Earlier this year, artist and photographer (and fellow Canadian!) Benjamin Von Wong ventured to Bali for the photo shoot of a lifetime. The always ambitious photographer envisioned an underwater shoot with freedivers amongst a shipwreck 25 meters (82 ft) beneath the surface.
To pull off the project, Von Wong assembled a team that consisted of seven divers and two freediving models, Nora Li and Camilla Argent (Nora and Camilla can hold their breath for 3:36 and 4:40 respectively). Shooting underwater carries a unique set of challenges, as Von Wong outlines in his informative blog post:
– Normal clothes couldn’t be rented since the sea water would wreck them, so they had to find a designer willing to part with the clothing they’d lend them (h/t Ali Charisma)
– Normal assistants wouldn’t work, specially trained safety divers were going to be necessary to ensure a smooth photo shoot
– Scouting would be complicated – local divers would be necessary for them to navigate around the wreck and deal with unpredictable changes in the weather and tide
– Lighting and gear would be limited – shooting underwater meant that they had to work with what was available: on camera strobes or natural light
The shoot was a huge success and you can see a few of the results along with a couple behind the scenes photos. Also embedded below is a behind the scenes video shot by Chindianboy Studios. The viral video has already been viewed nearly 750,000 times and offers a glimpse into the effort that goes into a complex shoot like this.
For more from Von Wong, be sure to check him out at the online links below.
[via PetaPixel]
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Behind the Scenes
with Benjamin Von Wong
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