the background scenery. One of the
larger ships had an impressive bridge
that almost looked like a lost temple in
an Asian rainforest. This turned out to be
a spectacular setting. During our 35-dive
trip, we did a total of nine shoots.
SAFETY FIRST
The best picture is not worth risking
your life or your health for. Nowadays
it is common practice to edit anything
with Photoshop, sometimes altering
the whole picture. I prefer Photoshop
as a means to enhance colours and
adjust minor details, but I refrain from
changing the whole composition.
After all, I am a photographer, not a
graphic designer! Therefore, all the
pictures that we brought back with us
are truly authentic.
Establishing safety measures always
came first and was just as important
as the pictures. Ian was the perfect
safety diver. You cannot overestimate
the importance of trust between model
and safety diver. We had an extensive
briefing before every dive to talk about
timing, setting, the model’s position,
the composition that I had in mind, the
exact location of the safety diver and
the possibility of having extra air supply
at the ready for the model.
But irrespective of whether we had
an extra air supply or not, we always
relied on the safety diver. You have to
bear in mind that without a mask, an
underwater model’s vision is severely
impeded. She is also prone to losing her
regulator and will therefore appreciate
any extra help in getting her mask
and dive equipment back in place after
the shoot.
After having done some fashion
shoots last year without a safety diver,
I promised myself that I would never
again shoot without at least one safety
diver per model if the model has to take
off her dive gear. Even in a depth of two
metres a model may be unable to reach
the surface if she has weights attached
to her body or is constrained by heavy
fabrics. The photographer is a poorchoice as a safety diver, since he has to
focus on the camera and its technical
features rather than keeping an eye on
the model and her safety. A freediving
model who can frequently return to the
surface is an entirely different story, but
we were at depths that did not allow
surface intervals for breathing.
We were happy to have almost no
current, and only very short distances to
the locations, as we were moored just on
top of the wrecks. Katrin was especially
pleased to have warm water, but even
with a temperature of 28 to 29 degrees,
she was freezing by the
time she re-emerged from the ocean.
You have to bear in mind that she had
to assume poses without much
movement involved.WHY A MERMAID?
This is one of the things I asked Katrin,
and this is what she answered:
“Like so many little girls, I often
dreamt of living as a mermaid in the
open ocean. Even during the years my