Below
The ocean here is not blue. It's green. Black. Hazy. Full of shadows and darkness. Light is sparse. Visibility is low. These photographs were made in that world. Not observed from above — made from within it. On a single breath, in cold southern Australian water, through patience and repeated return. We are only guests to those who live beneath.
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Limited Edition of 50 · Signed certificate of authenticity
Lullaby
San Remo, Victoria · 2020
Bubble Lion
Port Lincoln, South Australia · 2019
Split Fin
San Remo, Victoria · 2021
Cross
Port Phillip Bay, Victoria · 2023
Lost Dragon
Flinders, Victoria · 2021
About Below
These images were made in near-darkness. A quiet world where movement slows and colour shifts. Much of what appears underwater lasts only for an instant. I'm simply paying attention when it does.
Method
Single-breath freediving (no tanks)
Camera
Leica (SL series) in an Aquatech housing
Lighting
Available light only — no strobe, no artificial light
Water temperature
10–16°C (southern Australian winter and spring)
Locations
South Gippsland coast, Phillip Island, Bass Strait intertidal zones, Victorian piers and kelp forests, San Remo
Enquire
Prints from Below are available by enquiry — availability, sizes, and pricing on request.
matt@mlbdesign.com.au