Çandarlı's underwater landscape is more than a destination for recreational diving. For photographers and filmmakers, rocky formations, marine life and changing light offer opportunities to document the Aegean's underwater heritage. Local knowledge matters: a dive leader familiar with the area can help plan an appropriate dive while respecting sea conditions and fragile habitats.

Sırrı Özşen, widely known as Sırrı Hoca, has long been associated with Derin Diving Center and diving around Çandarlı. A 2013 news interview with underwater photographer Bülent Şelli describes his experiences photographing the area and credits Özşen's guidance.

The 2019 SUFOD invitation

On 22 July 2019, SUFOD (the Turkish Association of Underwater Photographers and Filmmakers) published an invitation from Sırrı Özşen, then identified as manager of Derin Diving Center. The announcement described an ambition to share underwater images from Çandarlı with local organisations and develop promotional, exhibition and book projects. Any dive or accommodation arrangements mentioned in that historic announcement applied to 2019 only and are not current offers.

Building a responsible image archive

We aim to document photographs with the photographer's name, date, location when verified and clear publication rights. Species identifications and precise dive-site details should not be asserted without evidence and local review.

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Sources: https://sufod.org.tr/2019/07/22/sufod-uyelerine-ozel-candarliya-davet/ ; https://www.sondakika.com/yerel/haber-odullu-fotografci-bulent-selli-candarli-korfezi-4896866/