Revealing fantastic underwater worlds across the globe
Shire people
Underwater cameraman and documentary director Ross Isaacs has worked in some of the most exotic locations across the globe creating stunning images, but his latest project hits much closer to home.
Isaacs, of Port Douglas, has worked with local printer Perrin Clarke at Port Douglas Picture Framing to create a limited series of high-resolution digital fine art prints - known as giclees - for a new online gallery.
His amazing images for the fresh release are shot at locations across the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, but some of the profits from this online exhibition go to a cause close to Isaacs’ heart - rescuing humpback whales tangled in fishing nets off the coast of the US.
One of his closest associates, Peggy Stap, who he worked with for six years on a documentary released in 2008 and narrated by Sir David Attenborough, is spearheading the rescue initiative.
“She’s saved hundreds of whales from dying,” Isaacs says.
“So it’s very worthwhile, but they’re always underfunded, so we’ve decided to set up a gallery and to peel off a royalty, which we donate to marine-life studies to help in their work.
“The gallery represents images that I’ve created from my motion-picture material.”
Isaacs has an impressive underwater-filming CV from more than 30 years in the industry, which includes the 2008 documentary Humpbacks from Fire to Ice, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, First Strike with Jackie Chan and Acri by Japanese director Tatsuya Ishi.
“We’ve done a lot of filming off the Reef, we use a thing called a closed-circuit rebreather, it’s a breathing apparatus that allows us to stay down in stealth mode, there’s no bubbles, you’re totally silent,” Isaacs says.
“The bubbles from normal scuba scare the fish and scare the animals, so when you’re in stealth mode with the closed-circuit rebreather you just become one with the other animals.”
And what next for the talented Douglas Shire local?
“I’ve got some big projects on the boil at the moment, but can’t really talk about that.
“I’m collaborating with local composer David Pyke.”
Check out the new online gallery at oceanplanetimages.com.au/art-gallery.