Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest
North American Publishers: Greystone Books and the David Suzuki Foundation (Vancouver); University of Washington Press (Seattle)
Released: October, 2011
Hardcover, 11.5 x 10.5", 160 pages; $45.00
UK Edition Publisher: Saraband (Glasgow)
Released: October, 2011
Hardcover, 11.5 x 10.5", 160 pages; £20
German publisher: Frederking & Thaler (Munich)
Title: Unbekannte Kaltwasserwelten: In den Tiefen des Nordpazifik
Released: February, 2012
Hardcover, 29 x 27cm, 160 pages; 39,95€

Winner of the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award for 'Best Design and Artistic Merit'

"This book is a work of art from every possible angle - from the exquisite photographs, to the book's design, to its flawless printing and production process. There's no other way to describe it: David Hall has created a masterpiece…Hall has everything right in this book. There is nothing extraneous, and nothing missing. This is a complete and moving immersion in the breathtaking underwater world of the Pacific Northwest." National Outdoor Book Awards
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WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING

"In Beneath Cold Seas David Hall's stunning pictures and eloquent words tell the story of life within the frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest, an ecosystem rich in variety, abundance and intrigue...an extraordinary work that stands alone in its achievement." - Chris Newbert, Author of Within a Rainbowed Sea
"Beneath Cold Seas by David Hall contains some of the most stunning photography of Pacific Northwest marine life that I've ever seen. It makes me want to get cold again!" - Paul Humann, Marine Life Author/Photographer
"Like no other photographer I am aware of, Hall has consistently managed to capture patterns, textures and colors and used all of these skillfully in compositions in such a tight and controlled manner, as if they were created on an easel... Not only is the book just a pleasure to go through, but the images are also an inspiration and a challenge for all other underwater photographers to go out and do better... David Hall is an inspirational master who clearly hasn't yet gotten all of the recognition that he deserves." Peter Symes, X-ray Magazine

"Dispelling the myth that cold, murky waters equal boring waters, Hall has captured the staggering beauty and variety of marine life found in the Pacific Northwest. Although the animals themselves are truly amazing, it is Hall's creative eye and masterful photographic technique that really sets this book apart." Jemima Greaves, Outdoor Photography Magazine

"The level of consistency and standard of imagery is quite exceptional and it captures the wild spirit of this corner of the planet, page after page... Beneath Cold Seas has taken over 15 years to achieve but the hard work has been worthwhile and it is difficult to imagine that there will ever be a better collection of photographs to come out of this area." Peter Rowlands, Underwater Photography Magazine

"Most people associate underwater photography with the tropics, but the beautiful images that appear in Beneath Cold Seas were shot in the Pacific Northwest. What's most striking about the book is the color and vibrance that photographer David Hall was able to capture." Mirissa Neff, San Francisco Bay Guardian

"While there are heaps of photography books celebrating the beauty of tropical coral reefs, there are few that focus on marine life in cold waters. Hall's book successfully disputes the belief that cold-water reefs are drab and dismal. But Hall's writing is as eloquent as his full-color photos, with touching vignettes about his curiosity for and experiences in shooting crabs, jellyfish, nudibranchs and octopi, and why he goes to such physical extremes to get these cold-water critters on camera...those physical disadvantages make his 160-page book, Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, all the more amazing." Ben Davison, Undercurrent

"David Hall's sumptuous volume, Beneath Cold Seas, is a celebration of British Columbia diving and... cold water largesse that (he) has captured with such fidelity and skill." Peter Golding, Diver magazine

"...photographer David Hall has given us something which breaks the trend, a collection of outstanding images portraying the cold water marine environment. Marine life photographs of this quality do not come from camera equipment and technical expertise alone... forward planning, a sound knowledge of the subject and the determination to succeed under adverse conditions have all come into play. Beneath Cold Seas is unique; simply inspirational sums it up." Gordon MacSkimming, Scottish Diver

"It helps if you have a fancy underwater camera, which is what New York-based photographer David Hall used to capture the truly stunning images in his new book, Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest (University of Washington Press, $45). Hall's images - which, at times, appear to be photographs of life on another planet - reflect not just the amazing diversity of sea life in local waters, but also the spectacular carnival of colors hidden just below that steely surface." Brangien Davis, Seattle Magazine

"Art or scientific photography? With the photographs that he has taken underwater in the North Pacific, David Hall has succeeded in both. The veteran diver and photographer from New York, has in the course of 15 years, explored these cold waters with his camera and documented a cosmos of previously overlooked color and beauty that can now be seen in his book: "Unbekannte Kaltwasserwelten" (Frederking & Thaler; 39.95 Euro). The photographs of kelp are like paintings; the migration of sockeye salmon like an orgy of red and green. And the sea anemones, jellyfish and sea stars... glow like psychedelic treasures." Der Spiegel; April, 2012


The Pacific Coast of North America from California to Alaska features the most diverse and spectacular marine life of any temperate/cold-water ecosystem on the planet. While there have been many fine photographic books that celebrate the beauty of tropical coral reefs, there are very few that focus exclusively on cold water ecosystems. Filmed entirely in British Columbia, Beneath Cold Seas successfully challenges the widespread belief that cold water marine life is dull and uninteresting. Through state-of-the-art photographic equipment and innovative techniques, David Hall has captured this underwater world in ways that will surprise even experienced scuba divers and amaze the rest of us.

Informative and lively text by the author describes his experiences while pursuing the photographic images for the book. An introduction by marine biologist Sarika Cullis-Suzuki focuses on conservation issues, and Christopher Newbert, author of the bestselling photography book Within a Rainbowed Sea, provides the foreword.

David Hall is an author, photographer, and researcher whose work has won numerous awards. His photographs have appeared in dozens of books and in most major magazines in North America and Europe, including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Natural History, Sierra, Time, Science, Scientific American, Geo, Terre Sauvage, BBC Wildlife and many others. He is the author or co-author of ten books for children and the recipient of an award from the International Institute for Species Exploration. More of Hall's photography can be viewed at www.seaphotos.com.
All images © David Hall. Any unauthorized use or reproduction of these images is strictly forbidden.