Walt Stearns

Real name: Walt Stearns
Forum username: walt stearns
Posts: 475
Articles authored: 1
Active years: 2005—2023
Primary forums: Photography Gear and Technique, Conservation and the Environment, Photo / Video Showcase, Classifieds
Specialization: Goliath grouper conservation, rebreather diving, medium format underwater photography, Florida marine life, UW journalism

Biography

Walt Stearns is a professional underwater photographer, journalist, marine conservation advocate, and rebreather diving authority based in West Palm Beach, Florida. A professional photographer for more than 19 years by the time he joined Wetpixel in late 2005, he had worked extensively for major dive industry publications including Skin Diver, Sport Diver, Scuba Diving, Scuba Times, Discover Diving, Ocean Realm, Scuba Diving & Snorkeling, Southern and Western Diver, and Sport Diver UK (^[1]).

In January 2007, Stearns launched Underwater Journal (UWJ), a free bimonthly PDF magazine that covered ocean exploration, research, destinations, equipment, and techniques. Eric Cheng introduced the publication on Wetpixel as coming from a “professional photographer and friend” (^[2]). The magazine attracted contributions from notable underwater figures including Jim Abernethy, Ned DeLoach, Philippe Cousteau, and others. Stearns served as editor and contributor through at least 27 issues spanning 2007 to 2013 (^[3], ^[4]).

Stearns described his colleague and friend Steve Frink’s characterization of his diving habits as ones that “should not be emulated,” reflecting the intensity and frequency of his Florida diving activity (^[5]).

Photography Career

Equipment

Stearns used Nikon film bodies throughout much of his career — FM, FM-2, F3, F4, and F-100 — along with Mamiya medium format 6x7 rangefinders. He transitioned to digital with Canon 1D Mark II bodies (^[6]). He later adopted the Nikon D850 and eventually the Nikon Z8 mirrorless system (^[7]). He used Retra Prime strobes and Nauticam housings and ports in his later career (^[8], ^[9]).

Medium Format Experimentation (2009)

Stearns experimented with a Hasselblad 50-megapixel medium format camera at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida, posting results that impressed the community with their extraordinary detail and resolution. The thread “Having some fun with medium format” (17 replies) showcased this pioneering work (^[10]).

Palm Beach Coast Portfolio (2019)

Stearns was featured in a Full Frame gallery on Wetpixel showcasing Florida’s Palm Beach Coast — the 45-mile stretch he called “Florida’s Gold Coast.” His portfolio documented the region’s extraordinary marine diversity including all five Atlantic sea turtle species, multiple shark species, goliath grouper spawning aggregations, and black water diving subjects. The gallery demonstrated his intimate knowledge of an area where the Gulf Stream sweeps within three miles of shore (^[11]).

Blackwater Photography

Stearns was an active blackwater photographer off West Palm Beach, diving six to seven miles offshore in the Gulf Stream’s northward flow. He shared his expertise on blackwater diving logistics and techniques in forum discussions, noting that all blackwater dives in South Florida take place well offshore with boats running south before making the drop (^[12]).

Conservation Advocacy

Goliath Grouper Protection (2007—2022)

Stearns was one of the most persistent and vocal advocates for the protection of goliath groupers (Epinephelus itajara) in Florida waters, maintaining a 15-year campaign spanning nearly his entire Wetpixel tenure.

In July 2007, he posted the urgent thread “WE NEED TO ACT NOW” when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed allowing the killing of 800 adult goliath groupers under the guise of a “research proposal.” Stearns exposed the proposal as “nothing more than an appeasement to specific fishing groups,” citing scientists from Florida State University and NOAA who opposed it. He addressed his articles in Underwater Journal — “Big Fish, Going, Going, Gone?” (Issue 2) and “Uncertain Future” (Issue 3) — documenting the plight of large reef predators (^[13]).

In October 2007, Stearns authored a Wetpixel article reporting on spearfishing poaching of federally protected goliath groupers at spawning aggregation sites near Jupiter, Florida. He documented five separate incidents in detail, working with local dive operators Emerald Charters and Jupiter Dive Center to establish a $1,500 reward for information leading to arrests (^[14]).

