“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever”
- Jacques Cousteau
Seventy percent of the world’s surface is water and most of what lies beneath its surface remains largely undiscovered, unmapped, unknown and, all too often, sadly taken for granted. The water’s surface is the line that divides our everyday existence, experience and knowledge from the wonders of what exists beneath.
Diving below the surface is an immersive experience, both physically and mentally, in which your eyes meet a world of wonder in the diversity of species, form, function, habitat...... and colour. So why do I choose to make black and white photographs? Colour images, whilst beautiful, captivating and amazing, and clearly offering an accurate record of the subject, can at the same time distract from its essential beauty. Advances in techniques and equipment enabling underwater photography have led to an explosion in images taken by professionals and amateurs alike, the vast majority in colour, documenting and cataloguing as well as capturing behaviour and emotion, and increasingly also appearing as works of art.
In adopting black and white, my intention is to offer a different perspective, where minimalist representation presents the essential beauty of the subject to the viewer in its simplest form, devoid of other distractions, allowing the viewer to establish a personal interpretation and connection with the subject. Many will disagree and, as is the case with any photograph or artwork, it will not be to everyone's liking. But I hope that some of these photographs will succeed in illustrating my point and highlight the beauty, peace and serenity of life underwater.
