Underwater Transformation About Face Underwater Transformation About Face

Getty Images / Verizon Creative Grant Winner!

Uncategorized
October 8, 2024/by
Getty Images and Verizon reward three innovative creators redefining Disability Representation with a US$20,000 grant  I'm so grateful for receiving such an unforgettable, unbelievable and memorable prize from Getty Images . By winning this grant, I believe strongly my Underwater Tranformation Project is my forever project. I'll be capturing thrivers' beautiful moment until I leave this world! This is HUGE! It was so hard to believe and my heart is still beating really fast. Thank you everyone for your support! I couldn't have been here without your warm hearts. Also, I want to congratulate other awesome winners, Oaklee and Sam. Please learn about them on the Getty Images site! We also had an amazing discussion on disabilities and our passion for photography on Zoom a few months later. It was incredible to share our stories and experience as a photographer while we dealt with our disabilities in public. Please watch the YouTube video from here. One of the winners, Samantha Tokia and I photographed each other in the past. We talked about how we found each other, the beautiful experience and photo shoot process. I hope to see everyone again in the near future. See you...
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私を海に連れてって

Take Me To The Ocean 海に連れてって Trailer

Underwater Healer About Face, Video
October 27, 2023/by
Take Me To The Ocean 海に連れてって Full version coming in 2024! “I heard about you and I want to make a short documentary.” … what!? This amazing journey started all from here. My heart was pounding and I went swimming everyday to calm myself down. This happened so fast but but I still remember everything was slow underwater. When I realized I was in a safe place with an awesome crew, especially with my new ocean sister Jacqueline, I could be myself. Thank you Ilanna for creating beautiful art, connecting all of us, Leo and everyone for giving me a space to share my story. Take Me To The Ocean 海に連れてって trailer out now! ショートドキュメンタリーを作りたいというリクエストが来た時はとても緊張と興奮で毎日のように水泳に行き、気を惑わせてました。あっという間に撮影でしたが、特に水の中での撮影は全ての時間が止まったようなスローモーションだったのを今でも覚えています。３０秒のトレーラーが出ました！フルバージョンは来年のフィルムフェスティバルに出る（かも？）みたいです。トレーラーご覧ください！ Director: Ilanna Barkusky Starring: Erena Shimoda Director of Photography: Leo Maco, Underwater Cinematographer: Jacqueline Lehr, Editor: Nico Frank Trailer Editor: Whitney Weir 1 st AC: Kelsey Rivera Production Sound Mixer: Chris Camacho Grip: Evan Molyneaux Sound Design & Mix: Calvin Pia Colorist: Elodie Ichter Also featuring Sara Stinson Rescue Diver: Will Mariano Boat Captain: Phil Sammet Poster: Tori #takemetotheocean #海に連れてって #underwatertransformation #underwaterphotography #underwatercinematography #underwatertherapy...
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ABC 7 Bay Area News KGO

Underwater Healer About Face
May 25, 2023/by
Thank you so much #ABC7News #ABC7 #KGO-TVSanFrancisco (ABC7) for sharing my Underwater Transformation Project with cancer and trauma survivors. Since I launched my campaign about a month ago, it's been like riding a roller coaster. I want to thank all of the donors for the generous support. Currently, there are 71 donors contributed about $5k total (minus process fees) from GoFundMe and Media Alliance 501c3. With this, I can get to the Bay Area, Los Angeles and possibly Portland/Seattle survivors. THANK YOU!! Any dollar amount will help to reach 22 survivors on the list. Also if you sign up for the underwater photo session, 100% of your portrait session fee will be donated to this campaign. Please click on the link to read the message and waiting list of thrivers! https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-22-survivors-and-thrivers Thank you so much for your support aways. Erena #underwatertransformation #underwaterphotography #aquatictherapy #cancersurvivor #domesticviolenceawareness #autism #ptsd #veteran #suicideprevention #breastcancerawareness #malebreastcancer #chronicpain #depression #multiplesclerosisawareness #leukemiaawareness...
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GoFundME – Help 22 survivors and thrivers with underwater transformative photography

Underwater Healer About Face
April 8, 2023/by
I founded the Underwater Transformation Project ten years ago after realizing the power of underwater portrait photography to overcome incredible obstacles. Over the last nine years our small nonprofit has been helping cancer and trauma survivors find solace and transform their lives. For the project’s 10 year anniversary, we are fundraising to serve 22 more survivors and thrivers this year. Because this is a volunteer-run organization, 100% of your donations will go toward the operational costs of photography sessions (primarily pool rental, equipment maintenance, accommodation and transportation). I know firsthand the restorative power of water. I am the survivor of a traumatic car accident that killed my father and left me with a fractured body and brain injury. It was a miracle I survived. Scuba diving and underwater photography became a transformative part of my own emotional and physical recovery process. Later, when I began photographing cancer survivors, I realized the potential for underwater photography to restore joy and a sense of beauty to other trauma survivors. I saw how the powerful experience of total immersion that one has in the water, combined with portrait photography, can help others who have been traumatized by domestic violence, PTSD, chronic pains, gender dysphoria, and physical disabilities. In his book “The Healing Power of Water,” Dr. Bruce E. Becker, a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, explores the substantial physiological and psychological benefits of total immersion in the water. According to Dr. Becker, "Scientific knowledge of the physiology of immersion...
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Tara – Breast cancer survivor is returning to the safe space

