Water Time

The reality of working on a water film is long hours on and in the water. And after six weeks of four dives a day, ears start to hurt, cuts start to fester and the desire to get wet sometimes isn't there. But it is my personal belief that the simplest thing someone can do to succeed in this business, is to WANT to get in the water every single time the boat stops. Getting in the water when nobody else wants to pays off. (Luckily for the second image here, at least one other person wanted to get in the water with a plague sized group of thimble jellyfish.) Anyway, here are some things that I have been able to shoot in between required dives. Three days to go here in Nassau.

Bollywood Blue

I have been in Nassau, Bahamas for somewhere around four weeks now working on a Bollywood film. I came on as water safety, but was able to move into the underwater photographer position after the first week ... defining the term "Job-Jumper" along the way. It is true that many days involve shooting Lara Dutta (former Miss Universe and present day Bollywood star) as she swims over the camera in a bikini. And we have all kinds of incredible scenes on the shot list ... sharks, ship wrecks, spear guns and underwater fights to the death (some of which involve the classic knife cutting air hose!) The crew that I work with are good friends, great divers and talented underwater film makers. So needless to say, the image opportunities have been incredible. Unfortunately, I don't feel that I can post never-before-seen photos of Miss Universe in a bikini on this blog, so I will have to make due with some behind the scenes images. Sorry.

This last image was taken on a day off from filming. It shows the first and only Lara in my personal life (Lara O'Neill), swimming through one of the best and most-used underwater studios in the Bahamas. Twenty four feet of crystal clear water, white sand to bounce light everywhere and if desired, schools of fish that answer the call of "rolling!" Now that all that I am doing is shooting, I see images everywhere, and want to keep shooting everything here.

U of M Rowing

There never seems to be enough days in the week, hours in the last day or pounds in a checked bag leading up to a major trip. Tomorrow I join an all-star underwater crew in Nassau, Bahamas. Pete Zuccarini is the underwater DP on a Bollywood remake of Into the Blue, titled simply Blue. (Sounds like a condo development on Miami Beach.)

Before I change my phone message and get on the plane, I wanted to post a couple of shots taken in the last couple of months with the University of Miami Women's Rowing Team. I was lucky to meet coach Robbie Tenenbaum during a slow period in my schedule way back in January. Robbie welcomed me onto the chase boat with enthusiasm, and was happy to put me into any kind of close proximity as I searched for new ways to capture this incredible sport. I found over the months that I worked with these athletes that there are a couple of different types of perfection that go into a successful rowing image. The easy part is the syncronicity of 8 people working as one. Then there is the decisive moment decision of where to freeze the blades. And finally, what I search for in all images, some sort of perfection in the water.

Gulf Coast Half Ironman

Lara and I spent the last half of last week in Panama City, Florida. Lara competed in the Gulf Coast Half Ironman Triathlon on Saturday morning . Of course, my official role during these four days was to provide support and the occasional spousal-reality check, but I took enough photo gear to make me think I was on assignment. And speaking as a photographer, I loved the big waves pounding onto the beach at the start of the swim. The scale of green water to swimmer was, at times, impressive. However, as group after colored-capped group ran into the water, and then paused to think about the next 1.2 miles, it was obvious that quite a few athletes were not prepared for the swell.

Pura Vida

Swimming in the ocean swells at sunrise, after six days in Nosara, Costa Rica, I can distinctly remember feeling close to understanding the idea of "Pura Vida". In large part, I learned by watching the staff at the Harmony Hotel ... they surf before work, run the beach at lunch and low tide, make incredible smoothies and mojitos, play a weekly game of beach soccer, and dance salsa late late late into the night. And in between all of this, they run an incredible hotel on a beautiful beach and help a visiting photographer with absolutely no salsa skills get through a tough assignment.

Now, after one week in Miami and after too much computer time editing the images, I see that I should have somehow recorded my thoughts in the ocean. The memory of Pura Vida survived the flight home, but the distinct feeling was left at the Harmony Hotel. It's that feeling that makes me want to go back soon. Thanks to Susan and John, Lee, Pauline and Marie Jose.

