology is to make thinner, weaker, less virulent. While the reasons behind it are complicated and can be attributed to so many different aspects, the fact of the matter is that attenuation is occurring to the shark populations throughout the world. The harvesting of our world’s shark is not being done at a sustainable pace, and the clock isn’t stopping for us to bicker among each other.

No one is going to be completely 100% on the same page as another, and this is not a bad thing. Innovation doesn’t occur when everyone is doing the same thing, with the same motives. It takes the collective innovation of many minds for solutions and answers to form out of the spray.

You can waste your time fighting about the differences between each of us, and focus on discrediting others’ methods, but what exactly does that do for the greater good? If you look past the differences, sweep the parts you don’t necessarily agree with out of your mind and instead focus on the strengths that each bring to the table, we can feed off each other for the betterment of the world.

Attenuation in oceanography is the dwindling of light through the water column to its gradual extinction at depth. I’m not even going to bother running the parallels I see with that definition. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy. However this prophecy is something we have control over, we can turn around, or stop. But it takes our collective minds to find the answers, since there won’t just be one simple epiphany; change will be needed from so many different places. We will need to tap into each one of our unique backgrounds and personal motivations, rather than focusing on discrediting each other; this is the only way we will be able to band together and form a united front for the benefit of all.

-Jeff

Below The Waves

2009-12-19T23:18:00.005-06:00

"My heart belongs to the ocean, my soul calls out to the sea."

Below The Waves from Amanda Cotton on Vimeo.

Imagery from U/W photographer, Amanda Cotton. Visit www.acottonphoto.com to learn more about what you can do to help protect our oceans.

50 Ways To Save the Ocean

2009-12-17T18:53:00.002-06:00

"One world and that world's blue."

Everyone Has A Story...

2009-12-01T13:37:00.003-06:00

Can a blog change the way you view the world? Possibly...

Invisible People

Beth's Story from TakePart on Vimeo.

Appointment to Oceanic Defense Advisory Board

2009-11-16T11:16:00.007-06:00

It is quite an honor to announce Oceanic Defense's new Advisory Board; Annie Crawley, Amanda Cotton, Bill Bushing Ph.D., Mike Dunmyer, Peter Kater, Shaun Monson and Wallace J. Nichols Ph.D.

"Oceanic Defense is a worldwide nonprofit organization with membership in over 60 countries, spanning 6 continents with 1 mission: Healthy aquatic ecosystems free from human abuse and neglect. Whether you are new to conservation or a seasoned environmental eco-warrior we have programs that empower our membership to do incredible things and make a personal commitment to our water planet.

The aquatic environments we strive to protect are comprised of a diverse, interconnected system of unique organisms each playing an integral part in its overall function. Healthy aquatic ecosystems function as a whole -- at first glance it is not always evident how interconnected our underwater environment truly is, yet each and every different and unique component serves a vital role.

We have taken the same philosophical approach when considering Oceanic Defense's advisory board members. We are forming a group as diverse as the ocean and the many challenges we face in working to protect it." -Oceanic Defense

Iconic Shark Image 2009

2009-11-02T20:35:00.007-06:00

It's always a challenge when you try to communicate what it's like to be enveloped in the underwater world. Photos definitely bring the world to those who have not had the privilege of any underwater experiences, but to really tell a story and bring an experience to life, you need a truly exceptional photograph.

The Underwater Thrills Blog has highlighted one of Amanda's photos as "The Iconic Shark Image of 2009". It's often said that a picture is worth 1000 words, but it would be tough to even scratch the surface of "Belonging" with just a thousand.

You can read their impression of the image in the Underwater Thrills Swimming With Sharks blog, along with a litany of great content for anyone with an interest in sharks.

-Jeff

Our New A COTTON PHOTO Website

2009-10-01T10:04:00.008-05:00

IT'S HERE...we are pleased to announce our newly updated website is live. Stop by and check out A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works LLC at acottonphoto.com, where you will find imagery from below the waves, as well as resources on conservation organizations, and fun facts about our oceans. Helping everyone get personally involved in the fight to protect our aquatic ecosystems is one of our highest priorities.

If you are involved in marine conservation and would like your company, event or organization linked with our site please contact us at info@acottonphoto.com.

acottonphoto.com

Wanderlust

2009-09-15T11:07:00.002-05:00

Natural History Magazine recently published a story written by Robert Anderson titled "Wanderlust-An Internet guide to tracking and tagging the animal world" featuring one of my manatee images. It is a fantastic article jam packed with a wealth of information covering the benefits of tagging and tracking marine animals. Check it out!

