ERNEST H. BROOKS II

I met Ernie at the DEMA Show in Las Vegas in 2012. We talked about our many shared interests: art, the ocean, conservation. He has inspired me since that day, with his passion, his insights and his incomparable art. Like so many others who had the opportunity to hear him speak, I was drawn to this wise, warmhearted gentleman, and I was extremely touched by how he gave back to the ocean.

He told me that everyone is connected to the ocean, and he was very keen to be a part of what we do in Asia. He enthusiastically agreed to be a guest of honour at ADEX 2013, as well as accepting an appointment to the advisory board of the Historical Diving Society (Asia). He would come back for our event in Singapore for many years. In 2018, ADEX was dedicated to sharks, and he graciously allowed us to use one of his most iconic shark images (which you’ll find on the cover and in the pages of this magazine). That same year, the last year he came to the show, we honoured Ernie as an ADEX Ambassador (Emeritus).

While he had no intention to teach, Ernie was my mentor. His passion and his love for the ocean have been my inspiration, guiding me in my way of thinking until today. He will always remain close to my heart, and he will continue to inspire me as he has inspired so many underwater photographers from around the world. Thus, this edition is our collective tribute to Ernie, our celebration of his life and work, communicated through the dedications and images of underwater photographers who have been touched by this great man. Thank you Ernie. We will miss you.

One Ocean, One Love

HE has dived all oceans of the world, from shallow to deep, sport to commercial, for research to science, optics to high resolution, film to digital and a favouring towards black and white because of the lasting and timeless expression it gives to the viewer… you!

A single photograph, entitled “Snake River”, was captured by Ansel Adams in

1940. The image presents all the elements: the beauty of the sky above, the powerful mountains that invite exploration and the waterway flowing to the sea.

Next to Ansel’s photograph is another by photographer Dorothy Kerper Monnelly, entitled “Daybreak”, where early morning skylight creates a reflective glow of peace to illuminate the delicate marshlands of our waterways. And next to these two remarkable photographs is a profile of a blue shark, by Ernest H. Brooks II. This one single photograph will also change the way you view all life within the sea – the power of the statement from within the beauty and evolution of this remarkable ancient creature and the struggle for continuance in our modern times.

Ernest H. Brooks II was born to be a photographer and his Portuguese ancestry brought him an affinity with the surrounding seas. The Pacific Ocean became his playground and campsite to witness the majestic Macrocystis kelp, the “redwoods of the sea.”

His grandmother was a portrait photographer, his father a commercial photographer and his uncle a landscape photographer. Ernest followed the path of least resistance to become a spokesperson for underwater film festivals in the world.

Photography affords us the tools to sculpt with light, to paint with textures and shapes and to write volumes into a single image – creating indelible, lasting impressions of where we have been, who we really are and where our future may take us

ERNEST H. BROOKS II