Franco Banfi Photography

I recently returned from a wonderful cruise to Raja Ampat aboard the MV Pindito, a marvellous wooden Pinisi (Traditional Indonesian Motor Sailer). The MV Pindito is the liveaboard with the widest experience in this area, the most biodiverse coral reef ecosystem in the world. The main goal of the cruise was to look for whales and dolphins and to do some dives. On board there was Benjamin Kahn, a marine biologist specialized in whales and dolphins. He has lived in Indonesia for many years and knows the waters around the archipelago very well. We departed from Sorong and headed north inside Dampier Straight, where more whales are sighted and this was the case because we come across a couple of killer whales (Orcinus orca).
We sailed on then north side of the island of Batanta where we could encounter Spinner (Stenella longirostris) and Risso’s (Grampus griseus) dolphins, and a bryde’s whale. We then headed north to Wayag crossing the equator, on the way we did some dives and some zodiac cruises.
Ben was always on the bridge to spot the whales before everybody else and on our way back we encountered some more dolphins and a pod of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), I tryed to photograph them underwater but I was only able to see the shadow passino in front of me and the click from their echolocation “clicks“.
Next morning we decide for a dive with mantas, we dive on a place called “Manta sandy” a well-known cleaning station for mantas. The time we descend to the cleaning station, six mantas were swimming around the coral block waiting their turn to be cleaned.
On the afternoon we headed south-west and on the next day we have been advise from Ben that we should see sperm whales. That’s it we saw a sperm whale surfacing but it disappeared and surface 20’ later far from the Pindito. We follow the sperm whale for a while before to give up.
Next day, the last day on the way to Sorong we sail between the islands of Batanta and Salawati and we saw at least 3 bride whales, one quit close to our boat. Another experience goes to end and it was a beautiful one thanks to the Pindito friendly crew, Edi, Ben, Mike, Bob and all the guest who share this 10 days cruise.
                                              – Benjamin Kahn and Edi Frommenwiler -

After a successful premiere last year with an area of about 300 m²,  this year the Underwater Pixel World enlarged the area of the  exhibition up to 2,500 square metres.
25 exhibitors of the diving and photographic industry participated in the Underwater Pixel World presenting cameras, housings, lighting and accessories for underwater photographers and filmmakers. In addition to the exhibitors, in a separate area there were a stage for speeches and awards.
In the same area there where the photography exposition of four professional photographers: Linda Pitkin, Alptekin Baloglu, Ralf Kiefner and myself. One place was dedicates to presentations and on the same area this year several photo-film manufactured had also their booths. On one side there were also a Cafe Lounge where to stop and have a break.
The Show has been a good occasion to meet some friends and collegues , talk and share ideas about equipment and destinations.
Beside the Photo exposition, I talk on the stage about my work and advertise about the upcoming Photo Expeditions, Photo courses and workshops. The full program you can see here:
                                    – Constantinos Petrinos, Fred Bavendam and myself -

I’m happy to announce that the international Jury of TPOTY (Travel Photographer of the Year) competition 2011 has chosen :

- my images of Diving under the Ice as Winner in the category Spirit of Adventure Portfolio ;

- my image of Beluga whale and Diver as Winner in the category Spirit of Adventure Best Single Image;

- my split image of Fresh water spring with Fishes as Commended in the category Wild Moments.

This photo contest is run by photographers for photographers and the Jury is composed by international world famous professional photographers and leading photography experts. For this reason I’m proudly honoured to have been selected as winner in two different categories.

