Middle Sea

""The Musician," an enchanting underwater sculpture crafted by the talented artist Jason Decaires Taylor, was commissioned by the renowned magician David Copperfield as a heartfelt gift for his wife and acclaimed fashion designer, Chloe Gosselin. Serenely situated in the crystalline waters of Musha Cay, Exuma, Bahamas, this captivating statue rests at a depth of approximately 20 feet (7 meters). My creative vision for this photograph was to capture the essence of a woman orchestrating a harmonious symphony beneath the waves, mirroring the grace she would exhibit above the water's surface. To bring this vision to life, I wanted the model to be elegantly adorned with a vibrant yellow dress that harmonized with the backdrop of azure waters and pristine white sands enveloping the statue. The statue's location within one of the island's narrow passageways, aptly referred to as "cuts," presented a unique challenge. These tight passages generate powerful currents, posing a formidable obstacle for both the model and me as we embarked on our freediving expedition. To overcome this, I strategically swam against the current with the model in tow, positioning her in a manner that, as we drifted back with the current, we could seamlessly intersect with the underwater tableau. Fortuitously, the relentless current played a dual role in our mission, serving as a natural aide in sculpting the flow of the subject's hair and dress, evoking the illusion of a gentle, underwater breeze."