I Created Art From Some Old Underwater Photographs

I have never been so scared in my life as I was when I learned to scuba dive. I was so scared, I took up underwater photography as a way to forget I was, well, underwater.

I distinctly remember how the timing of taking a photograph underwater differs from that on land. On land you tend to hold your breath as you take the photo, you can't do that underwater!

I wrote about the whole story of how I came to learn to dive and some of my experiences at that time in my blog. But what prompted the memories was the discovery of an old folder with the photographs I took at that time. Thirty years ago in fact, before digital cameras and I was relatively new to the art of photography as well. Since then I have learned quite a bit about my craft.

The photos were grainy as the camera picks up the particles in the water but also these were old and gray photos, printed in Indonesia on not very high quality paper. They were past their best it is fair to say. But I could see that I could do something with them. So I scanned each photo into my computer and worked on them to produce a series of photoart images. I also produced a YouTube video showing the full series.

Given the terrible destruction of coral reefs throughout the world, I wonder how this one has fared in the 30 years since I was there?

More info: dorothyberryloundart.com

A video of a series of images of underwater scenes featuring tropical fish and coral reef. PhotoArt by Dorothy Berry-Lound based on her original photographs.

Light shining down from the surface illuminating part of a coral reef in Indonesia. PhotoArt by Dorothy Berry-Lound based on her original photograph.

A bat fish moving along a coral reef in Indonesia. PhotoArt by Dorothy Berry-Lound based on her original photograph.

Tropic fish and coral in Indonesia. PhotoArt by Dorothy Berry-Lound based on her original photograph.

Tropical fish and coral in Indonesia. PhotoArt by Dorothy Berry-Lound based on her original photograph.