Tim Rock
Aliases: timrock (forum)
Role: Marine photographer, author, photojournalist, Lonely Planet author, workshop instructor
Affiliation: Based in Guam/Micronesia (resident for 30+ years)
Forum username: timrock
Posts: 67 (forum), 14 comments
Articles authored: 4 (plus 27 article mentions)
Active years: 2003–2019
First appearance: 2003 (forum), 2005 (articles) ([1])
Biography
Tim Rock is a professional marine photographer, Lonely Planet author, and photojournalist who has lived in Micronesia for more than three decades, primarily on Guam. He pioneered diving and snorkeling guidebooks for the islands of Micronesia and Indonesia, and authored definitive coffee table books on Guam’s marine preserves. A regular Wetpixel contributor, he was a trusted Aquatica field tester and reviewer, a Fathoms Magazine writer, and a workshop instructor alongside photographers like Mike Veitch.
Rock is one of the few Wetpixel contributors who documented their camera system journey across multiple published articles — switching from Nikon to Canon (2005), back to Nikon (2007), and ultimately remaining a committed Nikon DX shooter through 2013.
Contributions
Rock wrote 2 guest articles for Wetpixel covering his Indonesia dive guide and the Aquatica AD7100 housing review, published through Adam Hanlon’s editor account.
Published Books
Rock authored an extensive series of diving and snorkeling guides covering destinations across Micronesia and Indonesia:
- Yap — Micronesian Magic (2008) — 300-photograph, 192-page hard-cover volume on the people, culture, nature, and marine world of Yap ([2])
- Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling series — guides to Thailand, Belize, and Cayman Islands (2008) ([3])
- Coffee table volumes on Guam, Palau, and Yap (2008) ([4])
- Hidden Treasures: Guam’s Marine Preserves — first edition (2012), featuring 440+ full-color images with introduction by National Geographic’s David Doubilet. Updated to second edition (2013) and third edition (2019) with additional photos and information ([5], [6], [7])
- Diving & Snorkeling Guide series — covering Palau & Yap, Truk Lagoon, Pohnpei & Kosrae, Guam & the Mariana Islands (updated 2016, 2019). Bali and Raja Ampat & Northeast Indonesia guides co-authored with Simon Pridmore ([8], [9])
All guides are available as print editions and eBooks through Amazon, iTunes, and Blurb.
Aquatica Equipment Reviews
Rock was a regular Aquatica field tester, producing detailed reviews that doubled as entertaining personal narratives:
- “Confessions of a Nikon Traitor” (July 2005) — reviewed the Aquatica A20 housing for Canon 20D while documenting his switch from Nikon to Canon. Tested in Rota, Northern Marianas ([10])
- “Judas Returns: Nikon to Canon and back again” (March 2007) — reviewed the Aquatica AD200 housing for Nikon D200 with the new AquaView viewfinder, tested at DiveTech Grand Cayman while updating a Lonely Planet guide. Documented his return to Nikon ([11])
- Aquatica Reefmote remote release (August 2008) — reviewed the remote camera release system, using reef-placed cameras with remote trigger for close-approach manta photography in Yap ([12])
- Aquatica AD7100 housing (November 2013) — comprehensive field review of the Nikon D7100 housing, tested with the first unit off the production line at Yap Manta Fest and during humpback whale encounters in Ha’apai, Tonga. Articulated the case for DX over FX, citing Thom Hogan’s analysis ([13])
Workshops and Presentations
- ShootUnderwater Digital Pro Seminars (January 2006) — announced seminars alongside Chris Bangs and Mike Veitch in Yap, Micronesia, scheduled for July 2006 ([14])
- ShootUnderwater photo workshops — led workshops with Mike Veitch and Simon Buxton in Puerto Galera and Yap ([15])
- Manta Fest — regular presenter at the annual Manta Ray Bay Resort photo festival in Yap; featured as a presenter at Manta Fest 2019 (12th year) alongside David Fleetham and Frank Schneider ([16])
Photography Awards
Named among the winners in Wetpixel and DivePhotoGuide’s Best Shots of 2007 wrap-up ([17]).
Magazine Contributions
Contributed articles to Fathoms Magazine (issue #18, alongside Eric Cheng and Brian Skerry) ([18]), UwP Magazine (multiple issues), and Underwater Journal.
