Shooter: Douglas Seifert

CREDITS | The Endless Summer of Douglas Seifert | Introduction by Stephen Frink | Photos by Douglas Seifert | Alert Diver Magazine
Maybe there was something in the water. Douglas David Seifert learned to swim at what is now one of the most revered macrophotography destinations in the United States: the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, Fla. In the early 1960's Palm Beach County was an absolute paradise; there were very few dive shops and hardly any tourists who were interested in viewing the near-shore underwater world through a face mask. But Seifert’s childhood obsession was doing just that while growing up on Singer Island, Fla. He went deep-sea fishing with his father every weekend and had aquariums at home for which he collected invertebrates and tropical fish. He became a keen observer of fish behaviour at an early age.
Although Seifert failed the classroom portion of his first scuba class at age 12 — the math involved in the dive tables was too much for him at the time — later in life he overcompensated and became a scuba instructor, actually teaching the math that had once confounded him. His immersion in the dive industry brought him in contact with one of the early icons of marine conservation in South Florida, Norine Rouse.
“Take only pictures, kill only time, leave only bubbles” was her mantra, and Seifert was her protege. He had great admiration for her, whom he called “this funky, crazy, fearless 60-something-year-old woman running a dive shop.” He recalled that she was not a fan of shark baiting, but at that time there might be 20-30 bull or lemon sharks on a dive even without using bait. This was also a time when any given day diving Palm Beach County would reveal 12–24 turtles, mostly loggerheads. Rouse would dive with a buffing pad, and the turtles would recognise her at a distance and swim right up to her to have their shells cleaned. She had a true rapport with marine life. Her passion for the welfare of marine life was infectious, and helped shape Seifert's lifelong commitment to conservation issues.
Wanderlust and an ambition to sell TV and movie scripts in Hollywood drove Seifert west. Soon disenchanted with the entertainment industry, he sold everything he owned to buy an around-the-Pacific ticket, back when such things existed. That meant he could go somewhere such as Australia, spend a few weeks (or months) and then hop on another jet to Fiji or wherever. His parents gave him a Nikonos camera system as a going-away gift, though he knew very little about how to use it. While in Sydney, he wandered into the Dive 2000 store and met underwater photographer Kevin Deacon, who fortuitously offered lessons to the uninitiated.
“In the film days, learning underwater photography without instruction was a very slow and unforgiving process,” Seifert recalled. “Kevin accelerated my learning curve, as did a book I read almost daily for four months: Howard Hall’s Guide to Successful Underwater Photography.
Howard and I have since become good friends, but I doubt he’ll ever know how meaningful that book was to me at that time in my life.”
Deacon’s instruction proved invaluable when Seifert dived with great white sharks at Dangerous Reef, South Australia, guided by the incomparable Rodney Fox. At the time, fewer than 100 people in the world had ever dived with great white sharks. Some time later, back in Florida, Seifert met Doug Perrine (see Shooter, Fall 2013) and went with him on a trip to the Azores. Armed with a Nikonos RS and a 20-35mm lens,
Seifert managed to get some underwater photos of sperm whales at a time when very few such images existed. He showed them to the publishers of Ocean Realm, who happily agreed to publish them along with an article about his adventures in the Azores. At the time Ocean Realm was the most prestigious dive journal, and having his images prominently displayed was momentous. He followed that article with one about manatees and dugongs, which was the cover story for the journal’s issue that debuted at the 1996 Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) Show.
The underwater photo industry noticed those images in particular, and that marked Seifert’s
induction into the fraternity of underwater photojournalism. Also in 1996 Seifert began writing articles for Dive International, a British dive publication (now called DIVE). Today he is DIVE’s World Editor and the writer of a monthly feature called “Water Column.” He has written and photographed roughly 100 features articles.
A hallmark of Seifert’s photography and writing is the exacting research that goes into his projects well in advance of travel. “If I didn’t read and research, I wouldn’t know what I should photograph or recognise the significance of behaviours I might capture,” he said. “I go into the sea thinking I know something about what might happen, but nature consistently delights and delivers much beyond my imagination. I could no more dive without my camera than I could write a worthwhile article without the extensive research I do each time.”
