When most people think of the Persian Gulf, what usually springs to mind are images of hot sandy shores and the spectacular architecture of the oil-rich cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But for Ali Khalifa Bin Thalith, the warm seas near his home city of Dubai were a playground where his passion for diving and then photography was first nurtured. In the years since, he has followed many underwater photographers to the colourful marine environments of the Indonesian archipelago, exploring its underwater wonders and perfecting his technique. In 2014, Ali became the first Emirati and Arab recipient of the prestigious International Photographic Council (IPC) Professional Photographer Leadership award, travelling to the United Nations in New York to accept the accolade. Two years later, his long-anticipated debut book, Truly, Madly, Deeply,…