| There is little, if anything, that Peter Scoones does not | | | | offshore oil platforms. The only other equipment in |
| know about underwater image making. A BAFTA and | | | | existence was inadequate for the low visibility of the |
| two Emmys surrounded by numerous other awards | | | | North Sea. So, necessity calling again, they developed |
| are testament to his creative achievements. But it is | | | | a camera based on the silicon-intensified technology |
| Peter's dual expertise in both beautiful, artistic | | | | being used by NASA which functioned in low-light and |
| cinematography and innovative technical wizardry | | | | worked remotely from the platform without the need |
| which make him both unique and extra-ordinarily | | | | for divers. |
| accomplished in this challenging field. His creative talent | | | | Their reputations spread and one day there was a |
| has taken him many times around the world for a | | | | knock on the door of the workshop in Richmond just |
| string of unrivalled wildlife documentaries, many for the | | | | outside London. It was David Attenborough |
| BBC Natural History Unit in the company of perhaps | | | | (subsequently to become Sir David) and a colleague |
| the greatest and most distinguished wildlife presenter | | | | from the BBC Natural History Unit who wanted to film |
| ever known, Sir David Attenborough. However, he also | | | | a live coelacanth in low-light conditions, something that |
| designs, builds and maintains all his equipment and | | | | had never been done before. The primitive looking, |
| remains at the very cutting edge of his field today | | | | pre-historic coelacanth, which usually lives around |
| after an underwater career spanning nearly five | | | | 1,000ft deep, was only re-discovered in the last century |
| decades. | | | | after scientists thought it had become extinct along |
| He made his first film with an 8mm camera in a | | | | with the dinosaurs, 65 million years earlier. |
| homemade Perspex box in the early 1960's, using only | | | | Attenborough was heading to the Comores islands as |
| a mask, snorkel and fins. From there he has | | | | part of the BBCs 'Life on Earth' series to follow up |
| progressed to become one of the leading wildlife | | | | reports of local fishermen hauling coelacanths up from |
| natural history underwater cameramen in the world. | | | | the deep. He had heard about Peter's camera and |
| When I arrived to interview him at his central London | | | | wanted to hire it. Peter seized his opportunity. Not only |
| flat he was designing a new viewfinder because the | | | | had he read about the coelacanth in school and long |
| cameras he uses have changed their configuration. | | | | harboured an ambition to film it, but he also knew his |
| "Necessity is the mother of invention" says Peter, and | | | | camera was a completely unique and innovative asset |
| never was it more applicable than to this exceptional | | | | that he was certainly not going to hand over for |
| man. | | | | someone else to use. "I told them they could have my |
| Born in Wanstead, North London in 1937 to a sailing | | | | equipment for free" he recalls "as long as they paid for |
| family, a marine career seemed almost inevitable. | | | | me to go out with them and operate it". |
| After school he qualified as a naval architect but on | | | | Thus began Peter's long standing involvement with the |
| subsequently passing the entrance exam to the Royal | | | | BBC including 'Reefwatch', 'The Trials of Life', 'Sea |
| Naval College at Dartmouth for commissioned officer | | | | Trek', 'Life in the Freezer', 'The Blue Planet' and 'Planet |
| training, his eyesight was tested below standard. So, | | | | Earth' which was the first broadcast in high definition, |
| when National Service loomed, instead of two years | | | | among many others. 'Reefwatch' filmed in the northern |
| as a naval clerk he signed up for nine years in the | | | | Red Sea was the first ever live underwater |
| RAF "to learn something useful". That something was | | | | broadcast. At the time, production quality camera |
| photography. | | | | heads were not integrated with any recording device, |
| At the time, Peter was a serious racing sailor "I'm the | | | | thus filming was achieved by passing the image back |
| sort of chap who is 100% involved in whatever activity | | | | to the surface where it was adjusted and recorded. |
| I am doing, nothing else intrudes" he says. Posted to | | | | The BBC technicians in Bristol were developing their |
| Singapore, he headed the RAF sailing team. The fast, | | | | own cameras "but their knowledge was limited" Peter |
