Featured Underwater Photographer – Jesse Miller

One of the best ways to learn photography is to see other photographers’ work. Mozaik looks for some of the best underwater photographers in the world, and showcase their work, along with the gear they use, to help other aspiring photographers improve, learn new skills and get inspired.

This week we will feature the talented Jesse Miller!

Photo taken in 2017 by dive buddy George Duncan while diving Catalina Island in Southern California

About Jesse

Like a professional athlete mentally preparing for a big game, I kept replaying the encounter I wanted experience with one of the most coveted animals in world. As I walked into the water at our local dive spot called “Redondo”, my thoughts narrowed and my focused intensified on the task at hand, to find, interact with, and photograph the elusive six-gill shark. Six-gill sharks are amazing animals, they average about 11-14 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds on average. They are deep sea dwellers, but they ascend to recreational depths in the mid to late summer time in the Puget Sound area. As I descended down my normal dive route to an old boat at about 90’ of depth, I steadied my breathing and started searching for this prehistoric creature. At this point in my diving career I had 998 dives and only seen (2) six-gills. However, both times I either did not have a camera or I had the wrong lens. This time was different and I was ready with my wide angle setup. About (20) minutes into my dive I started thinking, this creature may elude me yet again. I took a quick glance down to my rig to ensure everything was in order and as I raised my head a silhouette appeared from the left, a six-gill shark! I raised my camera up and squeezed off (4) shots as I lowered the camera, I stared right into its huge, dark eye. I was completely mesmerized and my heart was racing. This creature gave me a look and I feel like it smiled as if to say “Yeah I have been on this earth for a few million years.” It gently passed by, waved its tail calmly and disappeared into the abyss. Stories like this are why I dive, why I photograph, and why I have a deep love and passion for the oceans and all the inhabitants that do not have a voice.

When I was certified in 2009, I never imagined an encounter this this and hundreds of other encounters would follow. I have been blessed to have dove all over the world with hundreds of different encounters as equally as thrilling as my six-gill encounter. Whether it is a hatching giant pacific octopus, a rare six-gill shark, or an emperor shrimp on a nudibranch each encounter is unique and special, no two encounters are the same. Out of my 1,150 lifetime dives, I carried a camera on 978 of these dives. Many new photographers ask me how to get better shots, with the expectation that I will talk about technique, composition, and camera gear. I can see their disappointment when I talk about diving skills, mental preparation, and safety before any photograph is ever taken.

When I prepare for a dive, I always have a mental image of what I want to shoot and how I want to shoot it. I often amazed at how close the real moment is to what I prepared for. My first priority as an underwater photographer is personal safety. Do I have a good dive plan, is my gear in good shape, what are the conditions and what do I do if the plan conditions change, do I have a self-sufficient dive buddy or redundancy (if diving solo)? These are all questions I address before a single shot is taken. My second priority is the animal safety. What is my experience shooting this animal, do they flinch or react adversely to camera flash, are they calm or aggressive, is the animal dangerous? My goal here is to make sure the animal is comfortable with me and “ok” with my presence and camera flash. For example, when shooting seahorses, it is very important to take minimal shots as they are very sensitive to light flashes. Therefore, I do not want to blast them and potentially injure the animal. My last priority is the shot. I try to only take what nature give me. If the animal is on a bad background or positioned poorly, then I take that shot. If the animal does not want to be bothered or is agitated, I may only get (1-2) shots instead of (10). I believe this philosophy has lead to many unforgettable encounters, experiences, and photographs.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been diving for about (13) years and have had so many amazing encounters, which has strengthened my love for the ocean. When I am not diving, I am surfing, spending time with my family, and enjoying my career as an executive at a software company. I hope that these images and my biography will spark something in you. Maybe a different mindset to your diving and photography, maybe a new adventure, maybe love for a new animal. Please enjoys these images and safe diving!