Valerie Taylor
Aliases: Valerie May Taylor, Valerie Heighes (maiden name)
Role: Underwater cinematographer, photographer, shark expert, conservationist
First appearance: 2003 ([1])
Affiliation: Independent filmmaker (with husband Ron Taylor)
Biography
Valerie Taylor AM is an Australian underwater cinematographer, photographer, shark expert, and marine conservationist who, together with her late husband Ron Taylor, became one of the most important and influential figures in the history of underwater filmmaking and shark science. The Taylors’ careers spanned more than five decades, during which they helped transform public understanding of sharks from objects of fear to subjects deserving of conservation.
Born Valerie Heighes, she first met Ron Taylor at the 1960 Heron Island Dive Festival, where she won the Miss Heron Island competition. Ron convinced her to model underwater for his camera, beginning a collaboration that would endure for over fifty-two years. They married in December 1963 ([2]).
In 2010, Valerie Taylor was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) “for service to conservation and the environment as an advocate for the protection and preservation of marine wildlife and habitats, particularly the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef, and as an underwater cinematographer and photographer” ([3]).
Major Film Work
The Taylors’ film career includes some of the most significant underwater productions in cinema history:
- Blue Water, White Death (1969): Hired by producer Peter Gimbel, the Taylors traveled for six months across the Indian Ocean documenting the search for great white sharks. Valerie was employed as a safety diver and on-camera talent; Ron as cameraman. Working with Gimbel and cinematographer Stan Waterman, they filmed vast schools of oceanic whitetip sharks feeding on sperm whale carcasses, leaving the safety of anti-shark cages to capture what remains the most dramatic underwater shark footage ever seen. The film was the second-grossing film of its release year after only Love Story ([4]).
- Jaws (1974): Ron and Valerie were hired to shoot the live-action great white shark sequences for Steven Spielberg’s film ([5]).
- Other Hollywood films: The Taylors provided underwater footage for Orca, Gallipoli, The Last Wave, The Blue Lagoon (starring Brooke Shields), The Year of Living Dangerously, Honeymoon in Las Vegas, Return to the Blue Lagoon, and The Island of Dr. Moreau ([6]).
- Television series: Filmed the 39-episode TV series Barrier Reef (1970-71) and their own 13-episode series Taylor’s Inner Space ([7]).
- Conservation documentaries: Produced The Wreck of the Yongala, The Great Barrier Reef, In the Realm of the Shark, Shadow Over the Reef, and Shark Pod ([8]).
Conservation Legacy
Together with Ron, Valerie fought for over fifty years for the protection of marine life. Their conservation focus included:
- Great white sharks and grey nurse sharks: Advocated for legal protection of both species in Australian waters. Great whites have been protected in Australia since 1997 ([9]).
- Great Barrier Reef: Instrumental in lobbying for reef protections at great personal cost (threats and denouncement from fishermen and politicians), including preservation of the Cod Hole sanctuary for giant potato cod ([10]).
- Ningaloo Reef Marine Park: Supported conservation of this Western Australian reef system ([11]).
- Anti-shark suit innovation: Ron Taylor developed a revolutionary stainless steel chain-mail-inspired anti-shark suit, featured on the cover of National Geographic in May 1981 ([12]).
- Anti-finning advocacy: In a 2010 CNN interview, Ron stated: “World wide sharks are in serious danger, mainly for shark finning. The Asian market just can’t get enough of sharks fin; the price has gone way up. Even Australian fishermen are taking shark fins now in the Great Barrier Reef” ([13]).
- Cage diving pioneers: The Taylors, along with Rodney Fox, pioneered cage diving with great white sharks in South Australia ([14]).
Their conservation work led public opinion toward marine conservation and forced reluctant Queensland politicians to protect Australia’s unique marine heritage ([15]).
