Abi Smigel Mullens

Aliases: Abi Smigel Mullens, Abi Mullens, asmigel, abismigelmullens
Role: Underwater photographer, writer, Wetpixel associate editor, marine conservation journalist
First appearance: 2010-01 ([1])
Affiliation: Wetpixel (moderator 2011–2013, associate editor 2013–2022); Sea Star Underwater Portraits
Based in: San Francisco, California
Forum username: asmigel (81 posts, 2009–2014)

Biography

Abi Smigel Mullens is a San Francisco-based underwater photographer, writer, and the third most prolific article poster on Wetpixel with 728 articles, behind Adam Hanlon (~4,930) and Eric Cheng (1,084). Of her 728, at least 33 were guest contributions by other authors (primarily Full Frame photo essays). Her articles span from January 2010 through October 2022, with a sustained six-year peak (2013–2018) producing over 700 articles.

Abi’s path to underwater photography began through swimming instruction and marine science. As a swim coach, she took underwater photos of her swimmers for end-of-year presents while simultaneously pursuing degrees in marine science and photography. After college, she chose photography as her vocation ([2]). Her wildlife underwater photography has been published in dive magazines throughout the world, and she was profiled in Professional Photographer magazine. She is also a PADI instructor and teaches underwater photography ([3]).

In addition to her editorial work for Wetpixel, Abi contributed to other publications, including writing about Komodo Island for X-Ray Magazine (issue 48, May 2012) ([4]). Her personal website was abimullens.com, and she operated a personal portfolio at abigailsmigel.com ([5]).

Sea Star Underwater Portraits

Abi founded Sea Star Underwater Portraits (seastarportraits.com), a children’s underwater portrait business based in San Francisco. Photographing children underwater was a pet project before she settled on photography as a career. Her subjects ranged from babies as young as five months old to older children, capturing them in pools with natural expressions ([6]).

Her underwater children’s portraiture was featured in Wetpixel’s Full Frame photo essay series in April 2013, accompanying her promotion to associate editor. The Nirvana album cover anniversary article (2012) also referenced her work, noting that “one of the Wetpixel staff, Abi Smigel Mullens, shoots underwater baby pictures in San Francisco” ([7]).

In the Wetpixel forums, she actively advised other photographers on underwater people photography, sharing technical tips about working with children and adults in pool environments ([8]).

Role at Wetpixel

Moderator (2011–2013)

Abi served as a Wetpixel moderator beginning around 2011. In this role she represented the site at trade shows alongside Adam Hanlon, Alex Mustard, and Eric Cheng. She was listed as a “Senior Moderator” for DEMA 2012 coverage ([9]).

At DEMA 2011, Wetpixel was represented by Adam Hanlon, Abi Smigel Mullens, and Alex Mustard, with Abi helping distribute party invitations on the show floor ([10]). At DEMA 2012, she joined Eric Cheng, Adam Hanlon, and Dave Burroughs to provide live show coverage ([11]).

Associate Editor (2013–2022)

On April 16, 2013, Adam Hanlon announced Abi’s promotion to Associate Editor, noting she had “been a moderator of our community for some time, and has worked closely with Eric, Alex and Adam over several shows” ([12]). The announcement also noted she had recently become a mother, writing that “Abi has acquired two new titles: Associate Editor of Wetpixel and Mom” ([13]).

As associate editor, her article output increased dramatically — from 2 articles in 2011 to 65 in 2013, peaking at 145 in 2016. Her coverage was primarily marine conservation, marine-life storytelling, underwater photography culture, and competition coverage rather than technical gear reviews. She served as Wetpixel’s bridge between mainstream ocean news (BBC, National Geographic, New York Times, Huffington Post, CNN) and the underwater photography community, covering approximately 57 articles that cross-referenced major media outlets.

Contributions

Conservation and Marine Life Coverage

Abi’s largest topic area encompassed approximately 448 articles touching on marine life and conservation subjects — sharks, whales, turtles, dolphins, coral reefs, and ocean science. Key conservation themes included:

Rob Stewart Tribute

Following filmmaker Rob Stewart’s death in a diving accident in January 2017, Abi authored a Full Frame photo essay, “A Wall of Sharks as a Tribute to Rob Stewart,” featuring shark imagery submitted by photographers worldwide in his memory. She also contributed her own whale shark photograph from Isla Mujeres, Mexico to the collection ([24]).

Photographer Interviews

Abi conducted approximately 31 interviews with notable underwater and water photographers, bringing their stories to the Wetpixel audience:

She also covered interviews with Dr. Sylvia Earle (Elle Magazine, 2017; TIME, 2017) and Eric Cheng (Huffington Post, 2015) ([37], [38], [39]).