When asked about his favourite camera for underwater use, Seifert replied, “I think of my camera gear like a toolbox. Sometimes I need a Phillip’s head, other times a claw hammer. There is a right tool for each job, and unfortunately there is no photographic Swiss Army knife. It would be more convenient if one manufacturer did everything, but I love the 50-megapixel files of my Canon DSLR, with the beautiful density and ability to crop. They also have my favourite telephotos for topside use. Nikon has a brilliant 60 mm macro lens, which is fast and very sharp. Plus, I can use my trusty, 20-year-old Nikonos RS 13 mm lens on my Nikon digital camera body by means of a clever adaptation on my Seacam housing. This is my single favourite tool for underwater photography, particularly since I have an overwhelming preference for photographing large marine life such as sharks, whales and manta rays.”
Seifert spends as many as 40 weeks per year on the road these days in pursuit of underwater images. He is usually accompanied by his wife, Emily, who was not a diver when they met but now has logged more than 1,600 dives. Much of this time is spent in support of conservation groups such as Shark Savers, Manta Trust and Global Shark Diving.
“I enjoy what I do, and with every dive I gain greater appreciation for my mentors, who taught me so much about the sea in general, and underwater photography specifically,” he explained. “Chris Newbert, Doug Perrine, Jim Watt, Avi Klapfer and Howard Hall have all been so gracious to me. Ron and Valerie Taylor, Stan Waterman and Eugenie Clark took me in and brought me to another level of adventure and technique in our decades of diving around the world. I hope I can give some back to the next generation.”
Despite having had a long and successful career, Seifert has no plans to slow down any time soon. When asked if he ever plans to dial back the travel a little, he readily replied, “I consider Stan Waterman my touchstone, so that means I should have at least another 40 good years in me.”
Maybe there was something in the water. Douglas David Seifert learned to swim at what is now one of the most revered macrophotography destinations in the United States: the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, Fla. In the early 1960's Palm Beach County was an absolute paradise; there were very few dive shops and hardly any tourists who were interested in viewing the near-shore underwater world through a face mask. But Seifert’s childhood obsession was doing just that while growing up on Singer Island, Fla. He went deep-sea fishing with his father every weekend and had aquariums at home for which he collected invertebrates and tropical fish. He became a keen observer of fish behaviour at an early age.
Although Seifert failed the classroom portion of his first scuba class at age 12 — the math involved in the dive tables was too much for him at the time — later in life he overcompensated and became a scuba instructor, actually teaching the math that had once confounded him. His immersion in the dive industry brought him in contact with one of the early icons of marine conservation in South Florida, Norine Rouse.
“Take only pictures, kill only time, leave only bubbles” was her mantra, and Seifert was her protege. He had great admiration for her, whom he called “this funky, crazy, fearless 60-something-year-old woman running a dive shop.” He recalled that she was not a fan of shark baiting, but at that time there might be 20-30 bull or lemon sharks on a dive even without using bait. This was also a time when any given day diving Palm Beach County would reveal 12–24 turtles, mostly loggerheads. Rouse would dive with a buffing pad, and the turtles would recognise her at a distance and swim right up to her to have their shells cleaned. She had a true rapport with marine life. Her passion for the welfare of marine life was infectious, and helped shape Seifert's lifelong commitment to conservation issues.
Wanderlust and an ambition to sell TV and movie scripts in Hollywood drove Seifert west. Soon disenchanted with the entertainment industry, he sold everything he owned to buy an around-the-Pacific ticket, back when such things existed. That meant he could go somewhere such as Australia, spend a few weeks (or months) and then hop on another jet to Fiji or wherever. His parents gave him a Nikonos camera system as a going-away gift, though he knew very little about how to use it. While in Sydney, he wandered into the Dive 2000 store and met underwater photographer Kevin Deacon, who fortuitously offered lessons to the uninitiated.
“In the film days, learning underwater photography without instruction was a very slow and unforgiving process,” Seifert recalled. “Kevin accelerated my learning curve, as did a book I read almost daily for four months: Howard Hall’s Guide to Successful Underwater Photography.
Howard and I have since become good friends, but I doubt he’ll ever know how meaningful that book was to me at that time in my life.”