Honors
- Member of the Order of Australia (AM) (2010) — for conservation service ([16])
- Order of Australia (Ron, 2003) — “For service to conservation and the environment through marine cinematography and photography, by raising awareness of endangered and potentially extinct marine species, and by contributing to the declaration of species and habitat protection” ([17])
- International Divers Hall of Fame (2000) — inducted jointly with Ron at ceremony in Grand Cayman ([18])
- Australian Geographic Society Lifetime of Conservation Award — jointly with Ron ([19])
- Australian Cinematographers Society Hall of Fame — jointly with Ron ([20])
- Ron and Valerie Taylor Marine Park (2012) — the government of South Australia designated the Neptune Islands as the “Ron and Valerie Taylor Marine Park,” a marine sanctuary where the protected great white shark can flourish ([21])
- Beneath the Sea Lifetime Achievement (2007) — recognized for life achievements at BTS show alongside Ron ([22])
- Featured in Bret Gilliam’s Diving Pioneers and Innovators ([23])
Wetpixel Community Connections
Valerie has been well known to the Wetpixel community through several connections:
- Eric Cheng accompanied Ron and Valerie on an extended trip to French Polynesia in 2005 ([24])
- A photo of Douglas Seifert and Valerie Taylor in French Polynesia, taken by Eric Cheng, accompanied the announcement of Seifert’s DIVE Magazine World Editor appointment ([25])
- Douglas Seifert wrote the definitive tribute to Ron Taylor for Wetpixel in September 2012 ([26])
- Seifert met the Taylors over 20 years before 2014 in South Australia and became close friends; they “informally adopted” him as a nephew ([27])
- Mike Veitch met Ron and Valerie in 2002 while working on the Tahiti Aggressor, spending several trips together in the Tuamotu Atolls ([28])
- Howard Hall noted that “Being on a boat (hoping for white sharks) with Ron and Valerie, was one of the most memorable trips of my career” ([29])
- Marty Snyderman named Ron Taylor as one of his early photographic inspirations: “Ron Taylor way back when” ([30])
- Filmmaker Joe Romeiro cited “Peter Gimble and Valerie and Ron Taylor” as inspirations who “really moved me and made me want to get in the water and do something” ([31])
- Ron and Valerie talked about their lifetime with sharks at the Celebrate the Sea “Heroes” event at ADEX 2006 ([32])
- The Taylors opened the “Sydney Underworld” photo-art exhibition by Richard Vevers and Jayne Jenkins in November 2007 ([33])
- Valerie was special guest on Seifert’s 2014 “Jetties of South Australia” expedition, entertaining the group with stories of filming Blue Water, White Death, Jaws, Orca, and many documentaries ([34])
- Seifert and Valerie also dived together in 2008 at Edithburgh, Wool Bay, and Port Hughes jetties in South Australia ([35])
Influence on Underwater Filmmaking
The Taylors inspired generations of underwater image makers:
- Jay Garbose, underwater video producer, was “inspired by Ron and Valerie Taylor’s shark documentaries and exploits” to pursue his career ([36])
- Ron was “the first man in the world to film a great white shark underwater and the first man to photograph a great white shark underwater without the use of an anti-shark cage” in 1965, a decade before Jaws ([37])
- Eric Cheng’s 2008 oceanic white-tip expedition report noted the Taylors’ famous scene in Blue Water, White Death swimming with hundreds of oceanic whitetips feeding on a whale carcass ([38])
- X-Ray Magazine featured an interview with “diving legends and eco-warriors Ron and Valerie Taylor” in 2008 ([39])
- DIVE Magazine’s October 2012 issue featured Douglas Seifert’s tribute to Ron Taylor ([40])
- The Blue Water, White Death crew and cast reunited at Beneath the Sea 2007, with commentary by Stan Waterman and the Taylors recorded for a planned remastered release ([41])
Timeline
- 1960: Meets Ron Taylor at Heron Island Dive Festival after winning Miss Heron Island competition ([42])
- 1963-12: Marries Ron Taylor ([43])
- 1969: Hired as safety diver and on-camera talent for Blue Water, White Death production ([44])
- 1974: Films live great white shark sequences for Jaws with Ron ([45])
- 2000: Inducted into International Divers Hall of Fame jointly with Ron in Grand Cayman ([46])
- 2002: Mike Veitch meets Ron and Valerie on the Tahiti Aggressor in the Tuamotu Atolls ([47])
- 2005: Joins Eric Cheng on extended trip to French Polynesia ([48])
- 2006-04: Ron and Valerie speak about their lifetime with sharks at ADEX 2006 “Celebrate the Sea” event ([49])
- 2007-03: Blue Water, White Death cast and crew reunion at Beneath the Sea show; Ron and Valerie recognized for lifetime achievement ([50])
- 2007-09: Guadalupe great white shark expedition with San Diego Shark Diving Expeditions advertised ([51])
- 2007-11: Open “Sydney Underworld” exhibition by Richard Vevers and Jayne Jenkins at Bondi Pavilion ([52])
- 2008: Dive with Douglas Seifert and Emily at Edithburgh, Wool Bay, and Port Hughes jetties in South Australia ([53])
- 2008-12: Featured in X-Ray Magazine interview as “diving legends and eco-warriors” ([54])
- 2010-01: Dive with Tiger sharks at Tiger Beach, Bahamas ([55])
- 2010-06: Appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to conservation ([56])