Video and Film Coverage

Approximately 221 articles covered underwater video content, films, and web series. A major focus was the Borneo From Below web series (34 articles, 2015–2016), produced by Scubazoo and hosted by Aaron “Bertie” Gekoski. Abi provided weekly coverage of episodes covering topics from nudibranchs and mantis shrimp to sea gypsies and coral conservation ([40]).

She also regularly featured Earth Touch/Wild Oceans marine wildlife video content (approximately 25 articles), covering topics including mating seahorses, cuttlefish behavior, coral feeding, and manta ray behavior ([41]).

Competition Coverage and Judging

Abi covered numerous underwater photography competition results and announcements, including Our World Underwater, DEEP Indonesia, Ocean Art, Monterey Shootout, and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Beyond reporting, she served as a judge for major competitions:

Lembeh-Gulen Critter Shootout Coverage

Abi provided on-the-ground coverage from the Lembeh-Gulen Critter Shootout, a competition pitting photographers in Lembeh, Indonesia against those in Gulen, Norway:

Trade Show Reporting

Abi provided on-site coverage from multiple industry trade shows:

GoPro and Action Camera Coverage

Approximately 37 articles covered GoPro cameras and drones, reflecting the rapid growth of action cameras in underwater photography during her tenure.

Mainstream Media Bridge

Abi was particularly effective at curating and contextualizing mainstream media coverage of ocean topics for the Wetpixel audience, covering stories from outlets including National Geographic, BBC, CNN, Huffington Post, New York Times, and TED (approximately 57 articles). She covered topics like David Doubilet’s images for World Oceans Day ([54]) and Paul Nicklen’s NPR Fresh Air interview ([55]).

Full Frame Photo Essays

Abi authored and curated several Wetpixel Full Frame photo essays, featuring the work of notable underwater photographers:

Forum Activity

Under the username asmigel, Abi posted 81 times across 8 threads in the Wetpixel forums between 2009 and 2014. Her forum contributions focused on underwater photography technique and community engagement:

She also left comments on articles using both “asmigel,” “Abi Mullens,” and “abismigelmullens” usernames.

Article Output by Year

YearArticlesRoleNotes
201021ModeratorFirst year; gear news, conservation, dive reports
20112ModeratorLong Beach Scuba Show, AB376 shark fin bill
201365Associate EditorPromoted April 2013; interviews, conservation, Blackfish
2014113Associate EditorInterviews, competitions, marine science
2015139Associate EditorBorneo From Below series (34 episodes), competitions
2016145Associate EditorPeak year; Lembeh-Gulen Shootout, Earth Touch/Wild Oceans
2017134Associate EditorRob Stewart tribute, Marty Snyderman interview, Easter Island
2018107Associate EditorShootout 2018 (Lembeh), DEMA 2018, conservation
20191Associate EditorPHIDEX 2019 (Manila)
20221Associate EditorCMAS European Championship (Madeira) — final article

