Underwater Transformation About Face Underwater Transformation About Face

2019 Florida trip – Shipwreck, alligators and sharks!

Travel
November 25, 2019/by
Red eye flight to get to Florida! I drove 2 hours from Fort Lauderdale to Key Largo. As soon as I arrived in Key Largo hotel, Marina Del Mar, I jumped in the pool immediately! So refreshing! I was not diving until the next day so I decided to walk around to check out the neighbor hood. Nobody was walking lol as usual. I found a Stephen Frink's gallery. He is one of my inspiring underwater photographers and they were getting ready for DEMA show. Then I wanted to get some snacks... This waffle house caught my eyes. I usually don't eat waffles but I had to stop there to check it out. Ladies were so friendly and working hard! Also checked out a Cuban restaurant. Food was ok here. May be I didn't order a right dish. I was with Rainbow Reef Dive Shop to do scuba dive for 3 days!   The dive shop had a cute 3 legged puppy. Super friendly dog welcomes us every morning :) Wants to play all the time! Look at his eyes!!! I was excited to be on the boat. I couldn't wait to go underwater! Getting ready to get my gear all together! Beautiful morning... Fun crew I got to to 2 days of reef diving and one day of whip wreck. Visibility was ok but I got to capture few shots. You can see more underwater images from here! I walked more around the neighborhood after my dive. Free pastry 3-7 pm if you order sandwich!! Lucky me! Beautiful sunset ...
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Please donate or sign up for a photo shoot in Huntington Beach

Travel, Underwater Healer About Face
July 4, 2019/by
Huntington Beach Photo Shoot 7/27 - 7/29!! I'm so excited to be coming out to LA to shoot 2 amazing female survivors and artists from Infinite Flow - An Inclusive Dance Company. I have time for only 5 more shoots. Let me know if you or your friends would like to shoot with me in Huntington Beach in 7/27-7/29 ? Your session fee is tax-deductible and a portion of your funds will go towards photo sessions with trauma survivors. Donations are also greatly appreciated. Please donate here Marisa Hamamoto - Sexual harassment & stroke survivor Miya Schaikewitz - Spinal cord injury survivor Opening spots are 7/27 - 3pm, 6:30pm 7/28 - 9am, 3pm, 6:30pm 7/29 - 8am Huntington Beach Discounted Photo Package $250 Includes:  (This package price is ONLY for this location) • Consultation (50% deposit) In person or on Skype/Facetime • Pool session (50%) 60 min. Pool session • High resolution digital photos Two final retouched photos Additional retouched images are $25/per ••• Please contact me to save your spot! ••• This is my Talks@Google from this year sharing my story, passion and why I am here today. Please check it...
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Portland Trip Report!

Travel
June 18, 2019/by
Arrived in Portland!! Started walking around the neighborhood to get to the other side of the river. It was about 80F. Houses are really cute. I love these pointy roofs. Roses are blooming everywhere in the residential area. I stopped by at Pearl Bakery to have a little snack before the SHIBARI workshop! Vegan lemon poppy seeds was moist and delicious! Shibari workshop was held at Sanctuary club. Paintings are sexy. My first attempt! My friend, Audri had to stay with me for 3 hours. Thank you for being such an amazing model! Thank you, Seattle Shibari, Johnathan! Then I got to see the family!! Thank you Jerome for letting me borrow your wife! Their dog, Hanzo. Vegan chicken wrap! So deliciously fried! Cathedral park. Rose Garden was beautiful.   Houses around the garden were good looking. Walked through the Washington park. Then walked to the famous Powell bookstore. It was a perfect place to rest in AC. I wanted to get an ice tea so I stopped by at this Bakery. This vegan raspberry truffle was delicious! I got to meet my friend Lindsay at the bar, Vintage.    The last day... I went for a walk in the morning. I love stopping by at cafes in Portland. They are so cute. It was a nice walk and saw this pup getting sunbathe. Then I packed my stuff and checked out my Airbnb. Walked to this cafe to meet my friend, Yoko! It's been awhile, we had a great time catching up over lunch! I walked...
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Interview with a pro underwater mermaid model and travel nurse

uw portrait
June 16, 2019/by
Interviewed one of my underwater beauty clients Angela who is a professional mermaid model and a travel nurse. She worked as a mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs before that ?? I have so much respect towards nurses because I was hospitalized after my car accident. Thank you so much for what you do ? ?? . • What inspired you to be a mermaid? . I grew up in Spring Hill Florida where Weeki Wachee Springs is located. My family took me to see the mermaid shows since I was 2. I grew up always wanting to be a Weeki Wachee Mermaid. After high school I went to Surgical Technologist school and worked with a travel nurse who had a friend that was a mermaid in the 50s. I met her at the Christmas show and applied for a mermaid position. I tried out in January and made it!!! It was the best three and a half years ever!!! . •What inspired you to become a travel nurse? . I always knew I was going to go to nursing school. My love for travel started in 2008 and I couldn’t wait to travel for work. My first assignment was in New York City!! I absolutely loved it and continued travel nursing until I found my forever home in San Francisco ?? . •What is the hardest moment you’ve experienced and what is the best moment? . The hardest moments were definitely nursing school!! The best moments have been with my family and during my travels!!!! . •What’s your dream? . Thankfully I’ve gotten to live...
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An interview an underwater maternity client, a trauma ICU nurse

