Page 20 - Tropic Magazine Issue 19

TROPIC • ENVIRONMENT

Lens of science

IMAGE VALUE
How the work of Tropical
North Queensland’s
photographers and
filmmakers is contributing
to marine research.

Words Renee Cluff Christian Miller, Parley for the Oceans

The other-worldly images are they can’t actually see, so this is very the oceans,” he said. “They never even
breathtakingly beautiful. Extreme time interesting to scientists all over the know we are doing a complete health
lapses of pink juvenile crown of thorns world,” Mr West said. “For instance when assessment!” His photographs and
starfish munching away on coraline we shoot time lapses, it gives them an videos are also used to estimate the size
algae, ultra-magnified hard corals indication of what’s occurring over a long of individual whales and observe their
dancing on the spot and the moment of period.” behaviour.
reef rebirth when a coral lets go of its egg BioQuest Studios works with dozens of For both Mr Miller and Mr West, the
and sperm bundle are just a few of the universities and research institutions fusion of art and science is ultimately
images captured in clarity by BioQuest across the globe, including the Australian aimed at inspiring the next generation
Studios, based at Port Douglas. “When Institute of Marine Science in Townsville. of ocean caretakers. “Never has there
you look at subjects in super macro you To ensure the highest scientific integrity been a more important time for people
can identify them as individual animals possible, the crew often works from to be aware of what is happening
and we monitor them for such long a satellite studio in AIMS’ National underwater,” Mr West said. “It’s
periods they Sea Simulator, a particularly satisfying when you see
seem to take research aquarium children looking at the images because
on characters,” for tropical marine it means they’re connecting.”
Managing organisms.
Director Pete Working both
West told Tropic. below and above
“I have a 13-year- the water’s surface
old daughter is another TNQ
who gives them photographer,
names.” Christian Miller.
For decades, He spends part of
BioQuest the year chasing
Studios’ work whales as Director
has appeared in of Photography for
magazines and the Parley and Ocean Paul Heffernan, Principal Suberia Bowie & Russell Beer
on screens worldwide, including in Sir Alliance SnotBot initiative. As Mr Miller
David Attenborough’s Blue Planet series. explained to Tropic, the study involves Island recycling
The images appeal to a broad audience using petri dishes attached to drones
for their cinematic qualities but the to collect whale snot as it shoots from Tagai College on Thursday Island in
studio’s ground-breaking equipment blowholes. “It’s like a biological lottery the Torres Strait is setting up its own
and techniques are revelatory for marine win as it contains everything we want plastic recycling plant. The Precious
scientists. “We can reveal detail that to know about whales and the health of
Plastics Project is the brainchild
of science teacher Paul Heffernan.
“Ideally, we could create all sorts of
items - from recycled plastic pots
to school rulers or phone cases and
even structural beams,” he said. “The
future benefits, not the least of which
are environmental gains, have quite
a lot of potential.”The production line
will enable students to turn plastic
into flakes, which will be heated to
produce filaments for 3D printers and
other items. The project has received
$10,000 in funding from Ports North.
BioQuest Studios

20 • Tropic • Issue 19