Timeline

References


Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2010: Misool Eco Resort Holds Fundraising Raffle To Support Ranger Patrol
  2. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Underwater Babies
  3. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Underwater Babies
  4. Wetpixel article, May 7, 2012: X Ray Magazine Issue 48 Available To Download
  5. Wetpixel article, Jun 7, 2011: Report Long Beach Scuba Show 2011
  6. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Underwater Babies
  7. Wetpixel article, Aug 22, 2012: The Nirvana Baby Twenty Years On
  8. Forum thread: Underwater Baby Shoot
  9. Wetpixel article, Oct 11, 2012: Dema 2012 Irc Schedule Released
  10. Wetpixel article, Oct 19, 2011: Wetpixel Divephotoguide Party At Dema 2011
  11. Wetpixel article, Nov 19, 2012: Wetpixel Coverage From Dema 2012
  12. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Appointed As Wetpixel Associate Editor
  13. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Underwater Babies
  14. Wetpixel article, Aug 9, 2011: California Ab376 The Shark Fin Bill
  15. Wetpixel article, Jan 22, 2014: Australias Greg Hunt Approves Shark Cull
  16. Wetpixel article, Feb 4, 2014: Bust Of Worlds Largest Whale Shark Processing Factory
  17. Wetpixel article, Jul 30, 2013: Blackfish Opens In Theaters On Friday
  18. Wetpixel article, Sep 14, 2016: California Governor Brown Signs Legislation That Bans Orca Captivity
  19. Wetpixel article, Apr 9, 2017: New Species Discovered In Easter Island
  20. Wetpixel article, Nov 24, 2014: Rare Footage Of Deep Sea Anglerfish Captured By Mbari
  21. Wetpixel article, Jun 9, 2015: Mbari Discovers Deepest Hydrothermal Vents In Pacific
  22. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2015: West Coast Sardine Population Collapses Prompting Fishing Ban
  23. Wetpixel article, Oct 10, 2018: Microplastics Found In River Prove They Are Not Just An Ocean Problem
  24. Wetpixel article, Feb 20, 2017: Rob Stewart A Tribute
  25. Wetpixel article, May 14, 2013: I Love Getting Thrashed Interview With Clark Little
  26. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  27. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2014: Underwater Photographer Maya Almeida Interviewed
  28. Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2014: 8 Uw Photo Tips And Interview With Sarah Lee
  29. Wetpixel article, Jun 23, 2014: Interview With Benjamin Von Wong
  30. Wetpixel article, Jul 13, 2015: Interview Benjamin Von Wong Underwater River Image
  31. Wetpixel article, Nov 5, 2014: Interview With Darren Rice
  32. Wetpixel article, Mar 23, 2016: Interview With Underwater Photographer Mallory Morrison
  33. Wetpixel article, Jul 25, 2016: Wetpixel Interview With Photographer Michael Muller
  34. Wetpixel article, Feb 26, 2017: Interview With Marty Snyderman
  35. Wetpixel article, Mar 28, 2017: Interview Gutsy Tuason
  36. Wetpixel article, Sep 21, 2015: Interview With Freediver In Beyonces New Underwater Video
  37. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2017: Dr. Sylvia Earle Interview With Elle Magazine
  38. Wetpixel article, Sep 7, 2017: Dr. Sylvia Earle Interviewed By Time For The New Book Firsts Women Who Are
  39. Wetpixel article, Mar 19, 2015: Wetpixel Publisher Eric Cheng Interviewed By Huffington Post
  40. Wetpixel article, Aug 2, 2015: New Web Series Borneo From Below
  41. Wetpixel article, Oct 13, 2015: Video Earth Touch Mating Seahorses
  42. Wetpixel article, Mar 24, 2016: Results Of Deep Indonesia 2016 Announced
  43. Wetpixel article, Nov 20, 2015: Call For Entries Our World Underwater And Deep 2016
  44. Wetpixel article, May 22, 2016: Critter Shootout Voting Is Now Live
  45. Wetpixel article, May 29, 2016: Updates From The Lembeh Gulen Critter Shootout
  46. Wetpixel article, Jun 16, 2018: The Shootout 2018 Is Underway In Lembeh And Gulen
  47. Wetpixel article, Jun 7, 2011: Report Long Beach Scuba Show 2011
  48. Wetpixel article, Oct 19, 2011: Wetpixel Divephotoguide Party At Dema 2011
  49. Wetpixel article, Oct 11, 2012: Dema 2012 Irc Schedule Released
  50. Wetpixel article, Nov 19, 2012: Wetpixel Coverage From Dema 2012
  51. Wetpixel article, Nov 15, 2018: Dema 2018
  52. Wetpixel article, Oct 21, 2019: Phidex 2019
  53. Wetpixel article, Oct 4, 2022: Live Report Underwater European Championship And 1st Madeira Underwater Pho
  54. Wetpixel article, Jun 8, 2016: Ng Publishes 17 Of David Doubilets Images For World Oceans Day
  55. Wetpixel article, Jun 7, 2017: Interview With Underwater Photographer Paul Nicklen On Nprs Fresh Air
  56. Wetpixel article, Feb 3, 2014: Erena Shimoda About Face
  57. Wetpixel article, Feb 11, 2014: Frank Baensch Larva
  58. Wetpixel article, Sep 4, 2014: Isabella Maffei Myanmar
  59. Wetpixel article, Jan 24, 2016: Michele Westmorland Papua New Guinea
