jimswims

Forum username: JimSwims
Real name: Jim (surname unknown; referred to as “James” by some community members)
Posts: 661
Active years: 2008—2019
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Mornington Peninsula area)
Primary forums: Photo / Video Showcase, Photography Gear and Technique, Conservation and the Environment, Copyright Issues
Specialization: Southern Australian temperate water macro photography, cephalopods, nudibranchs, conservation ethics

Community Role

Jim, posting as “JimSwims,” was one of Wetpixel’s most thoughtful Australian contributors, known for bringing together high-quality macro photography from the temperate waters around Melbourne with a genuine concern for marine conservation ethics. His posts combined engaging images of rarely photographed Southern Australian species with philosophical questions about the responsibilities of underwater photographers — a combination that consistently generated substantive community discussions.

Based on the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne, Jim was a dedicated shore diver who explored local sites like Blairgowrie Marina (his self-described “macro muck heaven”), Blairgowrie Pier, and other Port Phillip Bay locations. He specialized in cephalopods (which he described as an outright “fetish”), nudibranchs, seahorses, and anglerfish — the distinctive fauna of southern Australia’s temperate reefs that rarely appeared on the predominantly tropical-focused Wetpixel forums.

Jim joined Wetpixel in August 2008, introducing himself with six carefully selected images including leafy seadragons from Yorke Peninsula, dumpling squid, weedfish, and seahorses. His posts were characteristically articulate and warm, invariably signed “Cheers, Jim.” He engaged deeply with other Australian divers including Cal, Brendan S., Peter Fuller (pfuller), and aqua_soul, forming a visible Melbourne diving community within the broader Wetpixel world.

Gear History

Jim’s gear progression was modest compared to many Wetpixel contributors, reflecting a photographer who prioritized mastery of equipment over constant upgrades:

• Olympus E900 compact camera rig (pre-2009) — his entry into underwater photography
• Nikon D90 in Nexus housing (2009—2019) — his primary and apparently only DSLR system throughout his active years. He started the major “NIKON D90” thread (78 replies) and posted his first DSLR images in October 2009 (^[1], ^[2])
• Nikon 60mm AF-S macro — his workhorse lens, described as being “a slave to the 60mm” (^[3])
• Tokina 10-17mm fisheye — used occasionally for wide-angle but clearly secondary to his macro work
• Single Inon Z-240 strobe initially, with a second added later
• Stacked macro wet lenses (“Stackroscope”) for supermacro work (^[4])
• Explored adding an Inon 45-degree viewfinder and later discussed the Nauticam viewfinder (^[5])

Notable Contributions

”Should the Hidden Remain Unseen?” — Conservation Ethics (April 2010)

Jim started one of Wetpixel’s most significant conservation ethics discussions when he questioned whether it was acceptable to move rocks to photograph the Prickly Anglerfish (Echinophryne crassispina), a secretive species found only on Southern Australian coastline. His honest, self-reflective post acknowledged the tension between the excitement of documenting a rare species and the potential harm of disturbing its habitat. The thread (20 replies) drew responses from prominent community members including Alex Mustard, who praised Jim’s ethics while noting that “there are a small number of underwater photographers out there who always put the shot first.” The discussion revealed that rock-turning was becoming common in Melbourne dive sites, with fellow diver Brendan S. citing a specific case where an octopus with eggs had been disturbed at the same site (^[6]).

Nikon D90 Discussion (2009)

Jim authored the 78-reply “NIKON D90” thread, one of the most comprehensive community discussions about this popular underwater camera. The thread covered housing comparisons (Aquatica, Nexus, Ikelite, Subal, Patima), optical fiber versus electrical sync connections, dome port options (6-inch vs 8-inch vs 9.25-inch glass), and the Tokina 10-17mm zoom gear compatibility. Jim’s questions and follow-ups helped other prospective D90 buyers navigate the complex ecosystem of housing choices (^[7]).

