Truly, Madly, Deeply: Underwater Photography by Ali Bin Thalith

To capture an image of the crystal octopus, one of the ocean’s rarest and most elusive creatures, became the ultimate goal in Ali bin Thalith’s obsession with underwater marine photography. Over ten years of searching has produced cornucopia of extraordinary deep sea images, of which 100 are selected here, shot in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. From Swimming with Giants to the God of Small Things, six chapters portray the inspirational qualities of marine life. Large mammals such as sharks, shoals of tuna, swimming antelope and elephants shot from below are truly exceptional. The microscopic creatures that camouflage themselves so expertly from their predators, coral gardens of the ocean bed, night dive images and the highly decorative patterns found on so much of marine life, provide a sourcebook not just for marine photography enthusiasts, but for everyone interested in colour, pattern and texture. Care is taken to explain the practicalities of the dive, the shoot, or the location and the author willingly shares the difficulties and the techniques of striving to achieve that perfect image.