Ambassador of the Month - Mohammed Ismail Abu Maddin

In this new section in our blog, we will feature our amazing Mozaik ambassadors so that you can get to know them better and learn about their fascinating lives.

The ambassador of this month is Mohammed Ismail Abu Maddin (@born.2.dive on Instagram)!

Mohammed, tell us a bit about how you became a diver?

When I was a kid, I always watched my father and his buddies dive. He was a marine officer and I got curious on how they can stay and breathe underwater. I started dreaming of becoming a diver at the age of 10, my father taught me how to dive. After graduating from college as an industrial engineer and starting my career, I graduate from the Padi Organization too, until I reached the IDC Staff Instructor level. Today I teach and have certified hundreds of divers so far.

How did you get into underwater photography?

How I got into underwater photography is a funny story! Diving took all my time, especially on weekends, which made my wife and family feel a little annoyed. I can’t put into words how beautiful the underwater world is, so I decided to start filming and took photos to show to my family. I started with an old, second hand Olympus camera. I finally I convinced my family and all of them are divers now! And now, I am opening the first underwater studio and photography school in Alanya, Turkey. But as a result of the current crisis, our operation needed to stop for the time being. I started as a macro photographer lover, especially nudibranchs, then I fell in love with underwater fashion, mermaid and model photography!

What’s your most memorable dive?

My most memorable dive is French (Society) Wreck: The wreck lies 1 km off the Marina of Antalya under the buoy. It belongs to the French Combat Aircraft named “St. Didier” which was sank during the war in 1942.

Which gear do you currently use?

I am using the following:

Canon 5D Mark IV with a NiMAR Pro housing

Canon 70D with NiMAR housing

Olympus TG5, a set of GoPro 4,5 and 7

Domes: 5”, 6”& 8” domes in addition to 60mm and 100mm macro flat ports, SMC-1 wet lens with 2.3X magnification

Strobes: YSD1 and YSD2, Bigblue 7000, Bigblue VTL2600 focus light

Message to the World

My advice for new photographers is Safety First! For yourself and for the marine life. Never disregard safety rules for a shoot. Dive, dive, and dive! Especially with experienced photographers, shoot, shoot, and shoot! The more you practice, the better you become! Have fun and show the world the beauty of the underwater world!