Carol Grant

Forum username: seagrant
Real name: Carol Grant
Posts: 772
Active years: 2005–2019
Primary forums: Photo/Video Showcase, Conservation and the Environment, Photography Gear and Technique
Specialization: Florida manatee photography, marine mammal conservation, Nikon/Subal systems

Biography

Carol Grant is a Florida-based underwater photographer and marine mammal conservationist who became one of Wetpixel’s most distinctive voices over a 14-year membership. Known professionally as Carol Grant of Ocean Grant Images (oceangrant.com / oceangrantimages.com), she achieved international recognition for her intimate manatee photography at Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida. Her forum username “seagrant” derives from her surname, not the NOAA Sea Grant program — though as she joked to James Wiseman, “I grew up in California and took the screen name seagrant (cause of my name), but I didn’t bankroll your research!” (^[1]).

Awards and Recognition

Carol’s manatee photography earned her significant recognition beyond the underwater photography community:

• 2010: Won the Grand Prize in the Nature Conservancy’s 4th Annual Photo Contest with a manatee image from Three Sisters Springs. The winning image was selected by 19,000 voter-supporters and featured in the Nature Conservancy’s 2011 calendar, distributed to their one million members. Carol entered specifically “to bring attention to save natural spring areas for manatee - especially Three Sisters Spring” (^[2], ^[3])

• 2011: Featured by the Nature Conservancy as a profiled photographer, with an article and slideshow covering her underwater photography, manatee work, stranded marine mammal rescue, and her recovery from breast cancer. Alex Mustard took her headshot for the profile (^[4])

• 2014: Her manatee photograph appeared on the cover of Alert Diver magazine (Winter 2014 issue, DAN’s new format), selected by Stephen Frink. She noted it had been seven years since a manatee had appeared on a notable print magazine cover (^[5])

Wetpixel Articles

Carol contributed original content to Wetpixel’s editorial pages:

• “An Intimate Look at the Florida Manatee” (2006): An article documenting manatee behavior and conservation concerns at Crystal River, combining photography with advocacy for spring habitat protection (^[6])

• “Carol Grant Takes Rare Photos of Newborn Manatee” (2008): Written up by Alex Mustard for Wetpixel, documenting Carol’s extraordinary photographs of a wild manatee birth at Three Sisters Springs on February 29, 2008. She was the sole witness for over 40 minutes, documenting a newborn male calf she named “Angel,” including rare behavioral observations of other manatees appearing to “kidnap” the baby — behavior previously documented only a few times by USGS researchers. Bob Bonde of the USGS Sirenia Project confirmed the photographs were “quite remarkable” and the detailed timeline was valuable for research (^[7])

• “Carol Grant: Manatees — Sirens of Crystal River” (2014): A Full Frame portfolio feature on Wetpixel, with a literary framing referencing Homer’s Odyssey. The portfolio showcased manatees at Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (^[8])

Conservation Advocacy

Atlantic Lionfish Invasion

Carol’s very first post on Wetpixel (December 2005) was a detailed alert about the invasive Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) spreading through Atlantic waters. Drawing on information from her Dive Safety Officer at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, she reported survey data showing concentrations of 60 lionfish per transect at depths of 120-165 feet, 60 miles offshore North Carolina, with population estimates around one million individuals. She noted the fish were growing nearly twice the size of their Pacific counterparts and urged the community to report sightings to NOAA. James Wiseman welcomed her to Wetpixel in response to this post (^[9]).

Manatee Conservation

Carol’s forum presence consistently combined photography with conservation messaging. She used her competition wins and media coverage strategically to raise awareness for manatee habitat protection, particularly Three Sisters Springs. Her work contributed to public understanding of manatee behavior during a period when Crystal River was gaining increasing attention from recreational snorkelers and photographers.

Notable Forum Contributions

Nikon D3 & D300 Announcement Thread

Carol started the pivotal “Nikon D3 & D300” thread (80 replies) in September 2007, alerting the community that Nikon was about to unveil both cameras at Photoshop World in Las Vegas. The thread became a major discussion hub as members tested D300 compatibility with existing housings — notably, Sam (shchae) demonstrated that the D300 would physically fit inside a Nexus D200 housing, news that excited the large D200 user base. The thread generated extensive discussion about housing manufacturers’ upgrade paths and the implications of the new AF system (^[10]).

Subal ND30 Compatibility Issues

Carol’s “Subal 105vr Port/lens Not Attaching To Subal ND30” thread (27 replies) documented a serious compatibility problem between the Subal ND30 housing for the D300 and the dedicated Subal 105mm VR port. Her detailed troubleshooting process — including multiple camera reseating attempts, lens-only versus port-only tests, and checking centering with different lenses — was a model of systematic problem-solving. The issue was particularly urgent as she was leaving for a trip in two days. The thread served as an important reference for other Subal users encountering similar fit issues with the ND30 (^[11]).

”Hitchin’ A Ride On A Seahorse”

One of Carol’s most celebrated forum posts (30 replies) combined narrative storytelling with detailed marine biology. She documented a longsnout seahorse at Blue Heron Bridge carrying multiple hitchhikers — a tiny sea hare slug and a skeleton shrimp — while continuing to feed. The post included a detailed species list from a single dive: 2 striated frogfish, 3 seahorses, 10+ common octopus, 3 Atlantic longarm octopus (mimic), pipefish, searobins, yellow garden eels, and a northern stargazer. Alex Mustard expressed excitement about diving there before the upcoming Wetpixel Shearwater trip (^[12]).

Florida Marine Life Documentation

Carol was a prolific contributor to the Photo/Video Showcase forum, regularly sharing manatee images from Crystal River, marine life from Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, and subjects from Florida Gardens and other Florida dive sites. Her threads included topics on manatees, whales, rays, frogfish, garden eels, alligators, and other Florida marine life. She posted extensively about Blue Heron Bridge (multiple threads) and Crystal River manatee conditions (^[13], ^[14], ^[15]).

Gear History

Carol used Nikon cameras with Subal housings throughout her active years:

• Nikon D200 in Subal ND20 with 105mm VR lens, Subal dedicated 105mm VR port, Nikon 5T diopter (pre-2008)
• Nikon D300 in Subal ND30 with 60mm, 105mm VR, and Tokina 10-17mm lenses (2008 onwards)
• Lighting: Nikon SB-800 and various Subal-compatible strobes

Her commitment to the Nikon/Subal combination reflected both her investment in high-end equipment and the importance she placed on reliable systems for documenting unpredictable wildlife encounters.

Personal

Carol battled breast cancer during her time as a Wetpixel member. The Nature Conservancy’s 2011 profile covered her experience and recovery, including how underwater photography and her connection to marine life helped her through the ordeal. Her return to photographing manatees in the Crystal River springs was celebrated by the community (^[16]).

Activity Profile

• Joined: November 2005
• Last active: July 2019
• Total posts: 772 across 109 threads started
• Comments on articles: 13
• Articles mentioned in: 3
• Peak years: 2008–2011 (manatee work, Nature Conservancy win, conservation advocacy)
• Active in 13 of 15 years (2005–2019, with gaps in 2012 and 2017)
• Activity score: 1,140