Jasmine Carey 
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface IIn a world awash with underwater images, Lilian Koh is a rare voice of stillness and clarity. A celebrated macro photographer from Singapore, Lilian made her pivot from banking to the sea after a single, life-altering snorkelling experience …
Making peace with your photo pile (and maybe even enjoying the process) Let’s be honest—culling can feel daunting. A pile of hundreds (or thousands) of images, each asking: “Keep me?” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of what truly deserves a second look. But what if culling wasn’t about cutting down, but about clearing …
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface Ram Yoro doesn’t just dive into the ocean—he dives into the patterns of it. As a technical diver, award-winning underwater photographer, cave explorer and co-author of Guide to Anilao, he spent years reading the currents, rhythms and creatures …
For decades, snorkelling has been considered the gentler cousin of scuba diving — a splash in the shallows compared to the deep immersion of tanks and training. But that perception is shifting. As more travellers seek authentic, accessible, and nature-rich experiences, snorkelling is undergoing a quiet revival. No longer confined to holiday coastlines or seen …
Creative Optics, Diopters, and Unconventional Tools for Underwater Photography What’s in your gear bag? If you’re heading into a shootout like REAL FOCUS, chances are you’ve already packed your tried-and-true setup: your go-to macro lens, a few lights, and maybe a trusty diopter. But while technical mastery matters, creative vision often starts with what you …
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface From the kaleidoscopic reefs of Sabah to the secret lives of sea creatures rarely seen, Jason Isley has spent over two decades beneath the surface—not just documenting marine life, but giving it a voice. As a founding member …
Where You Let Go — and the Ocean Shows You the Way There’s a quiet exhilaration in drift diving — that moment when you stop trying to control the sea and instead move with it, surrendering to its rhythms. It’s not just a style of diving, but a state of mind. From the upwelling surge …
Welcome to the First Issue of EXPLORER Dive into the debut edition of Solitude World’s EXPLORER Digital Digest—your bi-monthly window into the people, places, and powerful moments that define our world both above and below the surface. From rare underwater encounters to conscious travel insights, this is where stories flow freely, ideas take root, and …
Underwater macro photography is a realm of detail, delicacy, and precision. But within this tight frame lies vast creative freedom. Beyond just capturing a critter, what if your image could say something—echo a feeling, a memory, or an otherworldly mood? That’s where creative macro steps in: a space to experiment with in-camera magic like bokeh …
With many years of underwater photography and post-processing experience, Anna Ewa Manzel—Assistant Manager at Solitude Lembeh Resort and Marketing & Communications – Europe—brings both technical insight and a collaborative spirit to the dive community. She began using Photoshop with version CS2 and is self-taught through numerous tutorials, now specialising in the post-processing aspect of the …
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface Why ethical interactions are shaping a new era in underwater storytelling Jacob Guy doesn’t just film the ocean—he listens to it. Through the glassy lens of his camera, Jacob has built a career around documenting the underwater world …
Pristine Reefs, Untamed Life, and Hidden Wonders in the Heart of the Sulu Sea Have you ever wondered what the ocean looked like before we arrived?Before the anchor scars, the crowded beaches, the flicker of artificial light? Somewhere out there—beyond the well-trodden coastlines and popular dive stops—exists a place where the reef still breathes in …