23 May 2010

A Week with William Tan

Widely recognised as a master of underwater macro photography, William Tan is a violinist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and accomplished marine life photographer. Between concert seasons, he spends his time studying and photographing marine animals throughout the Asia Pacific region. His patience and determination has resulted in many rare images such as his sequence of a male jaw fish releasing its brood of hatching eggs into the sea. Catching the extremely shy fish at the moment it is releasing its hatching eggs is quite an accomplishment.

William Tan has been fascinated with the creatures of the sea since childhood. While studying at the Johns Hopkins University (USA), much of his spare time was spent gazing at the extensive marine collection of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. A violinist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, William earned his scuba diving certification in 1994.

Thereafter, without his prized antique Italian violin, he travels extensively between concert seasons throughout the Pacific region photographing marine life for tourism organizations, dive magazines and resorts.

His most recent book, Gorontalo: Hidden Paradise, published under the commission of the Indonesian government, is a collaboration with Hong Kong's leading underwater photographers Stephen Wong and Takako Uno.

Cocotinos Manado will welcome William and Noldy (his dive assistant) from 12 to 19 June 2010. If you want to catch William here and get some tips from him, book now! Limited Rooms available.