Do You Have A Unique Shark Image?

2009-08-30T17:01:00.006-05:00

Shark Savers is currently updating and reorganizing it's website galleries and we need your help. Have you captured a unique species, or a specific shark behavior rarely seen? We'd love to see it and possibly add your images to our galleries.

Shark Savers mission is to save sharks.

We focus on educating the public about shark conservation and bringing awareness to all issues involved within it. We empower people to take action in not only their own lives, but within the community as well, helping to further shark conservation efforts.

Below is a list of sharks we are actively looking for:

Frilled Sharks
Bramble Sharks
Angel Sharks
Saw Sharks
Bullhead Sharks- (Horn Shark, Port Jackson Shark, etc)
Carpet Sharks- (Zebra Shark, Nurse Shark, Wobbegong, etc)
-as well as any interesting or unique shark behavior you have caught with your camera.

Join us and help the sharks.

If you have images you would like to share with Shark Savers please email me at amanda.cotton@sharksavers.org. All images displayed on Shark Savers galleries will include photo credit to the photographer.

A Sea Change

2009-08-15T15:43:00.004-05:00

To learn more about A Sea Change please visit their website.

Shark Savers

2009-08-04T12:31:00.007-05:00

You do not need to love sharks to protect them, or to understand how vital their survival is to the ocean's ecosystem. How is it that so many do not comprehend the link between the health of our oceans and the well being of all living things on Earth, including mankind? Fortunately, there are those that do and take a stand. They serve to protect, educate and to bring a fundamental truth to light, that we are all connected. Shark Savers is one such entity and I am incredibly proud to stand with them in an effort to continue to make a difference.

Shark Savers website is a wealth of information. Please take a moment to visit it. There you can learn true and accurate information about sharks, what you can do to help, and view some incredible images of them.

More Like It

2009-07-13T22:18:00.002-05:00

It seems it is possible for mainstream media to portray sharks in a positive light. Close Encounters with Magnificent Sharks is one such example. Big kudos to Nadine Dreyer of The Times out of Johannesburg and to SharkLife, for their efforts toward clearing up the misconceptions many have about sharks.

SharkLife is a great conservation group that deserves your attention. Their Mission statement: "As a registered non-profit organisation, Sharklife addresses the alarming exploitation of both shark populations and ocean fisheries in South African waters. We actively engage the urgent need for research and protection of many marine species."

Celebrate the Sea Winner!

2009-06-23T20:41:00.003-05:00

A Cotton Photo is incredibly honored to be the recipient of the WOW Philippines Hi-Five Portfolio 2009 Outstanding Achievement award at Celebrate the Sea in Manila this past weekend. Image submissions from the CTS finalist and winners are included in the montage below. We would like to extend a special thank you to Kasai Village Beach Resort on Cebu, and in particular Michael Peterrsson the owner of the Kasai Village.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Zimbabwe's Song

2009-06-10T21:38:00.002-05:00

I have donated, it is my hope that you will too.

Join Zimbabwe's Song: Hunger Campaign from Discover The Journey on Vimeo.

A "Diablo Rojo" Night

2009-06-05T10:20:00.009-05:00

They are said to be vicious, aggressive predators undiscriminating in their attacks on whatever they find themselves in the water with, this wasn't my experience in the water with these beauties. On a recent trip to the Sea of Cortez I had the incredible fortune to shoot Humboldt Squid. Looking into their eyes while inches away from my camera you can't help but to sense the intelligence of these creatures. I was in awe of their grace and speed as they moved underwater. Several encounters had the "Diablo Rojo-Red Devils" gently caressing and fondling the dome port of my camera housing, in an attempt to figure out this new and unusual "creature" it had come across. The squid were curious and inquisitive, but never aggressive, even with several in the water.

What an incredible experience. Images from the Sea of Cortez trip will be posted shortly on ACottonPhoto.com!

Valeo Films Focuses on the Vandenburg

2009-05-23T23:49:00.002-05:00

On May 27th the 66 year old, 523' long retired Missile Tracking ship, the USS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg , will be scuttled in 140' of water, 8 miles off Key West.

Valeo Films will be the official video producer, providing live coverage of the latest artificial reef to be added to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

You can watch the countdown, on demand videos, and the live footage of the sinking on the website, www.sinkthevandenberg.com .

