Macro-world is a place where nature displays her beauty through repetitive patterns, geometric marvels and tiny eyes peering back at us. When I spend time behind the lens in macro-world, time, space, and air supply become a distant concern. Here, The Zen of Diving takes over and a glorious combination of form and color, perfected over millions of years, can induce meditative states where adrenaline has no place.

These cradles of the deep hold a haunting appeal for me when they come into view on my descent. I like the way their formidable and elegant forms look in monochromic compositions using ambient light. Gazing inside usually rewards me with overhead sunlight streaming in and showcasing the architectural bones of the vessel. The divers, like ants, scurry around exploring nooks and crannies while the resident marine life, accustomed to our presence, casually carry on. Who can help but think about the Corsair pilot whose day turned south as he ditched his plane in the Maunalua Bay? Here it sits in a lonely field of garden eels, inviting the playful to try out the cockpit.

Fish and eels display their visually remarkable and  unique splash of color in this series of images. Whether they are resting in coral, swimming on a shipwreck, or in the open surrounding waters, fish and eels constantly wow us with their stunning design elements. Certain fish seem to pose for a portrait while others almost always turn away the second you release the shutter. Eels are a favorite subject for most photographers and reliably provide a dramatic gaze back at the camera.

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Sharks, Turtles, and Rays appear unexpected from the blue and make me anticipate the possibilities before each dive! Turtles, or “Honu” greet us on almost every dive and photographers love to capture the light playing off their silhouettes.  Rays appear as though from another galaxy and sharks inject a thrill like no other creature encountered .

Diving is a way of life! Couples, friends, children and visitors live the diving lifestyle with our own brand of Aloha found here in paradise. Many of these adventure seekers chose this life over a more lucrative one somewhere else. The sunshine, clear water and dramatic beauty of Hawaii keep us making the splash into the ocean. We watch the seas like others check the traffic. Join us in making the journey underwater and capture some of life’s best moments.

Children at play in the ocean make lasting memories. I watched the captains four year old chase fish with a net, floating around on the surface in his life jacket.. From below, he looked like he was chasing butterflys, oblivious to divers beneath the surface. My children spend time in the ocean—swimming, diving, paddling and surfing whether in southern California, Catalina, Island or here in Hawaii. I am thankful for the joy our oceans have gifted them and hope we can save the oceans for the water babies of the future.