Creative Thinking

When you want to dive deep into a subject, there’s nothing like immersion. And fine-art photographer Barbara Cole does just that—she finds inspiration deep in her pool. Based in Toronto, Canada, Cole has long been attracted to the reflections and patterns she sees while swimming. “The water puts me into a meditative state that allows me to think very creatively,” she says. So she wondered how she could “have fun” with a color palette you don’t normally see in water.

These days, it seems that out-of-the-way places have become so common in advertising and mass media that many are losing their exotic edge. So if you find yourself in, say, Antarctica, how do you bring back photos that are special? Colorado-based pro Pete McBride found himself faced with such a challenge, and overcame it with the help of ocean rowing adventurer Olly Hicks, whose legs you see here.

It’s easy to see a fashion photo as being all about sartorial style, but equally important is how a picture’s mood can sell that style. Lighting and gesture work together to pull it off. Dallas-based fashion photographer Heather Key explains that mood is the beginning of everything, and that there’s no secret, really: It all starts with the people you’re working with.

Compared with basketball or football, and their constant possibilities for visual drama, swimming doesn’t really lend itself to photography from the sidelines. The athletes are submerged, usually face down, and all you see are arms and legs in a pool of splashing water. The best place to shoot this sport from is underwater, and that is where the fun begins for Portland, OR, photographer Marcus Swanson.