about, uw maternity, uw portrait
June 1, 2019/by
I interviewed one of the underwater maternity clients @follow_da_lita_ who is a trauma ICU nurse. I have so much respect towards doctors and nurses because of the hospitalization after my car accident. I can’t thank them enough for what they do ? ?? Q: What inspired you to become a trauma ICU nurse? A: I will start off by saying that I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse initially. When I had to go through my ICU rotation, I was placed at a level 1 trauma center. I cannot put into words the things I’ve experienced. Watching someone go from having 9 toes in the grave to walking on your unit months later to thank you for all of your help is one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve ever had. Cliche as it may sound I’ve always loved helping people. That coupled with me being an adrenaline junkie, is why I chose to stay in the field of trauma critical care nursing. Q: What is the hardest moment you experienced and what is the best moment? A: The hardest moment for me (it still makes me tear up to this day) is having to remove a 9 month old baby from life support after being declared brain dead from crush injuries sustained in an accident because mom thought it was a good idea to drive and breastfeed. ? The best moment for me was receiving a video of a former patient riding a bike for the first time in over a...
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San Diego Trip Report with Liz Carmouche!

Travel, Underwater Healer About Face, uw portrait
April 14, 2019/by
Leaving San Francisco was such a hectic experience! I was really stressed out but when I woke up to this beautiful morning, I inhaled and exhaled deeply with my eyes closed. I could forget all the negative thoughts and restored fresh mind. It's so dreamy and surreal. I started assembling my new Ikelite gear. This is my first time using their new housing and I find that it's simpler than the older version. I'm liking it! I met Liz! She is already comfortable being underwater because she plays in the UTL (Underwater Torpedo League), so I wasn't worry about anything! She can stay solid underwater. Her body is like a weight! (100% muscle) Communication is important during the photo shoot. THANK YOU Liz and her son for making time to meet me and do underwater transformative photography! They were so amazing underwater. Please read her story and beautiful images from here. BIG THANK YOU to Michael Timm, a free dive/scuba instructor from SD who helped me capture behind the scenes. I treated myself with an amazing lunch after the photo shoot! The sushi chef was Japanese and highly recommended me to go to Sea World... (ah...no thanks...) My Airbnb host was friendly and sweet. She was also backing 400 cup cakes for her grand kid's school event!!! ...yes, 400!! The place has a pool and Jacuzzi!! Gotta come back here in Summer! After I left the house, I decided to do Falconry for the first time. I actually didn't know that this sport is 4000 years old!! They were so beautiful. ...
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Talks@Google

about, Underwater Healer About Face
March 6, 2019/by
Talks@Google It was an incredible experience to be at Google speaking for Talks@Google and share my passion and stories to Googlers! Super nervous face... Youtube video is up online and on Google website! I hope you are curious about the underwater world! Please contact me to find out more and sign up for your portrait session. A portion of the session feel will go towards underwater transformative photography project. Underwater portrait photography has psychological benefits for cancer survivors, domestic violence survivors, people with PTSD, and physical disabilities. Everybody deserves to experience a life-changing underwater transformation and feel...
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San Francisco Underwater Rugby Team

uw portrait
December 13, 2018/by
San Francisco Underwater Rugby Team Underwater Rugby was started in 1961, with a member of the German Underwater Club (DUC) in Cologne, Ludwig von Bersuda, came up with the idea of an underwater ball game. I've never seen this wild 3D sport with salt water filled ball, tossing and grabbing underwater! I met one of the female captains, Jacqui on the day of the photo shoot and she explained to me briefly what it's all about. Two teams each with six players (plus six substitutes), try to score a goal by sending the ball into the opponents’ goal. Players are allowed to touch (pull, push = wrestling!) the person with a ball but as soon as the person leases it, everybody has to let the person go. It happens so fast underwater. It's incredible to see their movements, team works and stamina!! Erena: How did you get involved in this sport? Jacqui: I started back in 2008, in Sydney, Australia. A colleague asked if I wanted to go to a Beginner's Night for some crazy sport he'd heard of after work. I almost said no! But I didn't have other plans that Wednesday so I went along. Twenty people showed up, and I don't think they were quite prepared for it, so it was all a bit chaotic. As soon as we started playing and passing the ball around underwater, I was totally hooked. I've played every since. E: How do you feel physically and emotionally when you are underwater compare to being on land? J: Being underwater can...
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