As well as numerous magazine articles published in the likes of Asian Diver, Asian Geographic, Scuba Diver Australasia, FiNS and Scuba Globe, Matthew has written two books for Scubazoo - ‘Reef’ and ‘Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai’ - both of which concentrate on the marine world, and been commissioned to shoot for two sports books, ‘Go Dive’ and ‘Go Surf’, both published by Dorling Kindersley.
Reef - Exploring the Underwater World
Published by Dorling Kindersley, ‘Reef - Exploring the Underwater World’ has so far sold over 100,000 copies around the world. The book reveals the extraordinary denizens of tropical coral reefs, mangrove swamps, sea grass beds, sandy plains, temperate rocky shores and kelp forests. Using informative text and stunning photography, all shot by Scubazoo photographers including Matthew, ‘Reef’ is a showcase of the underwater world, and gives the reader an opportunity to explore this remarkable realm from the comfort of their own armchair.
Starred Review. This brilliant photographic compilation by small Malaysian-based diving collective ScubaZoo introduces the ecology of oceanic reefs, both temperate and tropical. Though technological advances and the devastation of global reefs have spurred many experienced diver-photographers to publish photo collections, the dazzling photography in this one stands out dramatically, as does its inclusion of images made simultaneously by still and video photographers (the book includes a DVD.) From Publishers Weekly
Few divers will be able to resist this book: almost 1000 images of everything from titanic oceanic sunfish to miniscule imperial shrimp, complete with Latin names and excellent text (written by Matt Oldfield). Much of the photography comes from the biodiversity hotspot stretching from Indonesia to Borneo, where Scubazoo has been at the forefront in documenting the marine life of places such as Raja Ampat, Sabah and Layang Layang. But Reef goes further, including shots from temperate waters off New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. Some divers may think they don’t need another “coffee-table book” of marine photography. They’d be wrong - if you can afford it, Reef is a landmark publication. Diver Magazine Online
Head of the Class. My best guess is Reef should jump to the head of the class when judged at various competitions around the world this year. Even if it doesn’t manage to win, it’s certain to wow the toughest judges – the buying public – and make it one of the year’s best-selling underwater coffee table books, and a wonderful addition to your collection. David Espinosa, Editor Australasian Scuba Diver
Reef - the book. The next best thing to being there! I recently received a review copy of the new book put out by DK Publishing called simply “Reef.” Before even spending 5 minutes with the book, all I could say was - WOW! The photography, contributed by Scubazoo, is nothing short of amazing. I could spend hours flipping through the pages of this book. Joni Lawrence, Marine Bio Blog
Take DK’s legendary photo quality. Add a great topic: life in the shallow oceans. Finally, mix these with a few gung ho underwater photographers with superb equipment, and you have 360 pages of a visual fiesta: Reef. This oversized book is a photography frenzy: crystal sharp focus, vibrant colors, and close-ups that surpass the ability of the human eye to see this level of detail unaided. Enjoy, and protect the ocean. Robert Schmidt
This book will inspire people of all ages. My 2 year-old son seems enthralled by the colorful and beautiful photos chosen for this timeless collection. Even as a deep-sea biologist who has seen his share of strange and unusual sea creatures, I was continuously surprised at the behaviors and diversity captured by the Scubazoo team. Kevin Zelnio, The Other 95%
If you would like to purchase ‘Reef - Exploring the Underwater World’, signed by Matthew himself, please email with details of the number of copies and your postal address. Payments can be made via PayPal for security.
Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai - Sabah’s Underwater Treasure
Scubazoo’s first book concentrates on the incredible marine life found in their ‘back garden’ - the famous islands of Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai, off the north east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Each of the founder members of Scubazoo reveals the secrets of these islands, whilst a chapter on conservation brings to light the problems now faced by these reefs, and others like them across the globe. Featuring stunning photography and detailed text, ‘Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai - Sabah’s Underwater Treasure’, is THE book about this remarkable part of the world.
Standing out among some fine publications this month is a coffee-table book with a conscience by the British ex-pat filming collective known as Scubazoo. If you want to buy a book that celebrates the beauty and diversity of tropical diving, this is the best available. Ostensibly, it’s a straightforward celebration of the titular triumvirate of islands off northeast Borneo, which are popular with divers because of the variety of life (Sipadan remains the best place in the world to see turtles underwater). However, it also serves as an environmental rallying call, urging the Malaysian government to put in place measures to protect this fragile environment.
Co-author Simon Christopher contributes a sizeable chapter about the environmental challenges facing Malaysia, and sets down the steps he believes should be taken if these places are to be preserved. Other chapters describe the islands and their marine vistas, very much from the underwater photographer’s point of view.
The display images that make up the ‘gallery’ pages of the book are some of the best I have ever seen - I defy anyone to look and them and not want to go diving immediately. There is Jason Isley’s incredible photograph of 24 giant bumphead parrotfish sweeping across the reef, Matthew Oldfield’s compelling shot of a jawfish in full display and Roger Munns’ intimate portrait of a thorny seahorse.
All in all, it’s a classic. I only hope the Malaysian government, which commissioned this book, responds to the environmental challenges that the authors set out so clearly. Simon Rogerson, Dive Magazine
A long-awaited pictorial from Scubazoo images, this book comprises the best images from years of photography in the rich waters around Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai by a team of dedicated photographers and videographers based in Kota Kinabalu. FiNS Magazine
If you would like to purchase a copy of ‘Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai - Sabah’s Underwater Treasure’, please take a look at the Scubazoo Shop.