Marco...Polo

"Cardinal and Gold water polo driver/utility player, Mike Brown, hopes to help lead his team to back-to-back championships when they compete in the National State Championships at the Naval Academy later this month. The team won the championship last season."

I find it ironic that my last week as a freelancer in Baltimore, I spent every day shooting assignments that were based around one thing: Water.

I say it's ironic because I am now landlocked in Utah. Granted I have a sweet pool at my new apartment complex, and there are two big bodies of water near me, too. I can no longer drive a couple hours and be at the beach. I am no longer living in a city known for its inner harbor.

This assignment was a late one. What I mean is that it came to me late in the day with not much time to prepare.

Years ago, I attempted my first underwater portrait. I used my friend Kanji's fish tank aquarium, with a custom built ball-head on a piece of wood. To say it was sub-par was an under statement. It was a horrific portrait.

This time, I went back to Kanji for his fish tank. I knew I had to change my ways for this one. I lit this portrait, and I cranked the tank as far as I could go before flooding the camera. Obviously, I protected the camera with saran wrap and towels.

Thanks to a great portrait subject, who was literally put through a workout, it took only one frame to get it right. Well, almost. The left hand being cutoff at the bottom of the frame is bothersome to me, but can't get everything perfect every time.