Snorkeling the Moat Wall

Seymour Family Portrait

Chase, Elizabeth & Cameron pose for our traditional family photo.

A Family Business

Nassau, Bahamas - When Mike from Ocean Technologies System called and asked me if I would be interested in a Bahamas shoot, you might wonder why I would even have to think about it. The issue was I was already committed to nearly three months away from my family. The solution? Bring them with me of course! Mike, being the class act he is, moved to accomidate the increase in the production team. The result has been on the the best vacations of our life. I could generate dozens of posts with pics of my boys in the pool day after day after day after day after day. Perhaps the water thing runs in the family? While I was out diving with sharks and shipwrecks, so were Cameron and Chase in there minds eye logging nearly enough pool time in to require decompression. Each night I would share a dive story from the day while putting them to bed then spend a couple hours alone with my beautiful wife Elizabeth. Would it be possible to run each assignment like this?

The OTS Shoot Crew w/Stuart & Michelle Cove

Working??? with OTS

Nassau, Bahamas - Over the years working underwater I have come to depend on certain manufactures to deliver the best in underwater equipment. The guys at Ocean Technologies Systems are at the top of that list. After the company president, Mike Pelissier did the NPS (an me personally) a huge favor by working a recient PBS NOVA program we were shooting on the USS Arizona we discussed future projects. With the relese of the best underwater full face mask ever designed (the Guardian) they were looking for a shooter to help out with some catalog shots. Based on a combination of talent and being a cheap date, I find myself in Nassau, Bahamas working with the OTS crew at Stuart Cove's. Its been five days of clear blue water, sharks, shipwrecks and talented models. Did I mention sharks? The crew at Stuarts have been awesome and I have no shortage of images to capture. Did I mention sharks?

The Shot

The Greatest Dive

Islamorada, Florida - As an underwater photographer, I have done my share of diving. I know, all divers throw around numbers of dives and c-cards like a badge of honor. This isn't about quantity, but quality. The other day I had what can only be described as my greatest dive. There was no 300' vis. No schooling bait ball with charging swordfish. No big animal encounters like a whale shark meandering through the dive site. There wasn't even any shipwrecks - and that doesn't happen often. This dive was in 4' of water, under a dock at my good friend Jim Bernardin's resort, Pines & Palms in Islamorada, Florida. There were a couple of the smallest eels I have ever seen. A schooling snapper population the size of matchboxes and a handful of lobster that would have a tough time not being boiled, dipped in cocktail sauce and getting eaten as an appetizer. What made this dive so amazing? It was my son Cameron's first snorkel.

If your a parent, you'll get this. If your going to be a parent, be prepared because it will happen and it's awesome. I'm talking about seeing the world, your world, through the eyes of your child. When Cam and I drifted under that unimpressive little dock not on any map or visitor guide I got to experience the underwater world through his eyes. His anxious points at EVERY fish and the muffled grunts through his little snorkel made my senses heightened. He wanted to make sure I saw it all too. His very cautious approach to a hiding spotted moray not 6" big made me realize how cool those creatures are. His little finger gently touching the modeled shell of a cowry made me ponder there design. The way he flinched when I pointed out an upside jellyfish made me respect there sting. The surprised eek he gave when a barracuda, the largest he had ever seen underwater (maybe 8"), streaked by us was exhilarating.

Civil War submarines, WWII wrecks, pristine stagehorn coral, or schooling sharks can't compare to a 4' dive holding Cam arms under the dock and seeing the underwater world through his eyes for the first time. I'm betting it wont be our last dive together.