Favourite Dive Magazines?

So what mags do you guys like reading? Are there any ones with more of a focus on photography? I'm thinking about subscribing but am a bit confused by the shear amount of choices coupled with not having read many hehe. From what I've seen so far DIVE magazine (UK) seems pretty good.

Also are there any "must read" UW photography books? Technique, ID, photo showcase or otherwise.

Thanks

Hi Hani,

Clearly, the best photographically oriented underwater mag is Wetpixel Quarterly

I also recently saw the photo edition of AustralAsia Scuba Diver - awesome!

As for technique, Martin Edge's "The Underwater Photographer" 3rd ed. is a must.

Happy reading!

Phil

Dive Chronicles? I understand they have some cool contests and their manager is a really neato guy...at least that's what NetDock over on SB says. <snicker>

Seriously though, WP Quarterly is the only one I subscribe to, but I don't really consider it a "dive magazine" so much as a (themed) art/photography magazine. Sure it has articles, some of which have been quite good, but unlike the usual male excuse for Playboy, I don't subscribe to it for the articles.

I've posted elsewhere that IMO Scuba Diving is 95% fluff - new shiny gear advertising tie-ins and Top 10 Places you MUST dive Today! gushing travelogues, with an awful lot of rapid-recycling (the same PR article becomes a 2-page "10 best dives" insert within 3 months, for example). The new format is pretty though.

Used to occasionally read Dive Training - at least it tried to be more substantive although it was aimed at a newer audience (and their instructors). But in reading an article that actually had to have a picture to point out "the foot pocket stiffeners should be removed before fin use," I kind of realized they'd gone downhill too.

Get DAN's Alert Diver courtesy of insurance membership. It's almost always worth flipping through for 10-15 minutes at least, but I'd have to say I don't 'eagerly await' its arrival.

Not that I'm trying to pick on dive literature specifically. I think all print media has gone the same route. Journalistic standards in papers, Newsweek/Time, etc. are being eroded by the new morality of editorializing vs. fact reporting. Internet news outlets are all regurgitating the same AP / Reuters tagline stories, or cannibalizing one another for 'new product' scoops by linking and re-linking cut-and-pastes of press releases (try ANY 'tech/science' site like Engadget, ArsTechnica, DailyTech, etc and you'll see the same things over and over within about a 24 hour window). The attention spans of the viewers they're pursuing and general literacy levels for which they are produced are continually dropping.

And even though I'm a voracious 2-full-length-novels/week reader, maybe I'm still in that same category: after all, I did say above the only dive mag I really like is all about the pretty pictures.

I work for DIVER Magazine in the UK. We obviously like to think it's the best. Before committing yourself to subscribing though, you can see the (almost) entire content of back issues free on-line by going to www.divernet.com

I'd second AustralAsia Scuba diver, I like very much Asian Diver too, their photo editing is top choice. I've read somewhere they are in the process of consolidating .

Australia's Sport Diving Magazine is pretty good too divingwise, although it might not be the most interesting on pure photography it is very much in line with Asian Diver in terms of subjects, I reckon.

Web based mags are a very interesting alternative, of course uwpmag.com with illustrious wetpixel members comes in first place, FINsonline.com from singapore is also great, for french readers I would recommend chercheursdeau.com

That was my personal choice...

I tried to subscribe to Dive Chronicles. They took my information and credit card details and said I would receive the current issue in about 2 weeks, but no magazine ever came. About a month later I called and they said they had charged my card and couldn't tell me why I wasn't getting a magazine. I was told someone the person I needed to speak to wasn't available and he or she would call me, but they never did. I emailed them a few weeks later, but got no response. After another couple of weeks I sent an email saying I was going to contest the charge on my card and let people know how bad they were, I got an email from the owner, Brad. He said that contrary to what I had been previously told, they hadn't charged my credit card and asked what my address was. I am not sure how he knew they hadn't charged me since he didn't know my address. I promptly replied and was so shocked by the prompt reply and the owner's promise that he would look into this that I apologized for my harsh tone. That was two weeks ago and Dive Chronicles is missing in action again. I sent another email 2 days ago but I don't care anymore and don't even want the subscription now. I am trying to go through my charge card bills now to see if I was charged or not. It's probably too late to contest the charge if it was made. Thankfully, not much money was involved.

Avoid them, they either are not an ethical business or are very poorly run. I don't think they even deserve their B- rating with the Better Business Bureau. Thankfully, its not like I advertised with them or entered a contest or something.

I only read two consistently:

1) a new pretty paper one which is a "Fathoms replacement"..... Diving Adventure magazine http://www.divingadventuremag.com/

2) Underwater Journal online http://www.underwaterjournal.com/

I would like to get some non-U.S. magazines, but the postage rates to the U.S. makes them too expensive.

For books, I recommend Jack & Sue Drafahl, Stephen Frink and Cathy Church. All have excellent books, great photos, and are inspiring.

A friend at work gave me his wetpixel quarterly since he's leaving back to the US; and HOLY CRAP THIS STUFF IS AMAZING

Books:

Successful Underwater Photography by Brian Skerry & Howard Hall.

The Underwater Photographer by Martin Edge

Aside from National Geographic & Alert Diver, I don't get any magazines. Way back I used to get SkinDiver and marvel at their glorious equipment reviews. To give them credit, the step-by-step articles by Nikon are what made me decide on buying a Nikonos.

I'm still looking for a consistently good dive mag. Love seeing suggestions, though.

I work for DIVER Magazine in the UK. We obviously like to think it's the best. Before committing yourself to subscribing though, you can see the (almost) entire content of back issues free on-line by going to www.divernet.com

How the hell do you subscribe if you don't live in Britain? All the "add to cart" buttons don't appear to work at least on my Mac.

thanks

Bill

At least there is no subscription required for the Underwater Journal.