OceanNEnvironment: Work From the Masters

2009-05-05T21:04:00.008-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of working with Michael AW on Cebu in the Philippines. Michael is an extremely talented and highly published underwater photographer who has an incredible passion for the underwater world. OceanNEnvironment, a NGO charity organization stemmed from that passion. Their mission statement is simple:

"OceanNEnvironment, is a non-profit organization listed with the Registrar of Environmental Organisations in Australia. The mission of OceanNEnvironment promotes and initiates preservation projects as well as endeavors to document the status of coral reefs, bio-diversity and the impact of man-made pollution through research programs and educational expeditions. OceanNEnvironment provides lectures and educational material to schools, private clubs and other non-profit organizations. OceanNEnvironment is also the principal sponsor for the production of Asian Geographic Magazine.

Associates of OceanNEnvironment are volunteers comprising of award-winning underwater filmmakers, photographers, marine biologists, researchers and writers dedicated to produce high quality natural history multi-media works. Our objective is to present information about our natural heritage in an exciting and thought provoking manner. Our aim is to motivate people to learn, to love and to help preserve our natural world"

OceanNEnvironment's associates are some of the industries most talented; David Doubilet, Stan Waterman, Wyland, Emory Kristof, Doug Perrine, and many others have come together as an integral part of this wonderful organization. It is my hope you will take a moment to look into all that OceanNEnvironment is doing to help save our oceans and get involved yourself.

OceanNEnvironment

Aqualise ... Music of the Sea

2009-04-07T18:17:00.010-05:00

Aqualise is a project started by Nicolas Bulostin, who uses the beauty of the ocean and sea-life as inspiration for his music.

Nicolas holds our same passionate love for the sea, and intends to use his music to inspire people to step forward and act. Through collaborations with other artists, he aims to pair his music with their art to reach a wider audience with a more powerful message; that our fragile earth needs solutions. As Nicolas states "We are working really hard to express our feelings and emotions about the sea, and to make you appreciate our oceans even more. Together we can safeguard their future".

A Cotton Photo is happy to find more artists wishing to inspire others to act for the betterment of our oceans and marine life, and as such is overjoyed with the opportunity to enter into a collaboration with Aqualise. The "Nightwaves" track complements the A Cotton Photo Gallery perfectly, and are pleased to be able to provide it within the gallery.

We encourage everyone to to check our their site, as well as the promo videos found on their YouTube page, and share in the beauty that is found beneath the waves.

Beneath the Sea 2009

2009-03-25T13:21:00.007-05:00

Amanda is excited she is able to provide her work for use in this year's Beneath the Sea show in Secaucus, New Jersey this weekend.

Both David Ulloa and Amanda are honored to have David's video, Friend's Found, be featured in the Sea Camp booth (Booth 602). Kids Sea Camp is a wonderful organization focused on bringing the wonders of the ocean into the hearts of children. Founded by Margo Peyton, who will be inducted into the Woman Divers Hall of Fame this year, Sea Camp uses a hands-on approach to promote awareness of marine issues to the heart of our future, the kids.

Friend's Found can also be seen in the Shark Savers booth (Booth 122). Shark Savers is a public charity founded in 2007 in order to directly do their part for the preservation of sharks. They are open to everyone, and develop programs directed at specifically promoting the importance of sharks, raising awareness of their plight, and giving people a course of action to save these precious creatures.

Amanda is overjoyed that her images will be able to help Jamie Pollack, one of the founders of Shark Savers, in her presentation "Why Sharks Are Important". Jamie will be presenting in the MEC Ocean Pals Theater at 3pm on Saturday.

Amanda is also happy to have collaborated with Jeff Loflin on his Open Water Sidemount presentation at the DSAT TecRec Conference that follows BTS on Monday.

We hope everyone has a great time at this year's Beneath the Sea, and encourage you all to check out all the incredible resources and organizations that will be present!

"Feeding Time!" is complete!

2009-03-21T14:18:00.003-05:00

A couple months ago, Amanda introduced us to Patricia Anne McCarty and spoke about her plan to recreate "Into the Mix" into one of her extraordinary paintings.

Patricia has completed the task, and both she and Amanda are graciously donating the proceeds from the sale of these prints to Oceanic Dreams to help support the fight to protect these beauties.

Amanda is absolutely overjoyed with the amazing job Patricia did, and is thrilled to have such a talented artist donating her time and artwork to the preservation of sharks.