| keeled sailing boats became sluggish when coated in | | | | recalls "I knew their equipment wasn't going to suffice, |
| marine algae and hauling them up slipways was | | | | but they were disinclined to listen to a external |
| time-consuming and cumbersome. Instead, the team | | | | freelancer. So I made my own camera. It was less |
| borrowed masks and snorkels from the Navy and | | | | snazzy and elegantly engineered than theirs, but it |
| scrubbed the hulls underwater. Having never previously | | | | out-performed them every time". |
| considered what was under the yachts he raced, | | | | During 'Sea Trek', Peter enhanced the polecam which |
| Peter observed the shoals of pretty, colourful fish | | | | he had originally invented for filming killer whales in |
| feasting on the debris. Around the same time Hans | | | | Norway for an Australian broadcaster. The whales |
| Hass's boat moored nearby and Peter had a 'eureka' | | | | would not approach if there was a diver in the water |
| moment. Hass was already his hero and Hass's | | | | so Peter put the camera on a pole over the bow of |
| presence and the lovely marine life meant the area | | | | an inflatable boat and drove right up to the creatures. |
| was probably a prime location for the beautiful images | | | | The resulting film, 'Wolves of the sea' included the first |
| he had seen on TV and in the cinema. | | | | recording of whales 'carousel feeding', herding the |
| So, after persuading the Navy to teach the basics on | | | | herring into balls near the surface then using their tails |
| their O2 rebreathers they formed a diving club. "The | | | | to stun them before scooping them up. With the |
| RAF disapproved of diving, considering it a dangerous | | | | modern proliferation of wildlife films and tourist |
| activity, but we ignored them" Peter grins. Due to | | | | excursions this kind of behaviour is now observed by |
| limited equipment they became highly adept at | | | | a wide audience, but then it was completely new. The |
| snorkelling and learned to skip breathe. "I could hold my | | | | film went on to win the annual Wildscreen Festival. For |
| breath underwater for 3-4 minutes, I still do it. You can't | | | | 'Sea Trek' Peter used the polecam to film dolphins in |
| film while breathing it disturbs you, makes you wobble". | | | | the Bahamas coming towards the boat rather than |
| Due to the lack of kit, as a temporary measure using | | | | going away, this was yet another first. |
| RAF machine shops, recycled aircraft oxygen tanks | | | | Peter's next invention was 'the dog'. He developed |
| and various hoses Peter built a couple of aqua lungs. | | | | remote capability by buying a broadcast quality |
| "Demand valves are fairly simple things" he says, with | | | | recorder and housing it, connecting it to the camera by |
| typical understatement and modesty. | | | | umbilical wire and ensuring the unit was neutrally |
| Already hooked on the underwater world through | | | | buoyant so it would follow him in the water. He |
| snorkelling, Peter's first ever dive, off Palau Tekukor | | | | developed the camera control system from scratch, |
| nearly 50 years ago, was not without drama. Attached | | | | making a colour viewfinder so he could control the |
| by rope "the tanks were very valuable, we didn't want | | | | image. No longer was he reliant on an onshore |
| to lose one" he floated down over the drop-off and | | | | technician. This was a revolutionary development and |
| with "wow" on his lips as a school of batfish wafted | | | | used right up until the BBCs spectacular 'Life in the |
| gently by he was completely captivated. With his skip | | | | Freezer' displaying life in the Antarctic in 1993, again |
| breathing technique he stayed down far longer than | | | | with David Attenborough. Around this time broadcast |
| expected for the air in the tank, so the crew began | | | | quality camcorders became available which Peter |
| hauling the rope in. As he was being drawn inexorably | | | | housed so everything was finally all in one unit. |
| towards a large cluster of nasty black sea-urchins, the | | | | The following years brought a great variety of |
| stings of which can be very painful and indeed serious | | | | projects including, in 1995, 'Great White Shark' |
| if multiple, he planted his feet firmly on the wall and | | | | portraying the natural behaviour of great whites in |
| pulled as hard as he could. Not only did his first dive | | | | California and South Africa. He still considers this to be |
| feature beauty, awe and danger, he also incurred the | | | | the definitive depiction of these magnificent creatures, |