Florida Springs

I spent much of last week in Central and Northern Florida with Neil. We were both looking for something to fill some empty days before new projects begin, and add something new and different to our portfolios. Our visit was perfectly timed to coincide with spring break in that part of the state. As a result, we had a hard time finding an empty frame and clear water. But the trip was worth it. I'm not sure that my resulting images are anything that Wes Skiles couldn't shoot in his sleep, but I did capture some images that expanded my idea of water photography. The water in those springs is so incredibly clear ... almost perfectly clear. Laying on the bottom in the Itchetucknee River, it was only the smooth surface ripples and my eventual need for a breath that ruined the illusion that I was not underwater at all. The way that the colors blue and green appear in one frame underlines for me that these images were shot in fresh water. In the ocean, you get very little green.It was my third trip to that part of the state, and my second trip to both Ginny and Alexander Springs. The shot that I was anticipating was the mixing water over top of the Devil's Eye. It is a truly amazing natural event ... crystal clear aquifer outflow swirling with tannic river water. It is something you really need to see to believe, and something that might make you think "PhotoShop" when you see the images.
The Blue Hole in Itchtucknee was the last dive before the long drive back south. The sun never really made it to the point in the sky that we hoped for. But the couple of hours that we spent in the 68 degree water made us wish for a fresh water spring in the backyard.

Business Week

I love the calls that take my photography in a direction that I have been wanting to go. Last week I got such a a call from Kathy Moore at Business Week magazine to shoot a CEO portrait. It took a while to arrange our schedules and find a good weather window, but on Friday morning I photographed Jerry Norman, the president and CEO of the Neptune Society on the Neptune Memorial Reef in Biscayne Bay. My idea for the shot was for a traditional CEO portrait in a non-traditional location, and Jerry was game to give it a try. Of course, the realities of having a person stand on the bottom in forty feet of water wearing only a business suit are quite challenging. Peter Manno and Neil Andrea were my assistants and were essential parts of the shoot. The water could have been a little clearer, but I think that all things considered, we got some great images. Once the article runs, I will post a few more images.

Myth Busters

I usually get one call a year right around Shark Week to shoot for the Discovery Channel. Last year it was for the documentary about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. This year it was with the Myth Busters crew. Since the program is still a few weeks from running, I probably can't say too much about the show. However, the crew was a lot of fun, and it is a unique set of hosts that can look good filling syringes with dog urine and fecal secretions. (If that doesn't make you want to tune in, then I don't know what will.)

The shoot took place in Nassau and we dove with JP Genasi and Stuart Cove's. I always like getting into the water at Stuart Cove's shark dive. There is nothing natural about that spot, or about 50 Caribbean Reef sharks circling in forty feet of water. However, it is as close to a studio situation as you will ever find for photographing sharks. The white sand bottom produces amazing light, the sharks are everywhere, and if you have an idea that you want to try ... shooting down on a shark, have a shark swim left to right through frame, or panning for a blur, or using the sharks to frame a diver ... you don't have to wait too long for the opportunity. And in most cases, JP Genasi can make it happen. All he needs is a fist full of bait and a chain mail suit.

JP Genasi

Earth Hour Miami

I provided a portfolio of images to be projected at Monday's Earth Hour event at the Bank of America Tower. Amy Rosenberg is a friend from Lara's LegalArt days, and is organizing this environmental event for Mayor Manny Diaz. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend, as I flew to Nassau this morning for a quick Discovery Channel shoot. But if you have the chance, go! And check the Earth Hour site for information about turning out the lights on March 29th at 8Pm, as well as ways to cut power use every day. It is a simple, easy and important thing we can all do.

Bequia Boats

I picked up a copy of the April Caribbean Travel & Life magazine this morning. I've got a couple images on page 40 with an article by Chris Cox. "The Fleet Petit". I was happy to see that they were finally used. The photos of Christopher Waldron outside of Withfield Sails were some of my favorites of the trip. It seems like a long time ago.