Underwaterfashion.org is proud to present the beautiful underwater fashion photography of Ilse Moore ( www.ilsemoorephotography.
I grew up on the Vaal dam in the Free State, South Africa. My father owned a yacht club for many years and naturally my sibling and I would find ourselves spending all our free time in or on the water. When I started doing photography 5 years ago, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would find myself back in the water.
I completed my Visual Arts degree in 2009 and have since spent much time exploring different aspects of photography and art making. I enjoy doing different kinds of photography, but by shooting underwater my ideas start to evolve quicker and take shape in new and exciting ways. It allows me to grow much quicker as an artist, but also as a photographer, due to its challenging nature.
While my underwater photography often involves commercial shoots, my conceptual work speaks of a subconscious denial of reality. I have always been attracted to surreal imagery. I believe that photography as a medium lends a kind of realism to these “fantasies”, allowing it to exist in closer relationship to the viewer. I like that it suggests the possibility of an indiscernible truth. Shooting underwater seemed like the logical next step in finding a balance between the surreal world and my own reality…
There is very little control underwater and although I can manipulate any particular set to achieve exactly what I initially envisioned, the unplanned visuals that happen under the surface often determine the direction I take the shoot as it constantly changes and forms new meanings. I wouldn’t like to remove this aspect of my shooting, the surprise of the change appeals too much to me. I therefor prefer to shoot in natural light, although I do make use of two small sub strobes from time to time. I use only a few select models when doing sets and like to involve them in the creative process before the shoot. It is important for me that they not only understand what it is I want to achieve, but also why I want to achieve it. This allows them to “get into character” much easier and gives them a lot more freedom in the way they choose to express themselves underwater.
At the moment I travel light with two Nikon D90 bodies, a 10.5mm F2.8 fisheye lens, Ikelite housing and two D51s sub strobes.
Ilse Moore
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she’s a great photographer!