Ali bin Thalith was born in Dubai. In the Seventies, it was made up of a series of villages, and Jumeirah Beach was yards from the house where he grew up. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau, he learned to dive and operate his first camera - a Nikon FM2 - and realised he could combine these twin passions and trained in France and London as a marine photographer and documentary filmmaker. As the official photographer for Prince Hamdan al Maktoum, he was asked by the Prince to set up Dubai's first photography award, HIPA, becoming Secretary General and overseeing its global development.

Eye-catching, jaw-dropping images have the power to stop people in their tracks, to make them stare and, most importantly, to care. Ali's wonderful work will do just that, raising awareness of the fragile beauty of life in our seas. I am thrilled that there will be an Arabic version of this book, which will bring these stories and these characters to a new audience, winning the oceans many new friends. Dr Alexander Mustard, Underwater Photographer and Marine Biologist

• Introduction, Ch 1: Dancing Squid and Floating Flatworm, Ch 2: God of Small Things, Ch 3: Frills, Feathers and Polka Dot Tails, Ch 4: Swimming with Giants, Ch 5: Now you see me now you don't, Ch 6: The Garden and the Oasis, Ch 7: Heart of Darkness, Captions

Ali bin Thalith was born in Dubai. In the Seventies, it was made up of a series of villages, and Jumeirah Beach was yards from the house where he grew up. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau, he learned to dive and operate his first camera - a Nikon FM2 - and realised he could combine these twin passions and trained in France and London as a marine photographer and documentary filmmaker. As the official photographer for Prince Hamdan al Maktoum, he was asked by the Prince to set up Dubai's first photography award, HIPA, becoming Secretary General and overseeing its global development.

Eye-catching, jaw-dropping images have the power to stop people in their tracks, to make them stare and, most importantly, to care. Ali's wonderful work will do just that, raising awareness of the fragile beauty of life in our seas. I am thrilled that there will be an Arabic version of this book, which will bring these stories and these characters to a new audience, winning the oceans many new friends. Dr Alexander Mustard, Underwater Photographer and Marine Biologist

• Introduction, Ch 1: Dancing Squid and Floating Flatworm, Ch 2: God of Small Things, Ch 3: Frills, Feathers and Polka Dot Tails, Ch 4: Swimming with Giants, Ch 5: Now you see me now you don't, Ch 6: The Garden and the Oasis, Ch 7: Heart of Darkness, Captions

Ali bin Thalith was born in Dubai. In the Seventies, it was made up of a series of villages, and Jumeirah Beach was yards from the house where he grew up. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau, he learned to dive and operate his first camera - a Nikon FM2 - and realised he could combine these twin passions and trained in France and London as a marine photographer and documentary filmmaker. As the official photographer for Prince Hamdan al Maktoum, he was asked by the Prince to set up Dubai's first photography award, HIPA, becoming Secretary General and overseeing its global development.

Eye-catching, jaw-dropping images have the power to stop people in their tracks, to make them stare and, most importantly, to care. Ali's wonderful work will do just that, raising awareness of the fragile beauty of life in our seas. I am thrilled that there will be an Arabic version of this book, which will bring these stories and these characters to a new audience, winning the oceans many new friends. Dr Alexander Mustard, Underwater Photographer and Marine Biologist

• Introduction, Ch 1: Dancing Squid and Floating Flatworm, Ch 2: God of Small Things, Ch 3: Frills, Feathers and Polka Dot Tails, Ch 4: Swimming with Giants, Ch 5: Now you see me now you don't, Ch 6: The Garden and the Oasis, Ch 7: Heart of Darkness, Captions