The website contains photographs, above and below water, taken over many years. Some of the older images are scanned film slides, the majority are digital.

My father was an art teacher and a keen photographer and I remember “helping” him develop and print black and white photos when I was a young boy growing up in Risca, South Wales.

It wasn’t until I got my first summer job in 1972 that I was able to buy a camera – a Pentax ME Super, which I still have in a cupboard somewhere! I've recently scanned hundreds of old print photographs and hope to add some of these to the website.

For many years rugby was my passion and took up most weekends. As age took its toll, I decided to fulfil a life-long ambition and learn to dive. I joined the local BSAC club, Hartford SAC in Northwich, in I998, and met several keen and talented amateur underwater photographers. With their encouragement I bought a second hand set-up – Nikon F90X and Sea & Sea housing and strobes, in 2002.

I moved to digital in 2006 with the D200 and in 2008 bought the full frame D3, again with Sea & Sea housing and twin YS110 strobes. I also use a D800 for above water photography.

The bulk of my diving is in UK and Ireland - cold water, poor visibility and unsettled weather. Diving in the winter months is usually confined to local freshwater quarries.

I retired in 2016 after 34 years working in the NHS and hope to continue diving for years to come - although the cold murky waters of local quarries don't have the same appeal as they once did!

Eleanor and I live in Northwich with two Irish setters, Finbar & Roonagh. Walking the dogs, pilates and swimming, both open water and indoor, keep us fit. Our close proximity to the Cheshire countryside gives plenty of opportunity to photograph local wildlife and scenery. 

Connemara, in the west of Ireland, is like a second home for us and we try and visit at least once a year.

 

 My favourite places to dive include

 

-       N. Wales – Menai Straits, Trefor Pier, Criccieth.

-       Farne Islands, Northumberland

-       Plymouth.

-       Porthkerris, Cornwall.

-       Scotland – St Abbs, Sound of Mull, Hebrides, sea lochs.

-       Connemara, in the west of Ireland

 

I’ve ventured further afield, to GalapagosLembeh Straits and Cocotinos in Indonesia and in 2012 to the Reviiagigedos Islands . I still dislike long haul travel!

There are more photos on my flickr site www.flickr.com/photos/marknthomas

© Mark N Thomas . All Images are property of Mark N Thomas and may not be copied or redistributed without expressed permission. || Login

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