April 5th, 2021, was the most dreaded and best shoot day of my life. It marked my first shoot for Adidas—a dream come true! However, it was an underwater shoot, which was my worst fear, brought to life.

A Dive into the Unknown

Years ago, I bought my husband a scuba diving course, and we soon realized that scuba diving is best enjoyed together. I joined him, earned my license, and though I passed with ease, the sea terrified me. We took a diving holiday in the Maldives which was the most stressful 7 days of my life and I did a few small underwater test shoots in shallow waters and a swimming pool. After that, I hung up my diving gear, not expecting to use any time soon.

The Brief

Fast forward 8 years to the day I received an ad campaign brief for Adidas. The project aimed to capture the natural beauty of women overcoming perceived limitations to create the life they wanted. It was a dream come true, but there was a catch: part of the shoot was underwater in a swimming pool and in the ocean in Fujeira, UAE.

As I visualized the shoot and imagined seeing it on billboards, my fears came bubbling to the surface. Despite this, I knew this opportunity was exactly what I had been preparing for. It was authentic, challenging, it pushed me past anything I had ever done before and it was the start of a new chapter.  This was the reason I had become a photographer in the first place.

Preparation and Determination

I quickly compiled a portfolio of all my relevant work, including the underwater test shoots, and sent it off. I booked a refresher course for my scuba license (just in case I got the job), and the next day, I was confirmed on the shoot. With only five days to prepare for the biggest shoot of my life, time flew by, and the first shoot day arrived sooner than I had imagined.

The Shoot Day

Even though I was exhausted from a sleepless night filled with excitement and nerves, I was ready. This was the day my dreams were set to come true, in ways better than I could have imagined.

We traveled by boat to the shoot location. After discussing shots with the swimmer, I was joined by my underwater assistant and a safety diver. As we prepared for the first round of shooting, I felt many eyes on me from the other boats. Falling backward into the water, the familiar fear of the unknown below resurfaced.

Descending to the seabed, my heart raced until my assistant handed me my camera in its underwater housing. In that moment, everything changed. As I began shooting, my nerves disappeared. It was as if I could speak underwater, and my team and I were perfectly in sync. I knew this was going to be incredible.

Transformation and Triumph

The first round of shots took about 20 minutes but felt like mere seconds. I could have stayed underwater all day.  I was in my natural habitat and yet I wasn’t at all. What I realized was that when I have my camera in front of me, all my fears disappear. When I am creating, I am in my comfort zone. And when I see the results of my effort, I know exactly why I do what I do. 

Finding Your Why

What is your Why? For me, it’s the transformation within me that happens when I am behind the camera, creating and capturing various moments in time. It’s about overcoming fears and pushing boundaries to achieve something extraordinary.