Deacon’s instruction proved invaluable when Seifert dived with great white sharks at Dangerous Reef, South Australia, guided by the incomparable Rodney Fox. At the time, fewer than 100 people in the world had ever dived with great white sharks. Some time later, back in Florida, Seifert met Doug Perrine (see Shooter, Fall 2013) and went with him on a trip to the Azores. Armed with a Nikonos RS and a 20-35mm lens,
Seifert managed to get some underwater photos of sperm whales at a time when very few such images existed. He showed them to the publishers of Ocean Realm, who happily agreed to publish them along with an article about his adventures in the Azores. At the time Ocean Realm was the most prestigious dive journal, and having his images prominently displayed was momentous. He followed that article with one about manatees and dugongs, which was the cover story for the journal’s issue that debuted at the 1996 Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) Show.
The underwater photo industry noticed those images in particular, and that marked Seifert’s
induction into the fraternity of underwater photojournalism. Also in 1996 Seifert began writing articles for Dive International, a British dive publication (now called DIVE). Today he is DIVE’s World Editor and the writer of a monthly feature called “Water Column.” He has written and photographed roughly 100 features articles.
A hallmark of Seifert’s photography and writing is the exacting research that goes into his projects well in advance of travel. “If I didn’t read and research, I wouldn’t know what I should photograph or recognise the significance of behaviours I might capture,” he said. “I go into the sea thinking I know something about what might happen, but nature consistently delights and delivers much beyond my imagination. I could no more dive without my camera than I could write a worthwhile article without the extensive research I do each time.”
When asked about his favourite camera for underwater use, Seifert replied, “I think of my camera gear like a toolbox. Sometimes I need a Phillip’s head, other times a claw hammer. There is a right tool for each job, and unfortunately there is no photographic Swiss Army knife. It would be more convenient if one manufacturer did everything, but I love the 50-megapixel files of my Canon DSLR, with the beautiful density and ability to crop. They also have my favourite telephotos for topside use. Nikon has a brilliant 60 mm macro lens, which is fast and very sharp. Plus, I can use my trusty, 20-year-old Nikonos RS 13 mm lens on my Nikon digital camera body by means of a clever adaptation on my Seacam housing. This is my single favourite tool for underwater photography, particularly since I have an overwhelming preference for photographing large marine life such as sharks, whales and manta rays.”
Seifert spends as many as 40 weeks per year on the road these days in pursuit of underwater images. He is usually accompanied by his wife, Emily, who was not a diver when they met but now has logged more than 1,600 dives. Much of this time is spent in support of conservation groups such as Shark Savers, Manta Trust and Global Shark Diving.
“I enjoy what I do, and with every dive I gain greater appreciation for my mentors, who taught me so much about the sea in general, and underwater photography specifically,” he explained. “Chris Newbert, Doug Perrine, Jim Watt, Avi Klapfer and Howard Hall have all been so gracious to me. Ron and Valerie Taylor, Stan Waterman and Eugenie Clark took me in and brought me to another level of adventure and technique in our decades of diving around the world. I hope I can give some back to the next generation.”
Despite having had a long and successful career, Seifert has no plans to slow down any time soon. When asked if he ever plans to dial back the travel a little, he readily replied, “I consider Stan Waterman my touchstone, so that means I should have at least another 40 good years in me.”
Categories
2020
January
February
Group Fitness at the PoolHow to Rescue a Distressed diver at the SurfaceHow to manage Near-DrowningNo Sit-ups no problem How to manage MalariaHow to manage Oxygen Deficiency (Hypoxia)What to do when confronted by a sharkHow to manage Scombroid PoisoningHow to perform a Deep Diver RescueHow to perform One-rescuer CPRHow to perform a Neurological Assessment
March