Timeline
- 2003-05: First forum post on Wetpixel
- 2005-07: Published “Confessions of a Nikon Traitor” — switched from Nikon to Canon 20D, reviewed Aquatica A20 housing ([19])
- 2006-01: Announced ShootUnderwater Digital Pro Seminars in Yap, scheduled for July 2006 ([20])
- 2006-11: Article published in Fathoms Magazine issue #18 ([21])
- 2007-03: Reviewed Aquatica AD200 housing; documented return from Canon to Nikon D200 ([22])
- 2008-01: Published four books: Yap hardcover + three Lonely Planet guides ([23])
- 2008-08: Reviewed Aquatica Reefmote — remote camera for manta photography in Yap ([24])
- 2008-12: Published coffee table volumes on Guam, Palau, and Yap ([25])
- 2012-01: Released new books about Guam, Yap, and Palau including “Hidden Treasures” first edition ([26])
- 2013-11: Reviewed Aquatica AD7100 housing; tested at Yap Manta Fest and Tonga with humpback whales ([27])
- 2013-12: Released “Hidden Treasures” second edition with David Doubilet introduction ([28])
- 2016-04: Updated dive guide series; added Raja Ampat guide with Simon Pridmore ([29])
- 2019-03: Released third edition of “Hidden Treasures” and updated dive guide series ([30], [31])
- 2019-08: Presenter at Manta Fest 2019 in Yap ([32])
References
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2008: Tim Rock Authors Photography Lonely Planet Books ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2008: Tim Rock Authors Photography Lonely Planet Books ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 20, 2008: Tim Rock Authors Coffee Table Volumes On Guam Palau Yap ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 5, 2012: New Books About Guam Yap And Palau Released ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 27, 2013: Guams Hidden Treasures Book Available ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 4, 2019: Hidden Treasures Guams Marine Preserves Updated For 2019 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2016: Tim Rock Dive Guide Series Updated ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 4, 2019: Updated Tim Rock Guides Available ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2007: Judas Returns Nikon To Canon And Back Again ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2008: Reefmote Control Aquatica Remote Release Reviewed ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 29, 2013: Review Aquatica Ad7100 Housings By Tim Rock ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 21, 2006: Shootunderwatercom Digital Pro Seminars ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 7, 2006: Shootunderwater Mike Veitchs Photo Workshop ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 20, 2019: Dates Announced For Manta Fest 2019 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 11, 2008: Best Shots Of 2007 Wrap Up ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2006: Dema 2006 Fathoms Magazine ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 21, 2006: Shootunderwatercom Digital Pro Seminars ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2006: Dema 2006 Fathoms Magazine ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2007: Judas Returns Nikon To Canon And Back Again ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2008: Tim Rock Authors Photography Lonely Planet Books ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2008: Reefmote Control Aquatica Remote Release Reviewed ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 20, 2008: Tim Rock Authors Coffee Table Volumes On Guam Palau Yap ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 5, 2012: New Books About Guam Yap And Palau Released ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 29, 2013: Review Aquatica Ad7100 Housings By Tim Rock ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 27, 2013: Guams Hidden Treasures Book Available ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2016: Tim Rock Dive Guide Series Updated ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 4, 2019: Updated Tim Rock Guides Available ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 4, 2019: Hidden Treasures Guams Marine Preserves Updated For 2019 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 20, 2019: Dates Announced For Manta Fest 2019 ↩
- Confessions of a Nikon Traitor (2005) (article) ↩
- ShootUnderwater seminars (2006) (article) ↩
- Fathoms Magazine issue #18 (2006) (article) ↩
- Aquatica AD200 review — “Judas Returns” (2007) (article) ↩
- Lonely Planet / Yap books (2008) (article) ↩
- Reefmote review (2008) (article) ↩
- Guam/Palau/Yap coffee table books (2008) (article) ↩
- Best Shots of 2007 (2008) (article) ↩
- New books about Guam, Yap, Palau (2012) (article) ↩
- Aquatica AD7100 review (2013) (article) ↩
- Hidden Treasures second edition (2013) (article) ↩
- Dive guide series updated (2016) (article) ↩
- Hidden Treasures third edition (2019) (article) ↩
- Updated guides (2019) (article) ↩
- Manta Fest 2019 (2019) (article) ↩