It is very easy to mention David Doubilet in the same breath as National Geographic as though that says it all. Of course his work has appeared in that illustrious magazine for many years and, well, perhaps it does.
Light in the Sea is a large coffee-table book measuring 12in x 12in and is packed with a collection of photographs taken in, on, around, above and, of course, below the surface of the sea. It is, however, far more than just another collection of photographs of fish, corals and other sea creatures - this is an complete exercise in what to aim for when taking similar photographs.
I am studiously avoiding such words as "Outstanding" or "Excellent" when describing the pictures contained in this book. This is because there are many outstanding and excellent photographers out there - but David Doubilet is a cut above the rest and in a class of his own. His photographs need no such description.
There is far more to Underwater Photography than taking good photographs underwater and, having studied the many images in this book, I would suggest "Light in the Sea" is the template on which any aspiring underwater photographer should model their own abilities.
Sea Creatures are photographed from every position - with wide-angle lens and with macro-lens, from above the surface, from below the surface - and even from half in and half out of the water. Islands are shown with rows of coconut trees along the shores in the background and rows of corals underwater in the foreground - and all in a single photograph. Even that well-known rocky promontory in Egypt called Ras Mohammed is photographed from a new and exciting angle.
This is a book where every photograph is an abject lesson in photography with each one making the statement; "this is what you should aim to achieve when taking a photograph like this." This is a book where the Master has demonstrated his art to the student and I salute the author.
NM