DAN’s Quick Guide to Properly Disinfecting Dive GearCOVID-19 : Prevention Recommendations for our Diving CommunityGermophobia? - Just give it a reasonable thoughtScuba Equipment care – Rinsing and cleaning diving equipmentCOVID-19 and DAN MembershipFurther limitations imposed on travels and considerations on diving activitiesDAN Membership COVID-19 FAQsLancet COVID-19 South African Testing SitesCOVID-19 No Panic Help GuideGetting Decompression Sickness while FreedivingDown in the DumpsCardiovascular Disease and DivingDelayed Off-GassingDiving after Dental surgeryDiving with Multiple MedicationsPygmy Seahorses: Life AquaticAfrica DustCOVID-19 Myth BustersScuba Units Are Not Suitable Substitutes for VentilatorsDisinfection of Scuba Equipment and COVID-19Physioball Stability Exercises
April
COVID-19 AdvisoryScuba Equipment Care - Drying & Storing Your GearTransporting Diving Lights & BatteriesHow to Pivot Your Message During a CrisisTourism Relief FundCOVID-19 Business Support ReviewDiving After COVID-19: What We Know TodayEUBS-ECHM Position Statement on Diving ActivitiesPart 2: COVID-19 Business Support ReviewPress Release
May
Diving in the Era of COVID-19Dive Operations and COVID-19: Prepping for ReturnCOVID-19 & Diving Activities: 10 Safety RecommendationsCOVID-19: Surface Survival TimesThe Philippines at its FinestThe Logistics of ExplorationThe Art of the Underwater SelfieShooter: Douglas SeifertFAQs Answered: Disinfecting Scuba EquipmentStock your First-Aid KitResearch and OutreachCovid-19 ResearchOut of the BlueEffects of Aspirin on DivingThe New Pointy end of DivingDiving and Hepatitis CCaissons, Compressed-Air work and Deep TunnellingPreparing to Dive in the New NormalNew Health Declaration Form Sample Addressing C-19 IssuesDiving After COVID 19: What Divers Need to Know
June
Travel Smarter: PRE-TRIP VACCINATIONSAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and DivingCOVID-19: Updated First Aid Training Recommendations From DANDiving with a Purpose in National Marine SanctuariesStay Positive Through the PandemicFor the Dive Operator: How to Protect Your Staff & ClientsStudying Deep reefs and Deep diversAsking the Right QuestionsLung squeeze under cold diving conditions
July
Dive DeprivationVolunteer Fish Surveys: Engage DiversDAN Member Profile: Mehgan Heaney-GrierTravel Smarter: Don’t Cancel, Reschedule InsteadDive Boat Fire SafetyRay of HopePartner ExercisesDiving at AltitudeAluminium ExposureHip FracturesAcoustic NeuromaGuidelines for Lifelong Medical Fitness to DiveNew Dive Medical Forms
August
Women in Diving: Lauren Arthur, Conservationist & Natural History Story TellerWomen in Diving: Dr Sara Andreotti White Shark ResearcherTiming ExerciseWomen in Diving: The Salty Wanderer, Charlie WarlandWomen in Diving: Beth Neale, Aqua soul of freedivingWomen in Diving: Diving and spearfishing Diva, Jean HattinghWomen in Diving: Zandile Ndhlovu, The Black Mermaid
September
October
Freediving For ScienceStep Exercises with CardioFluorescence Imaging help Identify Coral BleachingChildren and DivingThe Watchman device and divingScuba Diving and Factor V Leiden gene mutationNitrogen Narcosis at shallow depthsOil and Particulates: Safe levels in Breathing Air at depthDive Principles for Coping with COVID-19The Importance of a Predive Safety CheckTalya Davidoff: the 'Plattelandse Meisie' Freediver
2019
February
April
May
DAN Press ReleaseYour Dive Computer: Tips and tricks - PART 1Your Dive Computer: Tips and tricks - PART 2Aural HygieneDCS AheadHow Divers Can Help with coral conservationRed Tide and shellfish poisoningDiving after Kidney DonationDiving with hypertrophic cardiomyopathyEmergency Underwater Oxygen Recompression
June
July
September
October
November
Exercise drills with DowelsHeart-rate TrainingCultivating ConservationTRavel Smarter : Evaluating an unfamiliar Dive operatorChallenging the Frontiers of Decompression ResearchTravel Smarter: Plan for Medical EmergenciesWhen should I call my Doctor?DAN Student Medical Expense CoverageAdvice, Support and a LifelineWetsuits and heat stressDiving after Chiropractic adjustments
2018
April
Flying after pool diving FAQLung squeeze while freediving FAQDiving after Bariatric surgery FAQMarine injuries FAQVasovagal Syncope unpredictable FAQIncident report procedure FAQDiving after knee surgery FAQDiving when in RemissionDive with orbital Implant FAQInert gas washout FAQOxygen ears FAQPost Decompression sicknessChildren and diving. The real concerns.Diving after SurgeryPhysiology of Decompresssion sickness FAQDiving and regular exerciseGordon Hiles - I am an Underwater Cameraman and Film MakerScuba Air QualityBreath-hold diving. Part 3: The Science Bit!Compensation Legislation and the Recreational DiverCape Town DivingFive pro tips for capturing better images in cold waterThe Boat Left Without You: Now What?