This can be purchased at Redbubble.com

Media Myths and the Proliferation of Fear

2009-03-16T13:07:00.010-05:00

It is unfortunate that in this day and age, the majority of the population gain their opinions from what is packaged up and presented to them with absolutely no objectivity. Opinions are formed from what is fed to them via major media outlets. Sadly these outlets are businesses; their motivation is sensationalism to raise ratings and earn more in advertising dollars. How many times have you seen, or read, a report on something that you are truly experienced in; something where you've seen first hand, or experienced, or are on the 'inside'? In those situations, how many times have you been left horrified by the mistakes, errors and downright misinformation that is presented to supplant an opinion on the subject in the audience?

Recently a national media outlet aired a segment on shark diving, featuring a charter boat that I had been on last November. From the very start of the segment I knew where it was going, and I had to fight my way through the whole thing; absolutely disgusted by the spin that they chose to try and portray. I have no desire to name the outlet, nor post a link to the story; as it, like so many other stories, only serves to vilify sharks; to cast them in a vicious light and to paint everyone that interacts with them to be thrill seeking adrenaline junkies.

Instead, let me express a little of my experience. Yes; I am doing just what these media outlets are doing... telling a story in a way that intends to cause the audience to form an opinion. However my motivations have nothing to do with money, or fame, or advertising. My motivations are only to provide a contrary opinion to the common misconceptions that are constantly being reinforced. A small scream of disgust likely to fall on deaf ears in a overwhelming ocean of misinformation.

The fact of the matter is, as I embarked on my trip a number of months ago, I too had preconceived notions about what I was going to experience. I was nervous about being in the water with sharks because I was brainwashed by the misinformation that prevails. Even with the experiences I've already had from diving the shipwrecks in the waters off North Carolina, wrecks that are frequently populated by dozens of Sand Tiger sharks, I had managed to compartmentalize those. I convinced myself that Sand Tigers were an exception, they are just lazy lumbering creatures of no danger or concern. Not like other types of sharks, oh no... they are different, they are animals that should be feared.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Sharks aren't to be feared; it's the fear that causes the hatred and vilification which grows to action in the way of downright genocide. They are truly magnificent creatures that deserve our respect, our care, and an understanding that they are a key element in a delicate ecosystem that is being systematically destroyed by the true apex predator on earth... US.

Over a period of 5 days, I spent more than 24 hours underwater with no less than a dozen sharks at any given moment, every single one of them significantly larger than I. It only took a few minutes before I was able to gaze at them with an open mind. To watch them move, feed, and interact with one another was eye opening. I watched remoras hanging on for a ride, only to break off long enough to grab their own scrap of food. I watched schools of fish use the sharks for shelter. These fish weren't frightened of the shark, they were frightened of me. They used the sharks for protection from the humans, in hopes that the intimidating size of their graceful friend would keep them safe.

My experiences opened my eyes and mind dramatically. I was blessed with the opportunity to form my own opinion, one based on experiences rather than force fed to me as I 'witness' the world from the confines of my couch.

The fact of the matter is that survival instincts are common among animals. Without survival instincts, a species would long be extinct. You are much safer fearing the unknown and be incorrect, then feeling safe and being incorrect. Will sharks defend themselves when threatened? Sure. So will we. Will sharks systematically eradicate every human they see? Absolutely not, but look at a human's reaction to seeing a mosquito. Will sharks exit their natural environment in order to seek vengeance for the death of one of their own? Obviously not, but I'll give you one guess as to what species on this earth does this time and time and time again, regardless of what caused the initial event.

Painting sharks out to be man-eating, or those interacting with them to be thrill seeking; does absolutely nothing but perpetrate the fear that is already present.

Special thanks should go to David Ulloa, who filmed and edited the following video, and to Amanda Cotton for the images included at the end of the video, and their attempts to raise awareness through the experiences that we've had first hand. If you want to see sharks being sharks; as opposed to sharks being used as theatrical props, this video, and those like it, are what you should be keeping in mind when you form your opinions.

-Jeff

Friends Found - Sharks of Tiger Beach Bahamas

Underwater Photography Guide

2009-03-05T11:00:00.008-06:00

Scott Gietler has created an invaluable tool for those wanting to learn more about underwater photography. Underwater Photography Guide is a site jam packed full of great resources, photographs, tips, guides and more.

It was a great honor when Scott, who's work I admire immensely, contacted me in hopes of contributing to the site. Several of A Cotton Photo's images can be viewed in the Wreck Photography section. I am thrilled to have contributed to such a wonderful and helpful site.

