the underwater wrecks look like today and how marine life has inhabited these artificial reefs. They recently gave one of their local historical presentations, Long Island Firsts: Making History in Our Own Backyard, at the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton, NY. This particular program examines Long Island’s unique history by citing the events that happened here for the very first time. For example, the first transatlantic flight that ever took place took off from Long Island. These local stories are intriguing and look to inspire the feeling of immense pride Long Islanders have for the place they call home. Of course, their programs not only cover stories and history from up and down the New York coast but also regions globally like Greenland, the Galapagos, Yucatan, the Maldives, under the ice in Antarctica, and the Russian Arctic, Indonesia, and more. Eco-Explorers will continue to travel the world to document the threats to our environment as well as shine a light on the underwater realm and how incredible it is. By raising awareness about our environment, about our natural resources, and about preserving our history, they are making good on their promise to help protect and preserve the underwater world for future generations. Eco-Photo Explorers specialize in all aspects of underwater still
photography (wide-angle and macro), nature photography, magazine, and technical writing. They can assist companies, whether it’s a dive resort, dive shop, liveaboard, or other expedition-related services. Eco-Photo Explorers have also participated in several expeditions as onsite photographic experts. They run workshops, seminars, and provide personal photographic coaching. They are also available for SCUBA demonstrations and technical support in research projects, scuba diving support, and photo documentation of projects. For their programs, they are contracted by libraries, local organizations, or anyone interested. The programs can be either in-person or virtual. They run approximately 90-minutes in length and are family- friendly. All the programs can be custom-tailored to specific audiences’ needs. Don’t miss their special presentation at Aquaverse, a brand new Aquaculture, Boating and Seafood Showcase anchored at Claudio’s Greenport on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Schedule available at aquaverseusa.com. Eco-Photo Explorers, 17 Sturrock Way, Setauket, NY 11733 Christopher Weaver, epedivers@ gmail.com, (631) 807-2308 Michael Salvarezza, salvarezza@ optonline.net, (917) 838-9323
“As we say in the diving community, take only pictures, and leave only bubbles...”
T heir love of the ocean and passion for diving led them to establish their company, Eco-Photo Explorers, where they have become ambassadors between the two worlds and strive to make the public aware of the ocean and its inhabitants. The ocean is an enormous part of the ecosystem, but it doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves since it’s below the surface. The team has spent countless hours underwater, amassing an extensive, varied library of their own stock photography. They’ve combined their photography with historical research and put together multimedia presentations. Michael
Salvarezza explains, “We use our own photography and our research together to tell compelling stories with interesting themes. If we’re talking about the environment and the marine world, our photography can illustrate what we’re seeing. For example, shipwrecks have a lot of history, and it’s one thing to talk about the history of the ship and its location, but it’s another to be able to show you what’s there now.” From the early colonial days to modern times, there are tragic tales featuring many shipwrecks that lie on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean from the north, off the Long Island Sound, and to the south, from different eras in American history. The audience can see what
Christopher Weaver and Michael Salvarezza have made it their mission to protect nature. They have been scuba diving together for decades and started photographing below the surface in 1989.
Top: Christopher Weaver; Bottom: Mike Salvarezza
Top left: A family of False Clown Anemonefish from the Philippines. Above: A LyreTail Grouper in Egypt’s Red Sea. Photo by Eco-Photo Explorers.
84 • AFLOAT USA Hamptons May/June 2022
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