Some new images from @__anniebaby with @suahuatica in #okinawajapan ποΈβ¨. We found someone's labor of love - probably a valentine's heart in the sand that survived the winter storms. Pretty deep too, so it must have been a freediver who did it π¬. Although we're not suggesting everyone goes out to make shapes on the sea bottom, it was a nice little surprise and we made the most of it with Annie knowing exactly what to do ;). Both photos on the end of our dive when we were basically human ice cones, but we still had a little more energy left in us π§βοΈπ€Ώπ . What is the most extravagant thing you have done for your Valentine? :)
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#freediver #underwater #bluetones #elegance #loveiseverywhere
Exploring some of the most beautiful hidden caves of Ibiza with one of the world's deepest freedivers - @ruthosbornfreediver , Free Immersion UK record holder and allround bad-ass person ποΈββοΈ. After spending quite a bit of time with Ruth I must say that I've rarely met anyone as focused and absolutely dedicated to her goals as her. Her whole life revolves around one thing, and one thing only for a good part of the year: Going deep. Very deep ππ§ββοΈ
It humbled me a bit, because I realised I would never be able to do the things she did - if not for physical limitations, surely for psychological ones.
I did however find a way to add bit of zing β¨ to her life perhaps - take her out in her own backyard and show her some secret spots that I uncovered on my daily trips paddling along the coastline of the island with my paddle-sup. Like showing a kid that he grows a candy tree in his closet, so to speak π. Suffice to say we had a great time π¬
All in all a great honor to have her make space for me in her busy schedule, and to have me as her guest in her home (despite being our own odd individual selves we kind of worked well together, funnily enough!). Thanks for the time, Ruth...it was amazing to see a true athlete from closeup for a while!
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#freediving #freediver #cavedive #caveexploration #otherworlds #lightinthedark #deepocean
Long in the making - @__anniebaby & @suahuatica jumping in the fresh Okinawan ocean to finally make photos!. The weather was not entirely cooperative, with a fresh breeze making swimming in the already fresh ocean, without wetsuit, a bit more of a challenge than usual. You need to keep moving to stay warm, but you need to stay still to have a decent breath hold π§π¬οΈπ§π»ββοΈ.
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We had a great time though capturing the images and exploring the massive underwater structure that we had chosen as our playground (next time more images of that - it was truly breathtaking!).
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Afterwards, sitting on the beach, we tried to catch a bit of sunshine whilst staying out of the wind to combat the shivering. All in all many days of planning and organising, travelling half the world (and half of Okinawa, which turns out to be a lot bigger than it seems πΆ) all to spend a brief moment in chilly seas. Satisfied we got it all done though β¨. Looking forward to a next time!
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#okinawa #freediving #seafloor #oceanadventure #apnea #okinawaphoto #artphotos
@amandabirkedal graciously relaxing on one of the magnificent shipwrecks that the island of Cyprus had in store for us β¨. I've been long wanting to share these and other captures of Amanda (and many others). But life demanded my time and focus elsewhere, for a few years. Making photos of the level I expect from myself took (and takes) a huge amount of effort.
The best models, the right outfit for the location, a suitable range of conditions on the spot, the right time of the day, the correct equipment for that day or moment. The perfect pose, captured in just the right microsecond.But also the right chemistry and vibe between whom are in front of the camera and those behind. Of course in my work especially, editing plays a huge role. Tweaking the color and contrast to perfection often takes 1-4 hours per photo. And lastly...my energy and mood as a photographer. Creativity can be offset with hard work and all the other factors being in my favor. But if I am operating in peak optimal frwquencies I can make a diamond out of mud.
I didn't feel like I had all these things ligned up - and created such a high standard for myself (and I guess others!) that it was stressful to live up to those. I couldn't always be the best version of me, especially when combined with some chronic health issues of which I've written a little in the past (Chronic sinus inflammation for years most notably, but also others).
I turned these limitations into a better life for myself, however. Stability, less working hours and the ability to travel to places in the world without nice water, heck, without any water! A true gift, because that allowed me to start organically missing the very liquid medium I was happily separated from.
