Maldives Photo Gallery
From a photographer's perspective, the Maldives Archipelago offers unlimited creative potential. In this portfolio you will find a selection of the images I've made in the Maldives over the past few years. All photos in this collection were made in the Maldives. I sincerely hope you enjoy them, but please note that this entire Web Site, and all photos and text contained within are Copyrighted. © Ken Knezick - Island Dreams
Once you have viewed these photos, you may care to read my Maldives Dive Report.
Considering booking a trip? Island Dreams is here to serve you. More Maldives Info
- Maldives Moment
- Reef Scene with Moray Eel
- Magnificent Fire Dartfish
- Meyer's Butterfly Fish
- Underwater Artist at Play
- Black-Spotted Moray Eel
- An Orange Scalefin Anthias
- Who are you calling a Predator?
- Longnose Filefish
- Jeweled Grouper on a Bejeweled Reef
- Upper Deck of the M/V Madivaru 7
- Sonambulent Parrotfish
- Regal Angelfish
- Flowery Flounder
- Maldivian Fishing Boat
- The Art of Camouflage
- Saddleback Butterfly Fish
- Trumpet Fish on the Hunt
- Arhictectural Diagrams of the M/V Madivaru 7
- Camera Table on the M/V Madivaru 7
- Starfish
- Yellowhead Butterflyfish
- Titan Triggerfish
- An Uninhabited Island Paradise
Oriental Sweetlips and Friends
Videographer and Schooling Snapper
David Mesnard and the Whale Shark
Photos From the Previous Century -- The images that follow are the result of my previous trips to the Maldives. Shot in the darker ages of technology, they employed something called "film," and were scanned for a dial-up Internet world that connected at a screaming 14.4 kilobytes per second. (Heck, my first modem operated at 1200 baud. That kind of connection would have today's average web surfer screaming for sure.) Anyway, I've left these photos in the gallery for their historical value, and because they do show some additional representative views of Maldives diving. Enjoy! KDK
Why trek half way around the world to dive the Maldives? Peek through this underwater window along with model Ann Ricciardi, and you will begin to see why.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
This beautiful scene shows the diversity of life on the reef in the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
I didn't call him "magnificent," that's in his name! See eye to eye with this little beauty.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Meyer is a lucky guy to have his or her name attached to this exquisite fish.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Here's another soft coral packed image from the Maldives. The photographer is diving legend Chet Tussey, progenitor of the Tussey Housing. That funny looking model is me!
Photo by: Chet Tussey / Tussey Underwater Systems
He may not be endemic to the region, but I had never seen this particular eel before the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
It is said that the Red Sea received its appelation due to the schools of thousands of these fishes swarming near the surface. Captivated, I am on a mission to photograph full frame images of these jewels of the sea. Here you will see the object of my quest.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
This awesome blackfin tuna circled me from a distance of just a few feet. He smiled - the camera fired - I smiled.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
This tiny critter is less than an inch long, and quite shy. Often found in groups of 4 or 5, they rarely stop moving when under a divers scrutiny.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
The reefs in the Maldives are covered in a cornicopia of living color. Here a coral grouper enters from stage right, as sponges, fishes, encrusting corals, and various invertebrates fight for their place in the sun.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
This is where you can relax between dives. Every afternoon they served us coffee, tea, and cookies up here. In the evenings it was the place for beer and sincere dive lies.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
During the day parrotfish are constantly in action, charged with the task of turning coral into sand. They are wary of divers and difficult to photograph. At night, though, they find a place to tuck themselves into the reef, and seem to sleep. Easily approached on a night dive, they are sometimes observed to blow a bubble of mucous around themselves to conceal their scent from night-hunting predators.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Capturing the Current
A flying buttress of hard coral juts out off the wall into the current. Colorful soft corals have affixed themselves there so as to filter the current for microscopic life and sustenance.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
School of Collared Butterfly Fish
Often encountered in large active schools, these Collared Butterfly Fish (C. collare) are endemic to the reefs of the Indian Ocean.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
A visit with the royal family...
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
At birth, like most other fishes a flounder has eyes on either side of its head. As it matures, one eye "migrates" to join the other, and the fish becomes a bottom dweller.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Born on the sea, the Maldivians are excellent boat builders and fishermen. The design of their water craft is reminiscent of their Phoenician heritage.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
The Scorpionfish is the master of the art of camouflage. It takes a practiced eye to find one. They are painful to touch, but beautiful to behold. So you'd better start practicing.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Butterflyfishes are most always found in pairs. They are exceedingly wary of intruders. When threatened, the pair will split up and swim off at a tangent to one another. When the pressure is off, they soon regroup and renew their promenading.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Trumpetfish are clever hunters. I have seen one swim in tandem with a parrotfish (which eats coral and algae...not other fishes). The trumpetfish will mold its body and match its colors to that of the parrotfish, using it as a blind to more easily approach its intended prey.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
The new 100' M/V Madivaru 7 is the best live aboard dive boat currently operating in the Maldives. Here are some cutaway drawings to give you a better idea what the vessel is like.
Scan courtesy of: Jack Krohn / Phantom Graphics
They had a pretty good camera table set-up, with plenty of work room on top, and storage underneath. There is a Jobo photo processing system aboard. They ask that you request it in advance of your cruise, so that they can have the chemicals aboard. Would have been nice if we'd know that before we got there! But now at least you know...
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
The world of invertebrate life on the reef is even more diverse than the fishes. Don't consider them insignificant just because they move more slowly. This photo shows a broad range of colorful sponges, corals, and more.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
This particular butterfly fish is endemic to the Indian Ocean.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
Forget sharks and baracuda... When its nest is incubating eggs, the Titan Triggerfish becomes the fish to be feared. Rushing at you teeth first, it will chase divers, and other fishes of any size away from its precious eggs.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
During our surface interval, we took the small dinghy and ran off to photograph this beautiful, unihabited island. Captured in the warm afternoon light, this lovely scene is quite typical of the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
In viewing these photos, it's not hard to be reminded of what a beautiful sport we are participating in. It makes me glad I'm a diver, and an underwater photographer. Here's wishing you great diving...and a world of adventure!
Ken Knezick - President, Island Dreams Tours & Travel