June SPEAKER: Jeff Lindsay
Taking My Camera to Places I Probably Shouldn't
JB Kings Canyon by Jeff Lindsay
Shipwrecks and caves from around the world.
Photographing some of the most challenging locations imaginable with the goal of bringing back images that inspire and show the history and beauty of these remote locations.
Wreckship by Jeff Lindsay
Jeff Lindsay
ABOUT KRISTA LAFOREST
Growing up on the shores of the Great Lakes fostered a natural curiosity about the unexplored for Jeff Lindsay; learning to dive in 1990 led to a lifelong desire to visit and photograph the unknown and forgotten.
With an almost limitless number of shipwrecks nearby, a natural progression into technical diving was required for the deeper and more remote locations.
He’s been invited on numerous projects as team photographer around the world as well as being a keynote speaker at Diving Talks, Portugal and DivExpo, Antwerp.
His biggest thrill is still visiting a shipwreck or cave and capturing some small part of its essence in a photograph.
His website: www.jefflindsay.ca [jefflindsay.ca]
MAY SPEAKER: Krista Laforest, Coral Spawning Research
CORAL SPAWNING: THE FINAL FRONTER OF REEF CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
Coral reefs are a valuable ecosystem teeming with marine life, but facing threats that could eliminate half of the world's reefs in the next few decades. Once a year, a phenomenon known as mass coral spawning takes place on the reefs at night. These spawning events help create offspring that can allow reefs to recover naturally.
Please join SFDI on May 6th as we hear from coral spawning expert Krista LaForest, who will discuss coral reproduction, the challenges and triumphs of spawning research, and the path forward. This presentation will be live on Zoom.
Coral Spawning
Krista Laforest
ABOUT KRISTA LAFOREST
Krista Laforest grew up diving in New England, however her current work focuses on coral research in Florida and the broader Caribbean, including Bonaire and Panama. She has 7 years of coral restoration experience outplanting corals, assessing coral health, and, most notably, monitoring coral spawning both in the wild and in land-based coral production facilities. Currently, Krista is pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, focusing on the effects of climate change on Caribbean coral reproduction. A proud member of the Boston Sea Rovers and Explorers Club, she has published multiple scientific papers and restoration documents utilized in both the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific reefs.
APRIL SPEAKER - Jeff Milisen, UW Photographer kona Hawa’ii
AT THE WHIM OF CURRENTS
LOPHIODES FIMBRIATUS
Our speaker, Jeff Milisen writes: “In 2008, I did my first blackwater dive and saw a cookie-cutter shark, sparking a 17-year obsession with the pelagic ocean. My Friday night social life has since been spent adrift over 6000 feet of water, staring into the abyss and documenting whatever stares back. This 45-minute session will present some patterns that we see in the offshore community and answer questions such as “what factors best predict biodiversity?” and “what are we actually looking at?” Then we’ll focus on a couple of creatures that deserve a little more attention. You’ll see photos, hear stories, and hopefully learn something new. Sit back and drift with SFDI and me on Wednesday, April 1 - and let’s get nerdy!” (This presentation will be on Zoom.)
ABOUT JEFF MILISEN
Jeff Milisen is a marine biologist in the loosest sense of the term. He is also an underwater photographer, blackwater guide, and self-described fish nerd based in Kona, Hawai’i. His camera work has won dozens of international awards and appeared in films by National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. The second edition of his book “The Field Guide to Blackwater Diving in Hawaii” is due out April 1st, and he’s celebrating by giving this talk! When not suspended in the open ocean with a camera in hand, he lives on dry land with his wife, Sarah, and their dog, Alani, plotting his next underwater adventure.
March - Gabriel Jensen – SECRETS OF THE NEON SEA
FLUORO DIVING IN SOUTH FLORIDA
After sunset, South Florida’s familiar reefs transform into something extraordinary. Under blue light, corals, fish, and hidden invertebrates glow in vivid greens, reds, and oranges; revealing a hidden world that most divers never see.
On Wednesday March 4th, join local underwater photographer and divemaster (and SFDI member!) Gabriel Jensen for a visual journey into fluorescence diving. Learn the science behind the glow, how any diver can experience it with a simple blue light and mask filter, and where to find the best local spots; from Blue Heron Bridge to the reefs of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and beyond. Whether you’re a night-diving regular or looking for a new way to experience our home waters, this presentation will show you South Florida after dark in a whole new light.
ABOUT GABRIEL JENSEN
Gabriel Jensen is the 2025 Underwater Close Up Photographer of the Year and an internationally published underwater photographer and photonaturalist. His award-winning images celebrating the vibrant microfauna of the Tropical Western Atlantic have been featured by National Geographic, Forbes, BBC Wildlife, Smithsonian, CNN, New York Times and more.
Gabriel serves on the Board of Directors of the South Florida Underwater Photography Society (SFUPS), where he helps connect underwater photographers, marine scientists, and ocean enthusiasts with the resources and mentorship they need to elevate their craft.
A passionate explorer of South Florida’s busy urban waterways, Gabriel has a particular love for exotic sea slugs and cryptic marine life. His discoveries have contributed to popular publications and scientific resources including the Blue Heron Bridge Guide, Ocean Geographic Society, Scuba Diver Magazine, and Florida United Malacologists, or mollusk scientists.