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Awards

photographic and video competitions

Contributing

Author & photographer
Consultant - Books
Published Books

Consultancy -

Major projects

Published instructions, programs

 

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Bibliography

 

Professional Accreditations

MBIM British Institute of Marketing  : AAMI Australian Marketing Institute Associate: AIMM Australian Institute of Management : BA (Econ) Bristol University U.K. :

SCUBA Instructor Trainer NAUI # 11245L Life member : International Scuba Instructor NAUI,CMAS,SSI, NASE

Honorary Technical Assistant - Queensland Museum : Honorary Associate - Australian Museum  

Michael AW is the founding director of OceanNEnvironment, a charity organization listed with the Registrar of Environment Australia. The mission of OceanNEnvironment promotes and initiates preservation projects as well as endeavors to document the status of coral reefs, bio-diversity and the impact of man-made pollution through research programs, and educational expeditions. With OceanNEnvironment, he has initiated the Napoleon wrasse protection program in the Maldives, turtle nest adoption program in Indonesia and Say No to Shark Fins campaign in the South East Asia. As co-founder of Asian Geographic, Michael AW serve as publisher of Asian Geographic magazine and Scuba Diver Australasia from 1998 to 2005. He rescinded the position in December 2005 and now hold the position of Founder / Editor Emeritus. He uses the magazines to support the conservation efforts of OceanNEnvironment.

 Pursuing the art form of documentary photography, Michael AW is well known for his saturated colour imagery. His work on environmental issues and natural history, have been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Asian Geographic, GEO, Underwater GEOGRAPHIC, Nature Focus, Action Asia, Scuba Diver, Smithsonian magazine, Ocean Realm (USA), Times, Asia Week, DIVE, Unterwasser, Tauchen, and Aquanaut, to name but a few. His photographs have received 50 awards from several international organizations including the prestigious Nikon International Photo Contest on three occasions. He has also won awards from the BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition. His most recent achievement is a gold award for print at the World Underwater Film Festival at Antibes 2005.

 Over 20,000 of his images have appeared in various publications and exhibitions worldwide including the Australian Museum and Queensland Tropical Museum.  Michael has presented lectures and slide presentations on marine life and underwater photography to the Australian Museum Society, aquariums and private organizations in the pacific-rim countries including the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. He has produced and directed two 24-hour photographic documentaries of corals reefs in the Australian Great Barrier Reef and the Maldives in 1995 and 1999 respectively. These extended sojourns have been encapsulated in books and a broadcast video documentary for National Geographic.

 His first book, 'Beneath Bunaken' about the marine park in Sulawesi received the accolade of being the Presidential 'Gift of State' for Indonesia at APEC 1994. Subsequently in 1996 he produced for the Maldives – “Dreams from a Rainbow Sea”, which was used as official gift for the presidential, fishery and tourism offices. The Four Season Resort Maldives also used this title as premier gift for their guests. He was the co-author and photographer for TANAH AIR, bio-diversity of Indonesia. He has authored several natural history books about fishes, corals, invertebrates and he has also contributed to the Encyclopedias of Malaysia and Indonesia. He has collaborated with Dr. Carden Wallace in one of the most definitive book about the staghorn corals of the Indo-Pacific. His recent accomplished include the launch of “Celebrate the Sea” and Underwater Jungles both high quality case-bound collectors edition published in 2002.   In 2003 he completed “Richest Reefs – Indonesia”, a visual extravaganza from some of the most beautiful reefs in the world – this book is adopted by the Indonesian government as an official gift of state.  A feature documentary of the same title was also produced in 2003. His most recent work “An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography” launch in August 2004 is already among the best selling photographic title.

 