”How Long Is Too Long?” — Non-Payment Advocacy (May 2010)

Jim brought attention to the problem of dive magazines failing to pay photographers, starting a thread about his 10-month wait for payment from Asian Diver magazine. The thread (39 replies) revealed that multiple Wetpixel members experienced similar delays from the same publisher. Jim’s persistence — sending emails to all department heads — eventually resulted in payment, and he shared contact addresses with other affected photographers. His observation that “I’m certainly under no illusion though as to where I stand in the world of UW Imaging but I obviously value my images more than they do” resonated with the community (^[8]).

Nauticam Viewfinder Feedback (April 2010)

Jim provided early community feedback on the Nauticam viewfinder design, questioning whether the externally adjustable diopter knob was too exposed and could be accidentally bumped. He suggested a more flush dial with a coin slot for adjustment. The thread (40 replies) drew responses including practical experience from users like Ryan (“Aussie”) who had been shooting with one for months, and ultimately helped inform community understanding of the viewfinder’s real-world performance (^[9]).

Giant Cuttlefish Conservation at Whyalla (July 2011)

Jim raised alarm about the dramatic drop in Giant Cuttlefish numbers at Whyalla, South Australia, and the threat posed by BHP’s planned desalination plant at Point Lowly. The thread prompted Peter Fuller (pfuller) to provide detailed information about the desalination plant threat and contact details for writing to the South Australian premier. Jim noted this was “a unique and amazing event” found nowhere else in the world (^[10]).

March of the Spider Crabs (May 2012)

Jim documented the annual Giant Spider Crab aggregation in Port Phillip Bay, sharing both still images and video of the spectacle. He confessed to being “a slave to the 60mm” and rarely using his wide-angle lens due to typical Melbourne visibility conditions (^[11]).

Chinese Image Theft Site (August 2012)

Jim discovered that a Chinese educational zoology website (blueanimalbio.com) had taken numerous underwater images from various photographers without permission or attribution, including his own. The thread highlighted the challenges of enforcing copyright across international boundaries (^[12]).

Southern Australian Photo Showcases

Jim regularly posted showcase threads featuring temperate water species, becoming one of the few contributors consistently highlighting non-tropical underwater photography:

• “Spring Nudi Collection” — seasonal nudibranch gallery (^[13])
• “Autumn In Melbourne” — cephalopod-heavy gallery including blue-ringed octopi mating (^[14])
• “Nouveau Nudis” — nudibranch showcase (^[15])
• “Winter Nudis in Port Phillip Bay” — seasonal gallery (^[16])
• “Changing Seasons SE Australia” — seasonal transition images (^[17])
• “A Trio from Blairgowrie” (^[18])
• “Victorian Pier Diving at its Best” (^[19])
• “Recent Images from Mornington Peninsula, Australia” (^[20])

Activity Profile

Jim’s 661 posts across 50 threads started were concentrated in the 2008—2017 period, with peak activity in 2009—2012. His posting distribution was unusual for Wetpixel in being heavily weighted toward Photo/Video Showcase and general discussion rather than gear-focused threads. He was notably active in the Conservation and Environment forum and the Copyright Issues forum, reflecting his broader engagement with the ethics and business side of underwater photography.

His last recorded activity was in February 2019, though he had a gap year in 2018 before that final appearance.

Activity Timeline

• 2008-08: Joined Wetpixel with photographic introduction, featuring southern Australian species (^[21])
• 2009-04: Autumn in Melbourne showcase, including mating blue-ringed octopi (^[22])
• 2009-05: Started major Nikon D90 thread (78 replies) (^[23])
• 2009-10: First dives with Nexus D90 housing, transitioning from compact (^[24])
• 2010-04: “Should the Hidden Remain Unseen?” ethics discussion (^[25])
• 2010-04: Nauticam viewfinder feedback thread (^[26])
• 2010-05: “How Long Is Too Long?” — non-payment from Asian Diver magazine (^[27])
• 2011-07: Giant Cuttlefish conservation concern at Whyalla (^[28])
• 2012-05: March of the Spider Crabs — Port Phillip Bay (^[29])
• 2012-07: Supported shark fin ban discussion (^[30])
• 2012-08: Reported Chinese website image theft (^[31])
• 2012-08: “Mug Shots” gallery (^[32])
• 2013: Listed Nexus D90 housing, ports, and gears for sale (^[33])
• 2019-02: Last recorded forum activity