In The Zone

2009-02-25T22:12:00.004-06:00

"February 20, 2009, marked the 107th anniversary of Ansel Adams birthday, 25 years after his passing.

A seminal American landscape photographer, Adams is best known for his emotive landscapes but was also influential in developing the Zone System and was a tireless activist for national parks and the Wilderness Act." -TimeFrames

It is a huge honor to have one of my images included in this video created by TimeFrames as a tribute to this world renowned photographer.

Photographers Working Towards Positive Change

2009-02-23T12:49:00.004-06:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

Ben Edwards of Emote 360 and Kevin Kubota of Kubota Image Tools have teamed up for the most auspicious of reasons.

Rwanda - by Ben Edwards from Kevin Kubota on Vimeo.

Here is how you can help...
Kubota

Becoming Part of the UEV Team

2009-02-15T19:49:00.009-06:00

Undersea Expeditionary Video Services, the underwater division of Valeo Films Inc., is an underwater production company that focuses on bringing the amazing underwater world into the homes of millions. From historic shipwrecks like those in Micronesia's Truk Lagoon and the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor, to the sharks of Tiger Beach, they aim to educate the public on a wide variety of underwater themes.

David Ulloa, the president and owner of Valeo Films, shares our vision of educating people to the plight of our oceans and the creatures that live below the surface. He has a similar fascination with sharks, and through his own eyes has witnessed their decreasing abundance over the years he has been exploring the underwater world.

David launched Undersea Expeditionary Video Services in 2006. Through shows on such well known channels as the Military Channel, Science Channel and History Channel, to DVDs, and even interactive on-location presentations broadcast into classrooms, their reach is as wide as their topics.

With a primary goal of "helping open doors for a better understanding and appreciation of the earth's oceans", UEV couldn't be a better fit with the goals of A Cotton Photo, and as such, I am overjoyed to be joining David Ulloa and his Underwater Expeditionary Video Services team.

An Amazing Twist of Fate

2009-02-11T17:12:00.005-06:00

It's not everyday you get the chance to meet one of the pioneers of an industry, let alone one that you hold so near and dear to your heart; but this is exactly what happened when I came across one of the most powerful images I have ever seen and just had to know the story behind it.

In the summer of 1981 world renowned underwater photographer Alberto Romeo, his wife Lucia and fellow teammates from Gruppo Ricercatori ed Operatori Subacquei (G.R.O. Sub. - an underwater association that defends and photographs marine wildlife-of which Alberto is the founder) had a chance encounter that would forever change their lives, as well as the life of one incredibly beautiful sperm whale. Alberto and his team found the whale entangled in the remnants of a drift net, one of the cruelest contraptions on the planet. What took place over the next six hours was the purest form of compassion there is. The amazing story and images from the entire encounter can be seen HERE.

After viewing one of the images from the encounter online I felt compelled to contact Alberto directly. He was incredibly kind and patient with my questions and pestering (although I am sure he would say it wasn't pestering). Impressed doesn't being to express how I feel; Not only about his body of work and accomplishments as an underwater photographer, but also his work as a marine life advocate. Alberto is an astonishingly humble and gracious man with an unquestionable connection to the ocean. It is a huge honor and thrill to call him a friend.

Alberto Romeo's WEBSITE

Kid Friendly Shark Conservation Site

2009-02-09T20:20:00.004-06:00

I was quite pleased to come across a website where a large portion of the site is directed at educating children on shark conservation efforts and understanding.

Inemanya Oceanica a "non-profit organization, dedicated to the conservation of sharks, rays and their habitats." has pages full of interactive features which help kids learn all about sharks, the efforts to help save them and how kids can help even at their tender ages. The site offers games, activities, videos, pictures, tracking real sharks, adopting a shark, learning fun facts about sharks; it even offers kids the chance to become a "shark ambassador".

It certainly is worth sharing with any and all of the children in your life.

Dive Zero TV Cover

2009-02-06T16:25:00.005-06:00

A huge thank you to everyone who voted for the image "Diver at Mast" in the "Wrecks Image" photo contest on The Dive Village. It took first place and is currently featured on the cover of the Dive Zero TV Guide February Edition.

Thank you Rob Lysak for the incredibly kind words of the feature inside the guide!! The Dive Village is a great site loaded with fun and useful information, make sure you stop by and check it out!

Image was taken at Truk Lagoon (Chuuk), Micronesia. Diver Jeff Schreiber.