Awards - photographic and video competitions

  • 1985 THE GONG GOLD AWARD – TV Commercial Sanyo “That’s Life”  Singapore
  • 1989 Best of Show, Malayan Nature Society Underwater Photo Competition
  • 1989 First Place Best Picture - Photographer of the Year, Malayan Nature Society
  • 1990 2nd Place, Wide Angle, Flores International Underwater Photographic Competition
  • 1991 2nd runner-up, Animal Life, Flores International Underwater Photographic Competition
  • 1992 Finalist, Sportdiving Magazine, "Ultimate Photographic" Competition
  • 1992 3rd Place, Close Up, New Zealand Ocean Society International Photographic Competition
  • 1992 Highest Commendation, Antibes Festival, France International Photographic Festival
  • 1993 Honorable Mentioned and Bronze Medallion, Nikon International Photographic Competition
  • 1993 3rd Place - Top Side, New Zealand Ocean Society Underwater Photographic Competition.
  • 1994 Silver, Marine Animal Life, OCEAN SOCIETY Photographic Competition, New Zealand
  • 1994 Highest Commendation, Aquatic Seascapes, OCEAN SOCIETY Photographic Competition, NZ.
  • 1994 First Place, Close Up, 32nd International Underwater Photographic Society Competition. USA
  • 1995 Highest Commendation Awards (Seascapes), Ocean Society NZ
  • 1995 Best Superb Close-Up Award , Nikon International Photographic Contest
  • 1996 People of the Sea - Silver award - Ocean Society NZ 
  • 1997 Seascapes - First Place, Ocean Society, NZ
  • 1999 Best Music Adaptation for Music Documentary – World Underwater Film Festival, Antibes
  • 1999 2nd Place Open Section Marine Photographic Festival Japan

  • 1999 Silver – Ocean NZ People Underwater

  • 2000 BBC Photographer of the Year Competition - Honorary Commendation

  • 2000 Gold Ocean NZ - Marine Life - Static

  • 2000 Silver Ocean NZ - People Underwater

  • 2000 Silver Ocean NZ - Video "Rainbow Sea"

  • 2000 Bronze Ocean NZ - Marine Topside

  • 2001 Nikon International Photographic Competition - Open Section - Highest Commendation

  • 2001 Silver Ocean NZ - Plight of Napoleon Wrasse Video

  • 2005 - GOLD DIVER: Black & White Print - 32th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes

  • 2006 Silver Video - Open Category Mediterranean Underwater Film Festival

  • 2006 BBC Natural History Museum - SHELL Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006 competition - Winner: underwater category

  • 2006 Bronze Diver - Portfolio: 33th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes

  • 2007 Golden Dolphin - Portfolio Winner, Moscow

 

Published Books - principal author

  1. "Beneath Bunaken" coffee table concept anthology - Accepted as Gift of State by the Indonesian Department of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication and Consulate General Office. - 1993
  2. "How to Shoot this Picture"- basic underwater photography training manual 1989
  3. 'Tropical Reef Fishes- A marine awareness guide" 1994
  4. "Tropical Reef Life - A marine awareness guide"1997  - 2nd Edition 2001
  5. 'Layang Layang - Jewel in the Blue Wilderness" 1995
  6. " The Great Barrier Reef"- A Pictorial Guide.1995
  7. "Tanah Air - Bio-diversity of Indonesia" 1995
  8. "Ningaloo Reef - Australia's Best Kept Secret." 1996
  9. 'Pohnpei - the heart of the Pacific." 1997 - 2nd ed 2001
  10. 'METAMORPHOSEA' 1995
  11. ONEOCEAN Portraits - 1999
  12. “Dreams from a Rainbow Sea – Maldives” - 1997 - Accepted as official Gift of Republic
  13. "24-hours Beneath a Rainbow Sea” - 2000 - Accepted as official Gift of Republic
  14. Tropical Reef Fishes - 2000 Edition  
  15. In-depth Guide and Sea Life Festival Maldives 2000
  16. A Day in the Life of the Great Barrier Reef 2000
  17. Acropora - Staghorn Corals - Identification and Marine Awareness Guide - Dr. Carden Wallace / Michael AW
  18. Sea Life of South East Asia - New Holland
  19. Celebrate the Sea - Michael AW / Stephen Wong
  20. Underwater Jungles - Sarawak
  21. Richest Reefs Indonesia 2003
  22. Journey of Dreams DVD - 2003
  23. An Essential Guide for DIGITAL underwater photography - 2004, 2006 editions
  24. Richest Reefs Indonesia Special edition 2006
  25. Beneath North SulaweSea 2006
  26. An Advanced Guide to Digital Underwater Photography (2007)

 

Books - Major Contributing Author / photographer

  1. Dive Sites of the Indian Ocean - New Holland

  2. Reef Fishes of South East Asia - New Holland

  3. Diving Australia - Periplus

  4. Diving Great Barrier Reef Guide - Periplus

  5. Marine Life of South East Asia - Periplus

  6. Great Barrier Reef - Lonely Planet

  7. Encyclopedia of Indonesia - Marine Vol. EDM

  8. Encyclopedia of Malaysia - Marine Vol. EDM

  9. Faces of Fishing - Monterey Bay Aquarium Press

  10. The Enchanted Braid - Ohsa Davidson Gray

  11. Dive Atlas of the World - New Holland

 