May
When things go wrongEmergency Planning: Why Do We Need It?Breath-hold diving: Running on reserve -Part 5 Learning to RebreatheSweet Dreams: When Can I Resume Diving Post Anaesthesia?Investing in the future of reefsTo lie or not to lie?THE STORY OF A RASH AFTER A DIVEFirst Aid KitsTaravana: Fact or Falacy?
June
Oxygen Unit MaintenanceKnow Your Oxygen-Delivery Masks 1Know Your Oxygen-Delivery Masks 2Emergency Oxygen unitsInjuries due to exposure - HypothermiaInjuries due to exposure - Altitude sicknessInjuries due to Exposure - Dehydration and other concernsHow to plan for your dive tripThe Future of Dive MedicinePlastic is Killing our ocean
September
Return to DivingDiagnoses: Pulmonary blebSide effects of Rectogesic ointmentDiving with ChemotherapyReplacing dive computers and BCDsCustomize Your First-Aid KitPlan for medical emergenciesHow the dive Reflex protects the brain and heartDry suits and skin BendsAltitude sickness and DCSScuba Diving and Life Expectancy
2017
March
April
Incident Insight: TriageA Field Guide to Minor MishapsSnorkels: Pros & ConsTime & RecoveryMedication & Drug UseDiving with CancerNitrox FAQCOPD FAQHyperbaric Chamber FAQJet Lag FAQHydration FAQAnticoagulant Medication FAQFluid in the Ear FAQEye Surgery FAQElderly Divers FAQNitrogen FAQHealth Concerns FAQMotion Sickness FAQMicronuclei FAQ
June
August
2016
February
March
Breath-Hold Diving & ScubaReturn to Diving After DCITiming Exercise & DivingHot Tubs After DivingSubcutaneous EmphysemaIn-Water RecompressionDiving at AltitudeFlying After DivingDiving After FlyingThe Risks of Diabetes & DivingFlu-like Symptoms Following a DiveHand & Foot EdemaFrontal HeadachesBladder DiscomfortLatex AllergiesRemember to BreatheProper Position for Emergency CareAches & PainsCell Phones While DrivingSurfers Ear Ear Ventilation TubesDealing with Ear ProblemsDiving with Existing Ear InjuriesPerforated Ear DrumENT SurgeryUnpluggedCochlear ImplantsPortuguese Man-of-WarJellyfish StingsLionfish, Scorpionfish & Stonefish EnvenomationsStingray Envenomation Coral Cuts, Scrapes and RashesSpeeding & Driving Behaviour
June
Newsflash! Low Pressure Hose DeteriorationItching & rash go away & come back!7 Things we did not know about the oceanMigraine HeadacheAttention Deficit Disorder Cerebral Vascular AccidentEpilepsyCerebral PalsyHistory of SeizuresMultiple Sclerosis Head TraumaBreast Cancer & Fitness to Dive IssuesLocal Allergic ReactionsSea LiceHow ocean pollution affects humans Dive Fatality & Lobster Mini-Season StatisticsPregnancy & DivingReturn to Diving After Giving BirthBreast Implants & DivingMenstruation During Diving ActivitiesOral Birth ControlBreast FeedingPremenstrual SyndromeOsteoporosisThe Aftermath of Diving IncidentsCompensation Legislation & the Recreational DiverNoise-Induced Hearing LossLegal MattersThe Nature of Liability & DivingDAN Legal NetworkWaivers, Children & Solo DivingHealthy, but overweight!Taking Medication while Scuba DivingGetting Fit for the Dive SeasonBone Considerations in Young DiversAsthma and Scuba DivingHepatitisDiving with HyperglycemiaShoulder PainDiving After Spinal Back Surgery
August
Hazard Identification & Risk AssessmentCaring For Your People Caring For Your FacilitiesCaring For Your BusinessScuba Air Quality Part 1Scuba Air Quality Part 2Chamber Maintenance Part 1Chamber Maintenance Part 2The Aging Diver Propeller SafetyRelease The PressureDon't Get LostMore Water, Less Bubbles13 Ways to Run Out of Air & How Not To7 Mistakes Divers Make & How To Avoid ThemSafety Is In The AirHow Good Is Your Emergency Plan
2015
January
March