Underwater Healer About Face
June 12, 2022/by
 My name is Tara. I chose to do a second underwater transformation healing session with Erena, as the first one I did one year before was an incredibly healing and special experience for me. The sensation of being in warm water, with my various creative costumes on was a freeing, liberating and comforting moment. I truly appreciated the tasteful, artistic photos I received after the event and have enjoyed sharing them on my blog page, social media and other outlets. The fact that I love being in the water made my time with Erena a bit of a fantasy come true, I got to wear my beautiful wedding dress and mermaid tail and step into my own magical land! The last year of my life has been tremendously traumatic in many ways. Both my parents tragically died within a four month time period, in pretty challenging circumstances. I chose to do another session with her as I was aware of how much grief, trauma and PTSD I was carrying after both of their deaths. I knew that being in the water would be a healing experience to help transform the shock and pain I had been feeling with their loss. Before the photo session, I was in a deep space of grief, sadness, physical exhaustion and overwhelm due to the turbulence of being a caretaker and experiencing profound and sudden loss in a short period of time. - What did you think of Shibari? Shibari was a fascinating experience for me! When Erena suggested...
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3 basic steps on how to submerge

about, Underwater Healer About Face, uw maternity, uw portrait
July 26, 2021/by
Who wants to do underwater portrait shoot? ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ I’m not a professional underwater model or free diver. But I can still do this and you can too! Who cares what other people think! Just be you and believe you can do it. Science as proven that warm water immersion has psychological and physiological benefits and I would love to share the experience with you! It feels SO good to be in a place where you feel safe and no judgment. By minute by minute, I’m able to sink longer and I’m able to feel free. Open my arms to hug the water to let the water control me. Check out this video to see how to submerge underwater in 3 basic steps. 1.Inhale exhale with a count of 5 for 5 rounds. 2.Last exhale, you exhale all the way (fast) BEFORE you submerge. OR exhale while you are submerging but need to stop bubbling out otherwise all the pictures have bubbles on your face ? 3. Move slow ?‍♀️ If I can do it, you can do it too! See you...
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PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine

about
November 16, 2020/by
I want to thank PhotoPlus the Canon magazine writer, Dan for helping me push forward! It was my first time creating a flatlay image of my underwater gear and I was excited! Step 1 Find a place with a good light and bring all the items you want to layout. I was suggested to use hardwood floor and I was lucky to have one in my house. My living room sits in the corner and absorbs the light all day so I decided to set up my gear here. I brought all the equipments in the room to figure out a Tetris layout. Step 2 Play around with the layout and start shooting from the morning. It took awhile to figure out how I wanted the layout to be. Since I travel with my gear every time, they are like my treasure. I wanted the image to look attractive and fun! I started shooting with my iPhone from 9am, every 30 minutes until 2pm . Step 3 Don't give up! I made so many mistakes and it was exhausting. Walking back and forth from the living room to my desktop computer and back to the living room and on and on... That night, after hours of shooting, changing, uploading and deleting, I realized that I was not happy with the result :( Step 4 Be open to use another camera and see what happens. I decided to sleep on it and wake up with a clear mind. From the previous shoot, I learned that 1pm - 2pm lights were pretty...
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Underwater Podcast with Bret Stanley

Underwater Healer About Face
October 28, 2020/by
I was invited to an underwater podcast hosted by Bret Stanley. He is also an underwater photographer who creates beautiful stunning images. I was flattered to be asked as a guest for a breast cancer awareness month to talk about my journey with cancer and trauma survivors. It's been awhile since the last time when I had a speaking gig so I was pretty nervous! It's hard to hear my own voice because I don't talk about myself in public. When the Talks@Google happened a year ago, that was the first time ever I opened my heart to share my personal story. During the podcast, when I spoke about how the car accident happened, my voice started to shake. I had to stop for a few seconds to breathe. Bret asked me if I wanted to change the subject but I said no. Because it's important to talk about what happened, who I am and how I got here. If you have any comments or questions, please email me. Thank you for...
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Yosemite Trip, 2020

Travel
October 12, 2020/by
Yosemite Trip, 2020 We were so lucky to catch the beginning of the fall color in Yosemite! It was like a gamble to find the right timing. I heard last year was earlier than usual!  We were so fortunate to see the postcard quality nature in person. Colors were alluringly...
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Dr. Riva Z. Robinson

Dr. Riva Z. Robinson – Functional Medicine Doctor

uw portrait
August 7, 2020/by
Dr. Riva Z. Robinson, a functional medicine doctor, an author and a bikini champion! Dr. Riva Z. Robinson and I heard about each other through Dr. Lance, a chiropractor based in San Francisco. Dr. Lance once interviewed me for his YouTube Channel and he mentioned about Dr. Riva that I need to meet her! We kept missing each other last year but finally, we got to meet during this pandemic AND we got to work together underwater! I've worked with bodybuilders in the past so I knew what to expect. SHE CAN SINK, no problem! She looked so calm and serene underwater. I'm so glad to hear that she enjoyed this beautiful escape during this difficult time and her busy schedule. I also got to interview her and I want to share her story with you guys. • How did you feel before the photo shoot?  Before the shoot, I was a tiny bit nervous, but mostly excited! I had seen some of your work and fallen in love with it! I couldn't wait to experience it for myself. I love being underwater - I scuba dive and I love being in or near the ocean. • How was the experience with underwater portrait session?  At first it was a lot to think about - posing myself/ my dress/the fabric strategically, smiling and not making fish faces, and not getting water up my nose, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. I think it might have been easier in a deeper pool to get a little bit...
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