When asked how he started taking pictures underwater, Mark replies, "I've always been captivated with the beauty of the sea and its inhabitants, even before I started diving. As a young kid, I spent nearly every spare moment fishing and boating, and was always curious what the sea looked like from the fish's point of view. At the age of eighteen, I got my dive certification, and was immediately hooked - I couldn't believe I had waited so long to do it! Determined to make up for lost time, my buddies and I submerged at every opportunity, exploring the various springs, inlets, and jetties which are so abundant in Florida.

While those first dives often included spearfishing and other 'not so passive' interactions with marine life, I quickly gained a deep respect for the underwater world and its inhabitants. I was also struck by the incredible beauty of it all, and very soon felt the desire to somehow capture a bit of it in a way that could be shared with others.

With the purchase of my first underwater camera, a Nikonos III, a whole new world was revealed to me. Finally, I could show my family and non-diving friends a glimpse of what we found so exciting beneath the surface. Not that those first photos did a very good job of conveying that beauty, but it was a start.

I also found that stalking sea creatures with a camera requires the very same skills and understanding of animal behavior as does spearfishing, yet does not diminish the fish population. For me, the challenge of underwater photography is at least as great as spearfishing, the 'thrill of the hunt' just as intense, and the rewards much longer lasting."

If asked to name a particular type of underwater photography as his favorite, Mark has a hard time. "I often dive with two cameras, because I don't want to be limited to only one lens or technique. In many ways I find macro to be especially satisfying; the colors and image sharpness are typically excellent, and the variety of interesting subjects is seemingly endless. Another thing I really like about macro is the way one often discovers details in the pictures which were too small to observe in real life. Reviewing the photos is almost like doing the dive again, with a chance to study animals which might otherwise go unnoticed.

Wide angle, on the other hand, provides an opportunity to capture the 'feel' of the underwater world, as an observer might experience it. Often it proves very difficult, trying to render the many moods of the sea on film, from the crushing power of a wave to the spectacular scenic beauty of a coral reef. Yet, while I rarely feel I've succeeded, I find the challenge of wide angle to be irresistible.

Perhaps the most exciting work an underwater photographer can do is with big animals. There is no denying the thrill of being close to such creatures; witnessing the graceful ballet of a manta, the mammoth bulk of a whale shark, or the intelligent gaze of a marine mammal can be awe inspiring. When working with some shark species, there is also the adrenalin rush that comes with potential danger, although I find this is often overshadowed by the sheer beauty of the animals. One of the most tantalizing aspects of this kind of photography is that, by its nature, it is unpredictable. Although diving in the right locations improves one's chances greatly, you never really know when that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity might come along. For me, that's what makes every dive a real adventure.