| wrath of the Far East boxing champion who he pulled | | | | and as usual expresses this with no arrogance, simply |
| into the water on the other end of the rope. | | | | as a fact. Peter is often accompanied on filming |
| Peter was keen on both wildlife and photography since | | | | projects by his wife Georgette Douwma who is a |
| school days, so it wasn't long before his joint passions | | | | highly accomplished photographer in her own right. The |
| of image-making, diving and nature came together. | | | | couple compliment each other delightfully with the ease |
| Ever inventive, he would scavenge discarded, | | | | and comfort of very good, old friends and also provide |
| scratched aircraft windows returning them to stores | | | | support and strength where needed. |
| and claiming a replacement, thus acquiring pristine | | | | The BBC's blockbuster series 'The Blue Planet' came |
| sheets of Perspex to model housings from. He made | | | | next and Peter's skills were described by Sir David |
| cement from Perspex chips dissolved in chloroform, | | | | Attenborough thus: "Peter has a remarkable gift of |
| controls from used hydraulic linkages and created | | | | composition. He understands fish just as other |
| waterproof shafts - this was before o'rings were | | | | cameramen understand chimpanzees. He knows fish |
| widely available. Unlike today when you can buy a | | | | so well he can sense what they are going to do. You |
| housing off the shelf, there was nothing for it then but | | | | can see it in his footage. He moves as the fish move. |
| to build his own and in this he was truly a pioneer. | | | | We told him to go to his favourite destination and |
| "There was the Rolleimarin designed by Hass but that | | | | produce the footage for a film," Attenborough says. |
| was way outside our budget, Nikonos which evolved | | | | "We would construct the story to go with it. He went |
| out of Cousteau's Calypsophot didn't emerge until 1963, | | | | to Sipadan and the resulting film won a Palm d'Or at |
| necessity is the mother of invention - if it doesn't exist, | | | | the Antibes film festival in France." |
| build it". There was that signature phrase again. | | | | Peter's most recent, major involvement was with yet |
| Tending towards moving film he housed a Bolex C-8 | | | | another BBC/ Attenborough landmark 'Planet Earth'. |
| 8mm cine camera and shot his first travel piece. He | | | | This was right at the forefront of technological |
| then moved from Singapore to Aden in the Red Sea | | | | advancement using High Definition (HD) technology for |
| and created his first feature film 'Breathless Moments'. | | | | the first time. Aware of technical limitations on 'The |
| This won the gold medal at the first Brighton film | | | | Blue Planet' the series producer Alastair Fothergill |
| festival in 1965 and led to several production | | | | approached Peter a year before filming and asked him |
| companies contacting him wishing to distribute the film. | | | | to build the HD housings. Peter feared he would invest |
| But, with great disappointment it transpired the 8mm | | | | much time and effort creating high quality, top-end |
| media was not production quality and could not be | | | | equipment only to see it hired out to other cameramen |
| used commercially. Peter immediately rejected 8mm, | | | | rather than filming himself, a prospect he was distinctly |
| bought a 16mm camera and says "I could never afford | | | | uncomfortable with. On assurance he would be fully |
| to film for myself again. The film was so expensive I | | | | involved he went ahead with the build, only to find |
| had to get paid in order to fund it". | | | | some of his fears were realised with less involvement |
| Around this time he co-founded the British Society of | | | | than expected. Apart from the frustration, this had a |
| Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) with Colin Doeg. | | | | very real effect on his income. To balance this, after |
| Colin, a journalist at the time, has himself contributed | | | | 'Planet Earth' wrapped up, rather than the equipment |
| significantly to British underwater photography including | | | | remaining with the BBC as is usual Peter insisted it be |
| taking the first picture in British waters ever to win an | | | | returned to his ownership and he now hires it out |
| open international underwater photographic competition. | | | | himself, maintaining it, continually developing it and still |
| BSoUP is still going strong today boasting membership | | | | shooting himself where possible. His current |
