Drawn to the sea, Maria Di Paolo-Greer started her underwater
experiences when she was open water certified in the cold rivers of
eastern Canada in 1999. Although diving in Canada opened up a new and
wonderful world, her passion for underwater photography did not emerge
until the very first moment she jumped into a clear blue ocean off the
southwestern coast of Fiji. Since that moment she has traveled
extensively throughout the Caribbean and the South Pacific,
experimenting with and perfecting her photographic skills in all kinds
of underwater conditions and locations. She continued her training and
received her advanced diver certification in 2002 and Enriched Air
Nitrox in 2006.
Her passion for underwater photography may
have occurred overnight, but her underwater photography technique was
perfected over years of trial and error and training. What began as a
hobby with a point and shoot film camera turned into a professional
pursuit with experience, training, and a sophisticated digital camera
system with strobes, focus lights, and lenses. Her specialty lies with
macro photography but she will also use various techniques to capture
unique moments and sights. Maria dives at every opportunity that arises
with the goal of capturing that special magic found only below the
glassy surface of the sea and then sharing her work with others for
education and enjoyment.
PHOTOGRAPHED IN ACTION The photograph above was taken as I was slowly approaching an anemone perched on a wall. I was moving in slowly and using my breathing to control my buoyancy and the one-finger rule to steady myself as I waited several minutes to capture the perfect photo.