 

Consultancy - Projects

  • 1988 member, University of Singapore Coral Reef Survey Team, Singapore off shore islands
  • 1988 member, Marine Park Survey, Pulau Tioman, Malayan Nature Society
  • 1988 Diving Consultant, Project Battleship, NZ Forces Singapore
  • 1989 Master Diver, Americ Marine, Phuket Marine Park Tourism Survey
  • 1992 Project Leader, Marine Tourism Potential, Environmental Impact Survey for Indonesian Marine Tourism Federation. Sulawesi and Moluccas
  • 1992/93 Chapter Leader- Reef Keeper Projects
  • 1992 for the Indonesian Marine Tourism Federation and the Department of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication, led two coral reef survey expeditions to the Moluccas Islands and Manado, North Sulawesi.
  • 1992 consult for 'The Serenade' Live-on board diving vessel.
  • 1992 consultant for Murex Resort Manado
  • 1993 International Consultant for the marine tourism for Maluku Tourism Board- Ambon Marine Festival.
  • 1994 Expedition Leader and teacher for the Australian Museum Society' eco-tourism tours.
  • 1995 Layang Layang Resort (Malaysia) - Diving management and recruitment consultant.
  • 1995 consult for the 'Baruna Adventurer' Live-aboard vessel (Bali) Management and international marketing.
  • 1996 Organizer and Co-ordinator for DEMA Asia 1996 - Ocean Futures Photographic Gallery Silent Auction
  • 1996 Expedition organizer for David Doubilet of National Geographic to East Indonesia  
  • 1997 Derawan Sea Turtle Nest Adoption Project
  • 1996 Derawan International Shoot Out Festival - Consultant
  • 1997 Derawan International Shoot Out Festival - Consultant
  • 1998 Consulting for Pohnpei Tourism Bureau , Micronesia
  • 1998 Organiser OceanNEnvironment ‘s Mimpi SEA LIFE WEEK Bali
  • 1999 Project Director and Producer – the “24-hour dive” project in the Maldives – management of live web broadcast and film documentary
  • 2000 Consult for MSV Wind Cheeteh in the West Pacific
  • 2000 Consult for MSV Flying Fish Maldives
  • 2000 - organizer - Sea Life Festival Maldives
  • 2002 - organiser - Outback Coast Sea Life Festival
  • 2002 Celebrate the Sea - tour with David Doubilet & Stan Waterman - Singapore, Perth, Exmouth
  • 2002 President of Jury Team - Video / Marmara Sea Festival - Turkey
  • 2003 - Celebrate the Sea Malaysia
  • 2004 - Celebrate the Sea  - Malaysia
  • 2005 - Celebrate the Sea  - Singapore

 

Published instructions, programs, courses

  1. NAUI Marine Awareness Program

  2. NAUI Deep / Wreck Diving

  3. Rescue Diving Techniques

  4. NAUI Creative Underwater Photography

  5. Underwater Videography

  6. Search and Salvage

  7. Cavern Diving

  8. Submarine Volcano Ecology Program

  9. Author -NAUI Marine Awareness Program

  10. Author -NAUI Marine Research Program

  11. Author -NAUI Deep / Wreck Diving Program

  12. Author -NAUI Ecology of Submarine Volcano Program

  13. Author- PATCH REEF AWARENESS program

  14. Published Series

  15. SCUBA-Advanced Skills-6 consecutive articles

 

Consultant - Books

"Beginnings Goddesses, Sirens and Mermaids

Todd Essick 2003

 

Consultant : Publisher & Concept. Foreword - Michael AW
 

 

'A Fish in My Heart'

Ron Steven 2006

 

Consultant : publisher & Designer : photo contributor

Michael AW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATES

NEW Limited Edition Print

Michael Aw - awarded Best Picture Award @ BBC Natural History Museum - Shell Wildlife of the Year 2006 competition

OUT NOW

'Beneath North SulaweSea'

Limited edition Book & DVD set - Michael AW 2006

Watch the DVD trailer
 

 

 

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