While I intend on keeping these posts as current as possible, I have plenty of rolls that never saw the light of the internet that I’ll be posting alongside recent work, the following included.
I was exposed to scuba diving more than 20 years ago as it was one of my father’s hobbies when I was a child. A photo of him kneeling on the ocean floor with a reef shark swimming by is one that has always been clear in my mind. While always fascinated by it, I never really considered trying myself due to an irrational fear of sharks. Combined with an intense fear of flying, the whole activity was non-existent on my radar until I was given the chance to visit Hawaii in 2017.
The two who organized the trip have been diving for years and encouraged my girlfriend and I to get certified. Figuring that if I’m about to get on the longest flight of my life, I might as well get over my other fear as well. Surfing recently eased most of my anxiety towards the sea so this was just one more step. After some pool and inlet training we had certification cards in our hands and were ready to go.
Fast forward through an uneventful flight I was fortunate enough to sleep through and some days of exploring on land, the day to dive finally came and I was as nervous as excited. The certification took place 15’ down in an inlet but this was 65’ in the open ocean (with tiger sharks my mind told me). My turn to jump came and the instant I hit the water all anxiety washed away. The world where I struggle to sit through a full movie slowed down to each breath. To describe the life and structures as surreal would be an understatement and being able to experience it all is something I’m truly grateful for.
I highly recommend diving if ever given the opportunity. Simply looking up from the bottom is a feeling that will curb even the largest of egos. Never before have I felt so small, frail and finite in this world. Though cliché, it really put my own life into perspective.
I plan to continue shooting underwater as much as possible and hope that these and future images show some of the beauty of what’s below and why it’s so important to protect it.
All of the shots are off the west coast of the Big Island thanks to Kohala Divers. They were extremely helpful and I can’t recommend them enough as an operation. Thank you Dan and Christine for the opportunity, Julie and Tim for sharing the experience, and my father, Daniel for the inspiration.
Underwater images were made with a Sea&Sea Motormarine III from Robert’s Camera and a Nikonos II from a garage sale paired with a 15mm f/2.8 UW-Nikkor from KEH. Film used was Kodak Gold 400 and Ilford SFX 200.
Enjoy life and ditch the plastic.
