Behind the Shot
“I’ve had a lifelong fear of the ocean,” Zachary explains. “I absolutely hated the ocean. I was afraid. I hated fish. The thought of the ocean and fish and being touched by fish was just so disturbing to me. Pools, hot tubs, lakes, OK, but the ocean … no, thank you.”
But a peer-pressure-forced encounter with gigantic whale sharks in the Philippines changed all that. “Swimming with the gentle giants completely changed my perspective on the ocean and ocean life. It was a life-altering experience.”
Not long after, he was given the opportunity to swim with sea turtles at the Magic Sands Beach park in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. “We were in Hawaii with a big group, an afternoon in the ocean, playing with some new gear, just enjoying the day and the experience. This turtle was very interested in what we were doing. I was so comfortable and relaxed, I was able to let go and have a great time. This image was only possible because I was so at peace and relaxed. In fact, I recently got my scuba license. I’m into the idea of going underwater now!”