He continued advocacy through 2009, when the FWC approved draft rules providing full protective status for lemon sharks in Florida state waters — a victory Stearns celebrated in his thread “Our efforts are paying off,” crediting Dr. Gruber, the Shark Foundation, Shark Safe Network, Oceanic Defense, Shark Savers, Reef Relief, and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (^[15]).

In 2018, Stearns wrote another detailed Wetpixel article urging the community to oppose FWC plans for a limited harvest of goliath groupers, explaining the scientific problems with the proposed slot size and catch methodology (^[16]).

In March 2022, Stearns made a presentation to FWC commissioners that contributed to a significant victory: the establishment of a 1,000-foot exclusion zone around three spawning sites in state waters, with no fishing of any kind permitted. Wetpixel’s Adam Hanlon praised Stearns’s “incredibly powerful” presentation to the commissioners (^[17]).

Wes Skiles Memorial (2010)

When renowned cave diver and underwater cinematographer Wes Skiles died while diving off Boynton Beach, Florida in July 2010, Stearns — as a fellow South Florida diver — shared details of the memorial celebration and service at Ginnie Springs (^[18]).

Rebreather Diving

Stearns was an experienced rebreather diver and knowledgeable advocate for the technology in the Wetpixel community. His thread “Still Thinking about Rebreathers?” (30 replies) provided detailed analysis of KISS rebreather models and pricing, including technical assessments of the VR Technologies VRx computer and comparisons with other units like the Poseidon Mk VI Discovery. His expertise extended to evaluating safety features, particularly his skepticism of units dependent on single rechargeable batteries and only two oxygen cells (^[19]).

Community Role

Stearns was a bridging figure between the professional underwater photography industry and the Wetpixel community. His 18-year presence (2005—2023) gave him one of the longest active tenures on the forums. He contributed to discussions on a wide range of topics — from Nikon camera transitions and strobe selection to dive computer choices and conservation campaigns. He started 84 threads and maintained a consistent presence in both gear discussions and environmental advocacy.

His forum activity spanned the entire Wetpixel era, from early discussions about Nikon D500 discontinuation and Z-series mirrorless transitions to evaluations of modern strobes like the Inon Z-330 and Retra Flash Prime (^[20], ^[21], ^[22]).

Activity Timeline

• 2005-12: Joined Wetpixel; introduced himself as a 19-year professional photographer (^[23])
• 2007-01: Launched Underwater Journal webzine (^[24])
• 2007-03: UWJ Issue 2 published with articles by Jim Abernethy, Ned DeLoach, Philippe Cousteau (^[25])
• 2007-07: Posted “WE NEED TO ACT NOW” re goliath grouper protection (^[26])
• 2007-10: Authored Wetpixel article on goliath grouper poaching in Florida (^[27])
• 2009-03: Posted KISS rebreather overview and advocacy thread (^[28])
• 2009-08: Posted Turks & Caicos Aggressor trip report (^[29])
• 2009-10: Medium format Hasselblad 50MP shooting at Weeki Wachee Springs (^[30])
• 2009-12: Celebrated FWC lemon shark protection victory (^[31])
• 2013-01: Underwater Journal Issue 27 published (^[32])
• 2018-04: Authored Wetpixel article urging goliath grouper protection (^[33])
• 2019-05: Featured in Full Frame gallery: Palm Beach Coast marine life (^[34])
• 2021-04: Contributed to Earth Day goliath grouper protection campaign (^[35])
• 2022-03: Presented to FWC commissioners; helped secure spawning site exclusion zones (^[36])
• 2023-12: Last recorded forum activity

Activity Profile

Walt Stearns accumulated 475 forum posts across 19 active years (2005—2023), starting 84 threads — an unusually high ratio of threads started to total posts, reflecting his role as a discussion initiator and information source rather than a casual participant. He authored 1 article on Wetpixel directly and was mentioned in 11 others, mostly related to his goliath grouper conservation work and Underwater Journal publication.