The winning images of this year’s awards will be exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society’s Kensington gallery during July and August, in the lead up to and during the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The Society gallery is situated close to Hyde Park on the newly pedestrian Exhibition Road, adjacent the Science, Royal Victoria & Albert Hall, and Natural History Museums.

http://www.tpoty.com/winners/2011

 Check the column “Photo Expeditions” of my web-site ; you’ll find something unusual and truly special.

http://www.banfi.ch/page.php?area=15&pagina=54

I’m please to let you know that I have been choosen –together with 25 other photographers– to participate in this important photography exhibition.  For over 120 years, National Geographic tells us “the world and all around” by cooperating with some of the best photographers in the world.
For 13 years, National Geographic Italy undertook extensive research work to find photographers and stories up to this mark. Even with limited resources often, in recent years the Italian magazine has produced hundreds of services related mainly to Italy, relying on the capabilities of some of the most serious and reliable professional photographers on the domestic market. Sometimes, the risks were taken, assigning work to perfect strangers who, in many cases, have demonstrated their clear vision “the cutting edge” that characterizes the photographers for National Geographic. In other cases, NG has involved proven professionals with great experience.
This exhibition brings together images of 26 of these photographers. All photographs were taken from services performed for National Geographic Italy. This unpublished exposure designed and built for the 2° Italian Festival offers shots of some of the most representative photographers who publish in National Geographic Italy, selected by Marco Pinna. The criterion by which photos were chosen is based more on the artistic quality of the image, composition and emotional impact, than on its journalistic value. The intent is to give life to a collection of images that makes the most of the qualities and characteristics of individual photographers, because this show is dedicated to them, and is a tribute to their art.

THE  PHOTOGRAPHERS
Angelo Antolino, Marco Ansaloni, Franco Banfi, Maurizio Biancarelli, Monika Bulaj, Marco Bulgarelli, Giancarlo Ceraudo, Claudio Cricca, Stefano Dal Pozzolo, Massimo Di Nonno, Nanni Fontana, Andrea Frazzetta, Alessandro Gandolfi, Fabrizio Giraldi, Emiliano Mancuso, Marisa Montibeller, Alberto Novelli, Diego Orlando, Paolo Petrignani, Alexey Pivovarov, Antonio Politano, Sandro Santioli, Francesco Schiavone, Georg Tappeiner, Stefano Torrione, Stefano Unterthiner.

12 November – 4 December 2011
Palazzo Marliani Cicogna – P.zza Vittorio Emanule II – Busto Arsizio (Va)
Opening hours: from Tuesday to Saturday: 15-19 / Sunday 10-12 / 16-19 –Monday closed
Entry Free

Few weeks ago I’ve been in Guadalupe, an island located 280km west of the coast of Baja California. It is nice biological paradise, declared a Special Biosphere Reserve, which emerges from the depths of ocean, from about 4.000mt of water column.
Guadalupe is known worldwide as a first choice destination for anglers’ enthusiasts. It gained a good reputation because of the large quantity of yellow-fin and blue-fin tunas and other pelagic cruising nearby.
It is also the world’s best place to see and dive safely with great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias. The waters surrounding the Mexican island offer exceptional visibility, often exceeding 30 meters, and this makes the difference when we are in the water, trying to have the most from our cameras. Obviously this kind of experience does not happen for chance or good luck , but it is organized until the smallest detail, focusing particularly on the safety of divers and operators, and also the safety and health of the animals.

I trusted of the experience and professionalism of the crew of the Solmar V. For this uncommon underwater experience, I chose the operator who has earned the best reputation: no-one diver neither one shark has ever suffered any damage during their expeditions. Since 2001 they have organized these trips, which have always been successful, ensuring at their guests the best and safest underwater observation of white sharks.
I departed from San Diego –where I met other 12 people and we formed our group- and quickly we crossed the Mexican border and were driven to the port of Ensenada, where Solmar V and its friendly crew were waiting for us. Once the customs formalities were cleared, we set out to the island, where we arrived the next morning.

I repeatedly dived for several hours each days and I have seen great white shark every time. One, two, three sharks at a time, sometimes even 5-6, swam close to the two cages placed at the stern of the boat and to the submerged cage situated at depth of 10 meters, offering a unique show and giving us spectacular photo opportunities.