Ocean Photography Project

For a Black and white film photography class, one of our assignments was to research and photograph a current issue in the world. For this project, I chose to dive into the many issues facing our oceans, like ocean warming, pollution, acidification, and biodiversity loss. My approach to this project was photographing the beauty, vitality, and importance of biodiversity in the ocean to show just how important it is to protect the oceans and the animals that call the ocean home.

I chose to capture images of sea turtles. Sea turtles are integral to biodiversity in Hawai’i. Turtles eat the overgrown kelp to maintain reefs by grazing on seagrass and algae to keep reefs healthy. In my images, I thought a lot about vantage points and photography of sea life from their level to create a peaceful setting. Marine animals are important to protect because they keep ecosystems alive.

In modern-day media, we are educated about the terrors facing the ocean, and we are shown graphic but accurate images of the detrimental harm to our oceans. Sometimes it feels all-consuming and that there is no hope for our ocean. This is why I chose to capture the vitality and resilience that the ocean holds. There is still hope for our oceans if we work to protect what is already here. The ocean is a fragile but resilient place, and the beauty of biodiversity will help our oceans thrive if we choose to protect it.

As a sustainability major, I’ve learned that biodiversity is key to the health of both people and the planet. I used underwater photography and these photographic techniques to visually communicate this truth and advocate for its preservation.

As a reminder, all of my pictures that are taken, are photographed with respect to that natural world around me. I do not chase after sea life to photograph them. I have learned the more still you stay, the more likely the sea life will approach you. Photographs are cropped to zoom into the image. A big part of this project is photographing from a respectable vantage point. I wanted to photograph marine animals from their eye level to oppose any hierarchy between me and the animals. I want these photos to feel personable and equal to the animal.