Flying from one corner of North America to the other, I headed to the Florida Keys to join Technical Diving International (TDI) on a photo shoot for their new promotional and educational materials.  Armed with cameras, lights, sponsored gear, and an entire boat to ourselves at Florida Keys Dive Center, we set out to get the perfect shots.

The week was a lesson in determination and organization.  With a limitied amount of time and a long shot list, each day had to be planned and executed with precision.  Waking up at dawn, we stayed on the water for hours, only pausing to discuss retakes and shoot location.  A few days of less than perfect conditions combined with the difficulties of limited communication underwater made for an interesting time, but teamwork and problem-solving led to our ultimate success!

My primary role was to work as a team with several other divers to model the skills and techniques necessary for the new TDI Extended Range and Trimix Diving manual.  Brian, Dillon, and I along with photographer Rick and videographer Aaron worked together as a mixed team of divers to effectively brief the skill sequences and communicate underwater about the shots.  By days two and three we had a routine, complete with unique hand signals that Rick and Aaron could use to tell us models how we were doing.

Evenings were spent having fun group dinners, but those didn’t last too long as there was plenty of editing to be done and another day of shooting to prepare for.  Throughout the week I learned tons about underwater modeling, photography, videography, lighting, and editing.  I also experienced the teamwork and organization necessary to pull off a production like this.  You can find our hard work in the new TDI Extended Range and Trimix Diving manual, as well as in TDI’s promotional materials on social media!

Thank you to TDI, particularly Sean Harrison and James Councill, for having me on this photo shoot.  Thank you also to my incredible sponsors for enabling this experience – Subgravity, Aqualung, Fourth Element, Nauticam, and Reef Photo & Video.  Thank you Rolex and OWUSS for making this year possible!

 

Stay tuned — next stop Netherlands!

Photos by TDI.