| from many of the foremost underwater | | | | involvement is with the BBC's next great wildlife epic |
| photographers in the UK. Having just celebrated it's | | | | entitled simply 'Life'. |
| 40th anniversary, Peter and Colin are still both regular | | | | Peter's long and prolific career has not been without |
| attendees at the meetings in London, a testament to | | | | hazard, like the time he was speared by an elephant |
| the down to earth nature of both these amazing men. | | | | trunk in the murky waters of the Okavanga Delta |
| Says Colin "being a superb camera mechanic as well | | | | while filming for Planet Earth leading to extensive |
| as accomplished photographer helps Peter handle with | | | | dental work. His life has been at risk from wildlife too |
| aplomb the most dreaded event in any underwater | | | | many times to mention here, but he approaches these |
| photographer's life... a flood. It is an unforgettable | | | | natural dangers with a typical relaxed philosophy. |
| experience to see him calmly pour pints of sea water | | | | However, there is something he admits to being |
| out of his custom-made camera housing and begin to | | | | frightened of. "Ropes and regulations can kill you" he |
| salvage his expensive video camera anywhere on | | | | explains. "Once when filming a cable burying device the |
| land or sea. Surrounded by an awe-struck audience | | | | HSE advisor insisted I was attached by rope which I |
| and often an ashen producer or client - he can strip his | | | | could not independently release. I blankly refused and |
| camera down to its carcass, wash and sun-dry all the | | | | eventually he compromised so I could release it myself. |
| vital electronic circuit boards and have it working again | | | | Sure enough, the rope became trapped under the |
| in as little as a couple of hours". | | | | bulldozer-like vehicle and I was drawn towards the |
| Colin continues "Peter is hugely talented and is | | | | burying device. If I hadn't been able to release it I would |
| probably the most self-sufficient wildlife underwater | | | | be dead, without question. When I surfaced, he angrily |
| cameraman in the world. He has introduced many new | | | | declared he would rather have a dead diver in the |
| ideas, including the use of polecams and cameras | | | | water than someone surfacing unexpectedly. I have |
| slung beneath radio controlled rafts. In the early days in | | | | been terribly anti- HSE, not to mention ropes, since |
| the UK he pioneered the concept of standard sized | | | | then". |
| openings in the body of housings so the ports were | | | | Peter is intensely environmentally aware. He eats fish, |
| interchangeable, something we all take for granted | | | | but not reef fish "it seems a bit of a nonsense to go |
| today. He also used to produce correction lens from | | | | filming them then come back and eat them". He also |
| raw Perspex and blow his own dome ports". | | | | invests clean-up time on a reef before filming, clearing |
| At the end of his nine year stint he left the RAF and | | | | discarded fishing lines and ropes "it's amazing how |
| joined a colour laboratory in London. For the next few | | | | much rubbish comes from boats, often operated by |
| years he absorbed as much as possible about | | | | ex-fishermen who regard the sea as somewhere to |
| underwater filming. To supplement his strong technical | | | | dump rubbish. They don't have an understanding of the |
| background and optical knowledge he thoroughly | | | | reef or what we want to see on it, because they don't |
| researched and read everything ever written on the | | | | see it". |
| subject, teaching himself. "I learnt from anyone who | | | | It would be forgivable if this outstanding and uniquely |
| could tell me" he says, "I was a sponge, soaking up | | | | talented man were to have a sense of arrogance or |
| everything that I needed". | | | | conceit about his many pioneering and unprecedented |
| During this time Peter became involved in a production | | | | achievements. Not so. Peter is a true genius, but still |
| company and continued to push the boundaries of | | | | more than happy to share his knowledge and discuss |
| underwater filming. Combining his by now extensive | | | | any topic with openness and generosity. "I'm just a |
| knowledge with an electronics expert colleague, they | | | | chap who is learning how to take excellent pictures |
| invented systems for the oil industry. One such project | | | | underwater" he says. It sounds falsely modest, but he |
| was developing inspection cameras for the BP | | | | really means it. |