- 2010-10: Interviewed on CNN with Ron about shark fin trade and conservation ([57])
- 2012: Neptune Islands designated as “Ron and Valerie Taylor Marine Park” by the South Australian government ([58])
- 2012-09: Ron Taylor dies; Douglas Seifert writes definitive tribute for Wetpixel ([59])
- 2014-01: Special guest on Douglas Seifert’s “Jetties of South Australia” expedition aboard the Princess II, sharing stories of filming with great white sharks ([60])
- 2016-08: Referenced in Don Silcock’s article on Australian great white sharks as pioneering cage diving alongside Rodney Fox ([61])
References
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Sep 30, 2003: Fathom Imaging Hd Dv And 169 Video Lenses ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 14, 2010: Valerie Taylor Honored ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 26, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 14, 2010: Valerie Taylor Honored ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 6, 2010: Ron And Valerie Taylor On Cnn ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 1, 2016: Australian Great White Sharks By Don Silcock ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 14, 2010: Valerie Taylor Honored ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 26, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 29, 2007: Beneath The Sea 2007 Dive Show Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 29, 2007: Review Of Bret Gilliams Diving Pioneers And Innovators ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 1, 2007: See Great White Sharks With Ron And Valerie Taylor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 20, 2008: Water Column Is Coming ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 26, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field1 ↩
- Forum thread: Ron Taylor Memorial Thread ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 26, 2017: Interview With Marty Snyderman ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 8, 2013: Interview Joe Romeiro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 26, 2006: Adex Asia Dive Expo 2006 Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 27, 2007: Sydney Underworld Richard Vevers And Jayne Jenkins ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 23, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 28, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field2 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 30, 2003: Fathom Imaging Hd Dv And 169 Video Lenses ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 27, 2008: Oceanic White Tip Shark Expedition Trip Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 17, 2008: X Ray Magazine Issue 27 Available For Download ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 3, 2012: Dive October Availble For Download ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 29, 2007: Beneath The Sea 2007 Dive Show Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Forum thread: Ron Taylor Memorial Thread ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 1, 2007: See Great White Sharks With Ron And Valerie Taylor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 26, 2006: Adex Asia Dive Expo 2006 Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 29, 2007: Beneath The Sea 2007 Dive Show Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 1, 2007: See Great White Sharks With Ron And Valerie Taylor ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 27, 2007: Sydney Underworld Richard Vevers And Jayne Jenkins ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 28, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field2 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 17, 2008: X Ray Magazine Issue 27 Available For Download ↩
- Forum thread: Ron Taylor Memorial Thread ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 14, 2010: Valerie Taylor Honored ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 6, 2010: Ron And Valerie Taylor On Cnn ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 26, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2012: A Tribute To Ron Taylor 1934 20120 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 23, 2014: Douglas Seiferts Illustrated Notes From The Field ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 1, 2016: Australian Great White Sharks By Don Silcock ↩
- Fathom Imaging lenses (article) ↩
- ADEX 2006 report (article) ↩
- Beneath the Sea 2007 report (article) ↩
- See great white sharks with Ron and Valerie Taylor (article) ↩
- Sydney Underworld exhibition (article) ↩
- Diving Pioneers and Innovators review (article) ↩
- Oceanic white-tip expedition (article) ↩
- Douglas Seifert writes Water Column (article) ↩
- X-Ray Magazine issue 27 (article) ↩
- Valerie Taylor honored (article) ↩
- Ron and Valerie Taylor on CNN (article) ↩
- A tribute to Ron Taylor (1934-2012) (article) ↩
- DIVE October 2012 (article) ↩
- Interview: Joe Romeiro (article) ↩
- Douglas Seifert’s Field Notes Part 1 (article) ↩
- Douglas Seifert’s Field Notes Part 2 (article) ↩
- Douglas Seifert’s Field Notes Part 3 (article) ↩
- Australian Great White Sharks by Don Silcock (article) ↩
- Interview with Marty Snyderman (article) ↩
- Ron Taylor Memorial Thread (forum) ↩
- The best underwater films (forum) ↩