  60. Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2016: Liz Corman Olympic Synchronized Swimmers From Below
  61. Wetpixel article, Dec 19, 2016: Greg Sherman Sea Of Cortez
  62. Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2017: Michael Zeigler Kelp Diving In Southern California
  63. Forum thread: Aquaticas New Mini Dome 100 For Cfwa Photography
  64. Forum thread: Tokina 10 17 Mysterious Light Ring
  65. Forum thread: Lighting Ideas For A Large Group Of People In A Pool
  66. Forum thread: Aluminum Print Project
  67. Forum thread: Underwater Baby Shoot
  68. Forum thread: Tokina 10 17 Mysterious Light Ring
  69. Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2010: Misool Eco Resort Holds Fundraising Raffle To Support Ranger Patrol
  70. Wetpixel article, Jan 14, 2010: Nikon D3s Underwater Housing Woes
  71. Wetpixel article, Jun 7, 2011: Report Long Beach Scuba Show 2011
  72. Wetpixel article, Aug 9, 2011: California Ab376 The Shark Fin Bill
  73. Wetpixel article, Oct 19, 2011: Wetpixel Divephotoguide Party At Dema 2011
  74. Wetpixel article, May 7, 2012: X Ray Magazine Issue 48 Available To Download
  75. Wetpixel article, Nov 19, 2012: Wetpixel Coverage From Dema 2012
  76. Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2013: Abi Smigel Mullens Appointed As Wetpixel Associate Editor
  77. Wetpixel article, May 14, 2013: I Love Getting Thrashed Interview With Clark Little
  78. Wetpixel article, Jul 30, 2013: Blackfish Opens In Theaters On Friday
  79. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  80. Wetpixel article, Jun 23, 2014: Interview With Benjamin Von Wong
  81. Wetpixel article, Aug 2, 2015: New Web Series Borneo From Below
  82. Wetpixel article, Mar 24, 2016: Results Of Deep Indonesia 2016 Announced
  83. Wetpixel article, Nov 20, 2015: Call For Entries Our World Underwater And Deep 2016
  84. Wetpixel article, May 22, 2016: Critter Shootout Voting Is Now Live
  85. Wetpixel article, Jul 25, 2016: Wetpixel Interview With Photographer Michael Muller
  86. Wetpixel article, Feb 20, 2017: Rob Stewart A Tribute
  87. Wetpixel article, Feb 26, 2017: Interview With Marty Snyderman
  88. Wetpixel article, Apr 9, 2017: New Species Discovered In Easter Island
  89. Wetpixel article, Jun 16, 2018: The Shootout 2018 Is Underway In Lembeh And Gulen
  90. Wetpixel article, Oct 10, 2018: Microplastics Found In River Prove They Are Not Just An Ocean Problem
  91. Wetpixel article, Oct 11, 2018: Controversy Swirls Around Aquarium Collecting Fish From Blue Heron Bridge
  92. Wetpixel article, Nov 15, 2018: Dema 2018
  93. Wetpixel article, Oct 21, 2019: Phidex 2019
  94. Wetpixel article, Oct 4, 2022: Live Report Underwater European Championship And 1st Madeira Underwater Pho
  95. First article — Misool Eco Resort raffle (2010-01) (article)
  96. Nikon D3s housing woes (2010-01) (article)
  97. Long Beach Scuba Show report (2011-06) (article)
  98. California AB376 shark fin bill (2011-08) (article)
  99. Wetpixel/DPG party at DEMA 2011 (2011-10) (article)
  100. X-Ray Magazine issue 48 — Komodo Island (2012-05) (article)
  101. The Nirvana Baby twenty years on — mentions Abi (2012-08) (article)
  102. DEMA 2012 IRC schedule — Senior Moderator (2012-10) (article)
  103. Wetpixel coverage from DEMA 2012 (2012-11) (article)
  104. Associate Editor appointment (2013-04) (article)
  105. Full Frame: Underwater kids (2013-04) (article)
  106. Interview: Clark Little (2013-05) (article)
  107. Blackfish documentary (2013-07) (article)
  108. Interview: Shawn Heinrichs & Hannah Fraser (2013-09) (article)
  109. Interview: Maya Almeida (2014-01) (article)
  110. Interview: Benjamin Von Wong (2014-06) (article)
  111. Interview: Darren Rice (2014-11) (article)
  112. Eric Cheng interviewed by Huffington Post (2015-03) (article)
  113. Borneo From Below web series launch (2015-08) (article)
  114. Interview: Beyonce video freediver (2015-09) (article)
  115. Call for entries: OWU and DEEP 2016 — Abi as judge (2015-11) (article)
  116. DEEP Indonesia 2016 results — Abi as judge (2016-03) (article)
  117. Interview: Mallory Morrison (2016-03) (article)
  118. Critter Shootout 2016 live coverage (2016-05) (article)
  119. Interview: Michael Muller (2016-07) (article)
  120. Full Frame: Rob Stewart tribute (2017-02) (article)
  121. Interview: Marty Snyderman (2017-02) (article)
  122. Interview: Gutsy Tuason (2017-03) (article)
  123. Easter Island new species — Dr. Luiz Rocha (2017-04) (article)
  124. The Shootout 2018 live coverage (2018-06) (article)
  125. DEMA 2018 (2018-11) (article)
  126. PHIDEX 2019 (2019-10) (article)
  127. CMAS European Championship — final article (2022-10) (article)
  128. Forum: Underwater Baby Shoot advice (forum)
  129. Forum: Tokina 10-17 light ring (forum)
  130. Forum: Aluminum Print Project (forum)