My name is Silke and I am from Austria, but I have never dived in cold water in Europe. What I like is tropical seas, therefore I travel a lot. My favorite countries for diving are Egypt and Indonesia, but I have been diving in many more countries around the globe.

I did my SSI-Open Water in Sharm El Sheikh in 2001 and my PADI Dive Master with the same Dive Center (Anthias Divers) in 2005. I started photographing underwater in 2003 in Columbia where I bought a really simple Sealife analog camera on the island of San Andrés. I am not into the SLR-camera-thing, I still take pictures with my Canon Powershot G 9 with an Ikelite housing and a Sea&Sea external strobe.

All this gear is a lot to carry around, that’s why I will stay on this level of photography I guess! Sometimes I use a macro lens because what I like much more than sharks or other big fish is the very small stuff – the smaller the better! If I cannot go diving I like to take macro pictures of flowers, insects and spiders.

In my normal life I am an audio and light engineer and have a company together with my partner Peter. As soon as my calendar gives me a free week I am hopping onto an airplane to Egypt to go diving for it is my favorite hobby and the best relaxation for me.

Websites:
www.flickr.com/photos/silkebaron
www.myspace.com/prilfish

Silke’s photos: