I spend most of my days diving through the kelp forests along the Cape Town coastline. It is an incredibly diverse and productive ecosystem harboring spectacular congregations of fish, mollusks, and other marine life. Gliding and looking up through the kelp stripes has a calm and mystical feel to it. Very similar to that of an old tree forest.
A kelp forest is such a unique place and can offer shelter to a vast variety of life. I wanted to show the different fish, the long stripes (trunks) of the kelp, and the sheer scale of the environment. When Zandi stopped and took in her surroundings, it felt like a genuine moment of appreciation. I only took a handful of shots of her in this stand of kelp. I knew that I had captured the moment I was looking for in that very second.
Zandi reaching through into another world is exactly what is happening here. A subsurface cave, trapping air below a concave rock a few meters below the ocean's rough surface. We approached it with caution and weariness, but after gasping the first breath inside, we quickly realized that this cave was a safe haven and a place of calm and respite from the crashing waves and whitewater above.
My goal was to use my images to tell the story of Zandi's love and appreciation for the ocean. I share this love and sometimes find it difficult to describe it in my own words. Spending time with Zandi, feeling her beaming energy, receiving positive feedback, and seeing smile after smile, allowed me to use my camera to find those moments so dear to me, now expressed and shared by Zandi to tell the story we love so much. We feel at home in the ocean.
The bad... I get seasick. It is not a matter of if, just when.
Working with top athletes is always a pleasure, especially if they are doing what they do best. Not much direction was needed. If anything, I was pushed to my limit to try to keep up with Zandi, following her into the deep or fighting off the relentless chill of the freezing cold Atlantic. It was demanding and intense, but I enjoyed the challenge of capturing real moments of an extraordinary person exploring the ocean.
I spend most of my days diving through the kelp forests along the Cape Town coastline. It is an incredibly diverse and productive ecosystem harboring spectacular congregations of fish, mollusks, and other marine life. Gliding and looking up through the kelp stripes has a calm and mystical feel to it. Very similar to that of an old tree forest.
A kelp forest is such a unique place and can offer shelter to a vast variety of life. I wanted to show the different fish, the long stripes (trunks) of the kelp, and the sheer scale of the environment. When Zandi stopped and took in her surroundings, it felt like a genuine moment of appreciation. I only took a handful of shots of her in this stand of kelp. I knew that I had captured the moment I was looking for in that very second.
I grew up skirting the line between land and sea. Always running to get into the water, either to surf, bodyboard, dive or shoot. The ocean is my safe space, where my mind is calm, the scrambled thoughts of the modern world's chaos unraveled and the constant noise is muted. No matter the conditions or my current circumstance, if I can get into the ocean, my day is better than it was before.
I have never received a salary. I have never had a fixed job. My youth was spent living hand-to-mouth, traveling, and dreaming of the next destination. Through travel I experienced the diversity of nature and a rich cultural heritage. I was drawn to documenting things for what they really were and how I saw them. Photography was the simplest way to do this. I bought a cheap camera in 1999 and never stopped photographing. Today I am lucky enough to have an accountant and not be behind a desk 9 to 5.
To highlight the connection between water and sports, we’ve brought together an internationally renowned freediver, a world champion freeskier, and professional offshore sailing team. Like water, these athletes move in unison with their mind, body, and the present moment. Together, these athletes bring to life their fullest expressions– like water, they flow.
We chose athletes who are not only the best at what they do but also align with 11th Hour Racing’s mission to protect and restore the ocean. We hired local storytelling teams who are also some of the best in the world. Each part of the production was carefully considered to come together as one holistic story.