UP Photo Contest Winner

2009-02-02T14:05:00.005-06:00

UnderwaterPhotography.com announced their 2008/09 annual photography contest medal WINNERS yesterday and much to our surprise "Reach" won a silver medal in the Wide Angle-Divers category! I had such a great time shooting this image and am thrilled to see it take second place in such a competitive contest filled with endless talent from the underwater photography world.

I was elated to see both Jeff De Guzman and Mike Ellis, two very good friends and incredibly talented underwater photographers receive medals for their images in the Wide Angle-Marine Life and Marco-Super Macro/Macro-Non Swimming categories. Congratulations guys!!

Talent plus compassion equals McCarty

2009-01-31T18:33:00.004-06:00

We are very excited to have Patricia Anne McCarty on board with our efforts to help save the sharks. Patricia is an incredibly talented artist who works in a wide variety of mediums from photography to paints and everything in between. She is currently in the process of recreating "Into the Mix" into one of her extraordinary paintings.

In keeping with her generous ways, Patricia will be donating a percentage of the proceeds to the same shark conservation efforts as A Cotton Photo. We are thrilled to have like minded artists on board and look forward to fostering more relationships within the art community with individuals who's compassion rivals their talents.

Ten Little Things

2009-01-28T15:38:00.003-06:00

We are dedicated to helping educate everyone about their impact on our oceans and what each and every one of us can do to help keep our footprint on them as soft as possible. It goes without saying that it feels a bit overwhelming when trying to come up with answers to the question, "What can I do?". So here's a list, a very easy list, of things you can start doing today to help.

Nature.org Top Ten List

Brackish Majesty

2009-01-24T20:52:00.006-06:00

These past few months have been quite enlightening for someone who's token statement has been "Fish? You mean the things that get in the way of the wrecks?". From the sharks of Tiger Beach in November, to today in the shallow Floridian waters of Crystal River, one doesn't need to be an activist to quickly learn appreciation for the mysterious beings who reside under the surface.

For years I have swum up spring runs, burdened with immense amounts of gear, in search of a hole in the ground to explore limestone covered in clay, sand and mung. Today however, these spring runs were forged with only snorkel gear; exploring the same scenery, but searching for something much more majestic... manatee.

Never having experienced manatee outside of images, I could not have imagined their size or grace, nor their incredible curiosity and friendliness. They appeared to seek out the gentle diver, those aspiring to join them in their environment rather than merely spectating.

I witnessed their instant curiosity to Amanda's dome port, coming within inches; looking with their left eye, then their right, then straight on again, apparently joyous to finally have a mirror.

Their interaction with Felix? That was virtually indescribable; his breath holding ability allowing them to welcome him as a peer. It was an unimaginable joy to watch as they bumped and nuzzled, rolled on their backs for a good belly scratch; directing his hands where they wanted them to be and holding him in place when they weren't quite done yet... all the while smiling in the sheer pleasure. Smiles that we had no choice but to return in kind!

-Jeff

One Photo's Story

2009-01-20T13:10:00.003-06:00

It was quite an honor to find out this morning that "Belonging" had been featured on the home page of an art community based site that hosts one of my portfolios. The added exposure to the image is priceless to me, in that I hope the image itself will help dispel many of the misconceptions the non diving/non shark loving communities have about these beauties. One of the main reasons for posting the images was to try to bring about an awareness that sharks are not mindless, man eating killers and that they deserve our admiration, or at the very least our protection.

Throughout the day I have been able to interact with several members of this web based community about their opinions and beliefs when it comes to sharks. Even though I am an idealist from hair to toe, I realize many people will continue to feel fear after viewing my images. However, I have received some incredibly encouraging comments; some stating their point of view about sharks has changed from the images in my portfolio. The knowledge that my photography has made someone stop and think is quite possibly the biggest compliment I can receive.

Welcome!!

2009-01-18T21:51:00.002-06:00

It's official, we are up and running and couldn't be happier. After much time and dedication A Cotton Photo is live and in full force. We hope you find the resources on the site helpful and enjoyable at the same time. It truly is our highest priority to have a positive effect on our marine ecosystems. Remember YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Stop by A Cotton Photo's "educate" page and learn what you can start doing TODAY to help.

We have several very exciting photo shoots scheduled over the next few weeks and can't wait to share the results with you, everything from the manatees in northern Florida, to fashion shoots for local retailers, to Mexico's caves and more.

Make sure and subscribe to our RSS feed, as we will constantly be updating with new and useful information, as well as a constant stream of new images in our galleries.