UNDER THE SEA

Duncan Barry interviews photographer David Zammit who has a knack for underwater photographs, be they sport or lifestyle-related, on his current international projects. He also had photographs of former Olympic swimmer and world record-holder Michael Klim featured on Australia’s Men’s Health.

Were you formally educated in photography or are you self-taught? Who have you learned the most from?

I have not taken any formal training but I have never stopped educating myself by reading books, reading things online, and good old -fashioned experimentation.

Despite being self-taught, I have without a doubt been fortunate enough to have had a handful of mentors along my journey. Individuals who have never shied away from giving constructive criticism and advice. Not necessarily from a creative standpoint, but more from an overall perspective.

What challenges does an underwater photographer face? Who are your favourite subjects?

There are many unknown and constantly changing variables. Be it the nature of the light, the sea state or the interaction with the model/athlete. It demands a certain level of focus, but at the same time, an ability to be open to a scene/set that is dynamic in nature. Favourite subjects to photograph are people. When photographing someone, you're trying to tell their story, and you only get a single frame to do it. I feel that people on both sides of the camera dictate how that image will turn out.

UNDERSTAND THAT THE CAMERA IS JUST THE TOOL, THE CRUCIAL STEP IS TO FIND THE SUBJECT THAT YOU CONNECT WITH MOST.

Tell us something about your Los Angeles shoot?

I’ll be in Los Angeles photographing a lifestyle campaign for an international swimwear brand. Right now, I cannot share more. That being said, it is a very exciting project!

Any other international projects in the pipeline?

There are a few other potential overseas projects in the pipeline, particularly in the US and Australia. However, I am also focused on exploring new projects and collaborations here in Malta.

If you were to mention that one picture you’ve taken that you can look at for hours on end, which would that be?

I was on an assignment in Indonesia photographing former Olympic swimmer and world record-holder Michael Klim. As a young competitive swimmer, I grew up in admiration of this great athlete, and it was a privilege to get to photograph him and capture certain raw emotions that he was going through at the time. The image, along with a few others out of the four-day shoot, ended up being featured on an issue of Men’s Health Australia as part of a story about the athlete. It all happened at quite a pivotal moment for me, and the feature ended up opening further doors on an international stage along the way.

Top tip for any aspiring photographers out there?

My advice to anyone starting off, or looking to start off, is to simply start. Commit to the process and let passion and curiosity lead and direct you. Understand that the camera is just the tool; the crucial step is to find the subject that you connect with most, and immerse yourself in that.

David Zammit