Carole Valkenier, Underwater photographer. Born and raised in Alberta, Carole had a great fear of water since childhood. However, enrolling in an adult swim class called "Aquatics Anonymous" (for scared-y-cat adults) at age 35, she worked her way from learning to put her face in water to instructor and lifeguard, and then through thirteen scuba levels. Having a deep sensitivity to this hidden wilderness, she conveys her personal perceptions of our fragile underwater environment. During her diving career, covering over a quarter century and logging almost 1,500 dives, she has participated in underwater photography for many marine research projects, such as Underwater Archaeological Society of BC, Marine Ecology Station, Vancouver Aquarium, Artificial Reef Society of BC. Her award-winning photographs have been shown in exhibitions (University of BC) and published in pamphlets and magazines including Canadian Camera, Oggi (Japan), and Diver Magazine. Carole has been guest speaker at the national "Canada Camera Conference", the Fredericton Photographic Society, and various groups around BC. Her underwater British Columbia art cards are distributed to gift shops around Vancouver Island and lower mainland. She has also produced an annual underwater BC calendar for each of the past 21 years. Carole is pleased to share the surprising underwater beauty of British Columbia and other locales. For more images (land and sea), please visit www.pbase.com/emeraldseaimages .