Welcome to the Shively Gallery
I am delighted to have you view my images and encourage you to stop back occasionally as I plan to be adding new images once or twice a year. My web designer tells me I need a bio so here it is!
I became fascinated with the underwater world from my first sight of a Stoplight Parrotfish while snorkeling in Tobago many years ago. After that I was drawn back repeatedly until I finally graduated to scuba in 1988. My interest in underwater photography soon became a passion to share the beauty of the sea with my family and friends. In sharing that beauty via my photographs, I hope to help educate people about the fragile nature of the reef and its creatures thereby promoting conservation of the marine environment.
My dive buddy/husband Dick and I have dived extensively throughout the Caribbean and we are especially fond of two places. We first went to Grand Turk in 1997 and have returned one or two times a year ever since. We find the combination of breath-taking dives and lovely people an irresistible lure to return. Very recently we started diving in Curacao in mid-winter. We enjoy the diving and the charming eclectic mix of island people along with the Dutch atmosphere and plan to go back annually.
Many people want to know what kind of camera gear I use so for you guys, here goes. For years I used a Nikonos IV camera, mainly with a 20mm wide-angle Sea & Sea lens or a close-up lens and an SB 105 strobe. I typically burned through a roll of film per dive. In early 2004 I “went digital” with a Nikon D70, an 18-70mm zoom lens, an Ikelite housing and an Ikelite D-125 strobe. Now I burn through the equivalent of two to three rolls of film on a typical dive! Fortunately both Dick and I are very good on air consumption so we can get the maximum bottom time from every dive.
Currently I am teamed up with Suzanne Gerber, a diver-writer from New York, to create a series of articles that are published in the Times of the Islands magazine of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The series, which has been running since the Fall 2005 issue, is called Each issue highlights a facet of the Caribbean reef life, be it Sponges, tiny critters, Eels, Butterflyfish, etc. and showcases some of my photographs and captions of the subject along with Suzanne’s writing. Additionally, some of my photographs are exhibited on The Florida Museum of Natural History website. To view them, choose my name from the dropdown menu under "Photographer".
A selection of my prints are now being displayed for sale at Art Provo, a gallery on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. My work is also carried in a number of dive shops in Grand Turk. I am pleased to say that this past year I won honorable mention in the 2nd Annual Turks and Caicos Underwater Photography Contest and will have my winning entry printed on a TCI calendar for the 2008 year.
My web designer also told me to include a picture, so here are two! The one with the handsome man is me with my husband, Dick. The other one is a very rare photo of me, taken by Dick. It is rare because nobody ever sees me underwater without my camera!
Thanks for visiting,
Barbara