Holly can swim but I can't - an attempt at faking underwater portraiture

This series of images had a sort of dual purpose. First, we wanted some kick-ass pictures of Holly frolicking about in her dad's pool, in an old wedding dress that was found in an op shop. It has class written all over it.

When I arrived, Holly was barely ready, so she did an incredible job to go from bed to this in about 15 or 20 minutes flat. The sun was a bit strong, but I say that all the time as I use off camera flash almost all the time.

In fact, the only time I don't shoot with flash is when I'm running and gunning in a wedding situation. Otherwise, I want to be controlling the light completely at all times.

All good photographers should.

I used a large softbox for all these images, probably 120CM, with of course, my trusty Godox AD-200 blasting out the sweet sweet light rays. It went well to minimise reflections on the water, and we wanted to focus on a mix of power, vulnerability and as you'll see later, some other stuff.

With the formal portraits out of the way, and Holly's history as a swimming teacher, it was time to see if she could overcome the weight of the dress as it took on water. She did some dives, and inspired by some work that I once saw in a photographic gallery (the bulletproof glass series by Rosemary Liang), we got to doing some more sinister images.

These were all shot from above the water (remember, I can't swim) - and I wanted to create the feeling isolation and panic, before the calm of a drowning.

I'm pleased to report that Holly didn't drown, but we went a little Opehlia-esque in the below shot, to try and sell the illusion, but she's so at peace that she's actually smiling in this image. Deplorable.

If it weren't for the fragility of my lighting gear and the fact that high amp batteries and cameras don't mix well with water (and the fact that I can't swim, and refuse to learn how to do so) - even though Holly has told me its easy... I can't trust her not to drown me after all the shoots we've done together.

I also know that a certain @mattclarke has also offered to fling me into the water quite enthusiastically on many ocassions, arguing that I'd figure it out pretty quickly; given the circumstances of imminent death.

Combining both things, and my photography gear isn't something I'm likely to do soon, but I know this: depictions of humans close, or in water are something that brings up many references to art, music, and symbology that all point to the ephemerality and fragility of human life.