 |
Falmouth Forum Series 2004-2005
Shipwrecks and Seamonsters - An Underwater Photojournalist's World
January 28, 2005 - Lillie Auditorium, 7:30 PM. Lectures are free and open to the public.
Brian Skerry will take the audience with him on assignment and into the sea. He will guide us through lost ships from 16th century pirate shipwrecks with Spanish treasure to the claustrophobic interiors of sunken WW II German U-Boats. He will also introduce us to a myriad of mythical marine animals, from perceived “monsters” such as sharks and sea serpents to enchanting mermaids (manatees). Skerry's undersea odyssey will trek from the chilly waters of the Gulf of Maine to Australia, South America, Europe and beyond. Also featured will be images from Skerry's most recent National Geographic Magazine stories: Aquarius Habitat - for which he lived on the bottom of the sea for 7 days, Harp Seals - which provides a close-up view of these magical animals living above and beneath drifting pack ice in Canada and Squid – which examines the beauty and beast-like qualities of these amazing sea creatures. Throughout his presentation, Skerry will share the stories and anecdotes behind the photographs as well as the challenges involved in underwater photojournalism. This presentation is filled with science, history, adventure and fun!
Brian Skerry is a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine specializing in elusive underwater subjects. His images have also been featured in magazines such as People, Sports Illustrated, US News and World Report, BBC Wildlife, Playboy, Smithsonian, Esquire, Audubon, Outdoor Life, Wildlife Conservation, Yankee, Maxim, Men’s Journal and in countless publications worldwide. He is the author/photographer of Complete Wreck Diving and A Whale On Her Own – The True Story Of Wilma The Beluga Whale and was the principal photographer for Lost Subs. His latest book, Successful Underwater Photography (with Howard Hall) was published in the fall of 2002.
Working in a wide variety of underwater environments, Skerry is best known for pursuing elusive subject matter from marlin and tuna, to shipwrecks and dozens of species of sharks. In the course of his career he has been nipped by a shark, chased by a sperm whale, "stabbed" by a German U-Boat, lost at sea and once surfaced in a blizzard from a dive in 28-degree water to witness his dive boat sinking. While on a recent assignment for National Geographic in South America he ingested a parasite, which caused dysentery, which caused dehydration, which caused a massive kidney stone to form resulting in a severe attack. While traveling home (having lost 20 lbs and still in very rough shape) all of his luggage was stolen ($50,000 worth of photo gear). Ah yes, the glamour of being a National Geographic photographer! Within the last year Brian has published three stories in National Geographic Magazine: Deep Science, a story about the Aquarius Habitat, Harp Seals a cover story, and Squid written by and featuring the research of MBL Senior Scientits, Roger Hanlon.
Brian is a Fellow National in The Explorers Club, The Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Boston Sea Rovers and a member of ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and NANPA (North American Nature Photographers).
A buffet dinner precedes each lecture at 6:00 pm, in the Swope Dining Room. Tickets for the dinners must be purchased in advance. For more information, contact the MBL Communications Office at: (508) 289-7423 or
|
