We depend on the oceans
The Oceans make up about 71% of the Planet’s surface with an average depth between of around 3.800 meters, and have been explored for only 5%! They produce well over 50% of the planet’s oxygen and absorb 30% of carbon dioxide from human activity. They feed us over 15% of animal protein. They absorb almost all of the excess heat. All this without thinking of the other benefits on our mental and physical health, such as improving our vital parameters and stress levels in general. It is often the source of raw materials for the development of medicines for the treatment of important diseases. In short, the connection, the interdependence between marine life and ours is quite obvious. Without life in the oceans we would quickly become extinct.
BUT THEY ARE IN DANGER!
A large, too large portion of the ocean is threatened by serious dangers, the main and best known of which are:
⚠️ Global warming, this causes, for example, melting ice and rising water levels;
⚠️ Organic and inorganic pollution (many will be aware of plastics, which creates countless damage);
⚠️ Overexploitation of fishery resources.
Everything is interconnected as links in a single chain: if we weaken one link, the chain will break and so will our existence.
DARKNESS OR LIGHT?
The Oceans are the realm of darkness… It is physically and biologically true! Ninety percent of living creatures inhabit the so-called euphotic zone (from the Greek “well-lit”). From the point of view of the surface extent of that zone, it is really small: we are talking about the depth range of up to 200 meters. This is the maximum depth of light penetration useful for photosynthesis and thus for life (for most marine species). Speaking of colors instead, 7, 15, 25, 40, 50, 60 are the depths in meters at which the various chromatic components of light disappear, in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
ARE WE STILL IN TIME?
As a fine-art underwater photographer, I make my work to raise awareness of how much beauty, of what wonders we are in danger of losing forever. We need to act promptly!
The sea is a world unto itself and when we approach it we must understand its laws and respect them because the sea is a source of life and without the sea nothing could exist.
The challenge with the sea is unequal. He always wins. Every time I dive I know what I am up against but only as far as I am concerned because what is down is never totally predictable.
TELLING STORIES THROUGH MY LENS
I tell what the sea conveys to me, with its way of playing with light creating shapes and illusions that I photograph because in the underwater world there is much more to capture with the eyes than with a speargun and a photographic capture remains forever in your memories and in those you share it with.
