Franco Banfi Photography

Laje do Pico, Azores 19 May 2013

admin — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:11:45 +0000

This morning the weather seams good. We were expecting calm sea with cloudy sky. With big surprise we could see a blue sky. At 9:00 o’clock we were leaving the harbour heading out at sea. We contact the vija to know if He had seen any whales around? The answer was that there were a pod of sperm whales south. We decide to start with them. We sail to the south and when we arrived there we found several whales together socializing. We did a first attempt in the water but without success.
We tried some more time but the visibility was so bad that was possible to see the whale only if we approach them more then 5 meters and these whales didn’t let us come so close. We decide to follow the whales and concentrate in top site images. Before to do that we saw a strange big mass in the water and we decide to look what it was and took some pictures.
We find out that it was a piece of a giant octopus, probably a catch of the sperm whales. We went back to follow the pod and we could do several tail shot. After few hours we decide to look for other mammals like Risso dolphins and we sail more close to the coast to do that but without success. We decide then to go back to the harbour.

Franco interview on Canon webpage

admin — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:00:15 +0000

I am delighted to let you know that the interview is now live on the Canon website. Depending on the language you would like to read it in, these are the pages.

http://www.canon.co.uk/youconnect_newsletter/Canon_explorers/
http://de.canon.ch/youconnect_newsletter/Canon_explorers/
http://fr.canon.ch/youconnect_newsletter/Canon_explorers/

Enjoy reading ….and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any question or if you want to join any Photo Tour or Workshops.

Maldives Big South Trip with Mariana Liveabord

admin — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:06:49 +0000

From 13 to 28 April I was back in Maldives on board MY Mariana accompany a group for Schöner Tauchen Switzerland.

Since December 2005, MY Mariana sails the atolls of the Maldives. For many years in the Maldives, Joerg Aebi is the responsible and guide on board. He knows the diving places like nobody else and guarantees every dive is an incomparable experience. This time we explored the very south of Maldives, we flew to Gan, the southern-most island of Addu Atoll. From there we cruise back to Male, crossing the equator.
Rattana –Joerg’s partner– is enthusiastic about diving and has accepted the challenge of working on the Mariana. Besides the diving, she often is also in the kitchen, cooking some Asian specialities. She pampers guests with massages. (This should not be missed).

Tauchen April 2013

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:30:12 +0000

I’m happy to let you know that the biggest diving magazine in Europe Tauchen published my Portfolio in 10 pages and another 10 pages reportage on Brazil springs and rivers.

Cover & first page Portfolio
Crystal clear spring, Brazil

Marine Wildlife Photo Tour – 5-13 July 2013

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:03:23 +0000

Recently the Azores have been discovered as one of the best places in the world to dive up close with Blue Sharks (Prionace glauca) and also frequently with Short Fin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus). In addition to sharks there is also a fantastic dive at Princess Alice Bank, a submerged seamount in the Atlantic Ocean, situated about 45 nautical miles southwest of the island of Pico. The bank is considered one of the best diving spots of the Atlantic due to the enormous biodiversity and being a rich fishing ground. Usually shoal of Mobulas swimm around the pinnacle.

Why don’t give it a try? I organize a special Tour for Photographers from the 5 to 13 July 2013. If you are interested and want to have more informations or if you want to book. write me: info@banfi.ch.
More pics: http://www.banfi.ch/page.php?area=7&pagina=30&met=key&search=pico

Sperm whales of Dominica (4 to 21 January 2013)

admin — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:18:26 +0000

We returned home after two weeks of a successful Wildlife Tour in Dominica to photograph sperm whales, the largest of the toothed whales.
Every follower who joined us in these two weeks was able to swim with and photograph the whales. Every day we spent at least 8 hours to the sea, searching for the marine mammals. At the beginning of our stay we had some rainfalls but then the weather stabilized. Also the sea was not always calm the very first days : this is normal when we consider that we are just behind the corner of the Atlantic.
Few days we came back to the hotel without having seen a lonely whale, but the day after we were awarded with a lot of sightings.
Sperm whales are often spotted in pods of some 15 to 20 animals. Pods include females and their young. One day we spent some time with the sperm whales during social gatherings, they rubbed against each other and communicate by clicking.
Sperm whales are known to dive as deep as 1,000 metres in search of squids to eat. These toothed baleens eat a mess of fish and squid (about one ton per day).
When they dive showing us their tale fluke, we have to wait up to 60 minutes to see the same animal surfacing again. When this happened we looked for other whales to swim with.
All photo taken under permit n°RP 12/355SW3

We are already organizing another trip in January 2014. If you are interested, don’t wait to contact me at info@banfi.ch. There are only 6 spaces available.

New Gallery has been added to the website

admin — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:15:50 +0000

I have added a new photo-gallery about Pantanal on my website.
The images of this gallery are about Southern Right whales, penguins, seals…If you want to see the gallery click here:
http://www.banfi.ch/page.php?area=7&pagina=30&search=Patagonia&met=dest
I hope you’ll enjoy.

New Canon Explorer Franco Banfi

admin — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:25:40 +0000

I am honored to inform you tha I have been chosen to be part of the Canon Explorer elite group of photographers.The Canon Explorers are highly talented photographers and filmmakers from a wide range of image making genres, including sports, photojournalism, wildlife and nature, travel, portrait, wedding and architecture. The Explorers have a passion for shooting with Canon equipment and sharing their work and experience with fellow image makers at a wide variety of events and activities.

New Canon Explorer Franco Banfi:
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/ambassadors/explorers/franco_banfi.do

New Gallery has been added to the website

admin — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:15:37 +0000

I have added a new photo-gallery about Brazil on my website.
The images of this gallery are most freshwater, Mato Grosso and Pantanal.
If you want to see the gallery click here: http://www.banfi.ch/page.php?area=7&pagina=30&search=Brazil&met=dest
I hope you’ll enjoy.

National Geography Italy – A close encounter with an anaconda.

admin — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 16:02:32 +0000

Scuba diver photographing green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, Brazil

National Geographic Italy:
http://www.nationalgeographic.it/fotografia/2012/10/26/foto/incontro_ravvicinato_con_l_anaconda-1333237/1/#media