Mermaids
Let me tell you a Secret
If the ocean could talk, what would she say to us? What secrets does she hide deep down under miles of dark water? Photography is a beautiful tool for storytelling, and bringing a camera underwater and creating in a world with no gravity adds a dimension to creativity, allowing the viewer's imagination to play with a story. And with that said, mermaids are the most fitting character to bring a message to the public’s attention. So, if she could speak, what would she say?
Book your own mermaid shoot
If you are searching for a way to get your own mermaid photos taken you can book a photoshoot to make your dream come true! I have years of experience photographing underwater and working with mermaids above and under water. Schedule your free consultation here.
An advocate for ocean conservation
Giving the mermaid a role was simple and it made so much sense. Finding ways to give her a voice that spoke about every issue happening in the ocean was more challenging but so inspiring and as an underwater photographer, I really got to push my limits. Day in and day out thinking of concepts that were not just beautiful but also meaningful and working with incredible talents.
This is how the photography series Trashed Beauty came to be in collaboration with Ten Morrow, one of the most creative women I've ever worked with. This collection represents the beauty and lives ruined by pollution daily in and around the ocean. To photograph this art series Ten Morrow and I collected trash from friends, family, and neighbors over the weeks. Every piece was cleaned and sanitized and then divided by kind before adding it to the wet stage. Every photograph mimics what it would look like to be trapped in a garbage patch, or drowning in an oil spill.
Lighting 101
Light changes everything and how fun is it to turn blues into pink and a mermaid into an elegant delight? Light brings life to everything in sight and the ability to see it move and create with it is what makes photography so beautiful. On the same line advanced underwater lighting can turn a blue, flat image into a deep photograph. Light adds dimension, and color, it brings attention to form and shapes every line. Playing with light underwater is for me one of the most interesting challenges. You need the right gear and a little bit of fantasy to overcome problems that you would never have out of water.
Siren
The real legend of the seas, more monster than elegant beauty. More chaotic than peaceful. The siren is one of the many monsters the sailors feared while venturing into the unknown high seas. And if while diving you’d stumble upon one, what would she do? She’d probably retaliate and turn on divers for all the horrible things we are doing to the ocean. Silent. Efficient. On a technical level, this photograph was a challenge. The model wasn't tied too deep but between equipment failure and the cold California water we didn't have much time to execute the underwater photoshoot. It took two different tries and a fun precaution trip to a hyperbaric chamber. The post-production on this photo came to the rescue where the real underwater lighting in murky water failed.
