"Oceans Matter®" is a Registered Trademark of the Marine Education Foundation
"Oceans Matter"®
because they generate our oxygen, and absorb carbon dioxide. The oceans are home to the majority of life on the planet, the deepest valleys, highest mountains and largest plains are in the ocean, yet we have only explored 5%, and only 7% is under some kind of protection.
because oceans drive our weather, our climate and our temperatures which affect us all. So many industries depend on our oceans such as Shipping, Agriculture, Airlines, Energy, Insurance, Food Processing, Tourism. 1 in 6 jobs in the US depend on the oceans and it accounts for 1/3 of our GNP (healthcare is 18%).
About the Founder
Stephanie Whiston
Stephanie, is originally from Dublin, Ireland, and has been painting landscapes and seascapes in watercolor, and oils since childhood. Recently she started using Acrylic for its ease when traveling. Stephanie has spent her lifetime traveling, painting, photographing and filming in over 56 different countries.
Since getting certified in 1993, Stephanie has taken up underwater photography and started with a series of underwater photographs documenting the rare and fragile species in the underwater ecosystem. This began the project called "Oceans Matter" ® to promote her passion for marine conservation.
Stephanie was using a Nikonos V with an SB105 and in 2008 she converted to digital using both a Canon and a Sony with Nauticam housing, Sealife, Sola and Sea & Sea strobes. Stephanie's artistic eye provides for beautiful composition. Diving has brought Stephanie a step closer to what has become her true passion - capturing and sharing the incredible sights and beauty of the underwater world that so few of us ever get to see and experience. Stephanie's project "Oceans Matter"® has a mission: to explore, share and preserve these incredible ocean creatures in there natural habitats before they are all extinct.
As an environmentalist, Stephanie founded the Marine Education Foundation a marine conservation and educational organization. The educational presentation programs are called "Oceans Matter"® which are designed and presented to create awareness and encourage conservation of marine wildlife and habitats by deepening the connection between people and nature.
Stephanie is able to explore and photograph the unique wildlife, landscapes, seascapes, sunsets and unpredictable experiences of being underwater. Her photographs and video of sharks, stingrays, turtles, mantas, octopus, whales and especially her Macro shots of nudibranchs and shrimp are some of his most sought after images.
71% of the earth is covered in water, and so far Stephanie has already dived the No Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Coral Sea, Caribbean Ocean, Red Sea, North Pacific, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Oman, Andaman Sea, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, South Pacific, Loccadive Sea, Solomon Sea and Philippine Sea. Still leaving many more beautiful places and creatures yet to photograph and explore.
Stephanie's educational and conservation work with the "Oceans Matter"® project have earned her a place as a lifetime member in the prestigious Explorer's Club www.explorersclub.org
Stephanie maintains a gallery and art studio at her beach home in Montauk, New York which she currently calls home.