I've made some exciting art in the past years, and I'll promise to keep sharing. Even if the insta spirits don't deem it worthy of visibility π β€οΈ
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#shipwreck #underwater #freediving #underwaterworld #cyprus
Just the usual shenanigans with @jesperstechmann when we finally have time to play around on the sea floor π . Superhero vibes or more an aquatic Lion King moment? You tell me π₯Έ Suffices to say that we had a great time and I'm genuinely excited to share some more of the cool stuff we made that day, soon π₯° Miss my chill daily diving adventures in Gozo with the @innerdivefreediving team π₯²
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#thelionking #superhero #freediver #underwaterpics #uwphoto #incredibleviews #cinematicmoments #maltaisland #divermag
I'm back...again! π I had an absolute blast with @jesperstechmann this summer, exploring some stunning underwater locations in and around Gozo. It's always humbling to see a near superhuman like Jesper move under the water - half fish, half human. There's a lot more photos coming - have a ton of art from the past year, need to get into the habit of posting it again β¨. I've shifted focus in life, but do see the importance of staying connected to the beautiful audience of water and art lovers that you all are π₯°
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#gozo #freediving #underwater #freedivers #exploreunderwater #uwphoto #cavediving #maltaisland #mediterraneansea
Having a blast in the stunning Gozo waters, hanging out with @jesperfreediver and @jesperstechmann from @innerdivefreediving . It doesn't often I swim next to not one but two extremely talented freediving champions ; both sporting a slew of depth and distance recordsπ€―.We often go training at the #bluehole in #dwejra - A unique natural formation where you can enter the sea though a 7 by 7 meter sinkhole that leads to a magnificent underwater archway that lets you exit into the sea. The bottom is some 12-14 meters deep and large boulders litter the sea floor like pebbles! The spot is also very popular with scuba divers and it's not uncommon to see some bigger open ocean fish species pass by here, looking for a snack (or to be snacked π ). Really glad to be back in Malta ; I really miss it's aquatic secrets, the friendly people & traversability π₯². Soon will post moreβ¨. P.s. it's pretty probable you'll see more guys in my feed, don't forget to put a little comment and share to your stories to show Insta we're still rocking π₯Έ
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#dwejra #maltaphotography #maltaunderwater #freediving #freedivers #freedivingchampions #γγͺγΌγγ€γγ³γ° #γγͺγΌγγ€γγΌ #ζ°΄δΈ #uwphotography #bluehole
Been a while since I've been cave diving - but everything still is as it always was. Dark, beautiful and a little dangerous (or a lot, depending on the cave). I went out for a bit of adventure with the wonderful @annemariedahler and a few others. We found (and subsequently lost) a cool hat. Encountered a cute octopus, discovered a grumpy Murray Eal and nearly got in the way of an unexpectedly late winter comino tourboat that never knew we were there (one of the many safety rules I preach is to stick as close to land as you can at any time, and to do otter checks every 20 seconds when crossing more open areas - peek your head out and do a 360!). I take cave safety extremely serious, probably more so than anyone I know. A mixture of respect for them, experience and the motivation to keep the people I swim with safe and in one peace.
All in all we had a blast and I can't wait to hit Gozo again &hang out the amazing freediving community that has been built there π«Άπ€
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#cavediving #underwater #freediving #caveexploring #maltaphotography #ononebreath #apnea #freediverlife #oceanlife #oneocean
Flashbacks to one of the most elegant mermaids I've ever swam with - the amazing @murlenss ππΌπ§πΌββοΈ. We had a few lucky encounters with beautiful ocean life, including a pair of Gunards that were probably up to something romantic (boy and girl - who can tell me which is which? π). These fishes are not just beautiful when they unfold their wings, but also can emit a kind of unique grunting sound that always surprises people just as much as their spectacular color display.
Later on we visited some secret rock pools on the rough, Atlantic side of the island, that I scouted out with some effort - biking for days along the entire north coast of Aruba. Times I'll never forget - a total of 6 magical months spent on the island. If any of you have a spare guest bed for next winter, let me know ππ₯Ή. Alas, all good things must come to an end, although I hope I can one day share the waters with @murlenss again (perhaps the Mediterranean!).
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#arubadiving #aruba #arubaisland #arubatourism #arubalife #freediving #underwaterlife #aquatic #underwaterworld #freedivingcommunity
It's been a long time since I dived in this cave - exactly as long as it has been diving with Nikki (both long overdue for a repeat!). This particular place is located deep inside the cliffs, and has access from several sides by long tunnels (the exit you see is some 60+ feet awa). It's extremely dark for most of the dive - so a powerful dive light and experience with cave freediving are a must, as well as good conditions (nobody wants waves or jellyfish in a cave!).
Missing my Mediterranean cave diving, and my Mediterranean friends π«Ά Right now I'm living the on-land life until March when I'll be in the Gili islands (if you've been to those little paradise islands let me know how your experience was in the comments π€).
#bnw #monochrome #silhouette #blackandwhitephoto #blackandwhitephotos #ig_baoli #bnw_greatshots #suggestiveports #bnw_rose #masters_in_bnw #bnw_splendid #freediving #cavediving #bnw_silhouettes #artphoto
A great thanks to @jesperstechmann from @innerdivefreediving to make time for me during my time in Gozo (Malta). Stayed below the radar, but next time in June I certainly wont be π. Had an amazing time diving on the p31 shipwreck with Jesper and finding new, creative angles as I love to do. It was a bit of a rough day and on our way to the wreck I got pretty π€’. I ate something half bad the day before, which probably took me out (but never a hero with rolling boats, admittedly haha). I dived on automatic mode, fighting my hardest not to vomit underwater on my way back up to the surface. I only felt comfortable diving while being messed up because I have absolute trust in Jesper his breath holdπ«Άπ. He's the a record holding freediver for a reason, might as well save an ailing underwater photographer π« .
I swam to the shore on my own, dodging tourist ferries and the waves, managed not to embarrass myself more and hooked up with the rest of the team (and a few other smart or desperate divers eager to get off the rollercoaster ride who were there waiting with me on the rocks) later. We made some super cool shots in a tiny cave that I'll be sharing soon!!.
Can't wait to share more of the imagery I made during my time with @innerdivefreediving and the amazing people that I met there π«Ά
#freediving #paditv #natgeoadventure #malta #comino #gozo #freediver #underwater #scuba #scubadiving #p31 #shipwreck #freedivetothefuture #underwaterart #apnea #ononebreath #onebreath
