Sea lion, Baja California, Mexico. Photo © Christian Vizl.
Baby sea turtle with its reflection on the surface, Florida, USA. Photo © Christian Vizl.
Our world is made up of more water than land, much of which is yet to be explored and its secrets revealed. At its depths lie a sense of beauty and calm witnessed by few. This rich stillness is found beyond human reach, and artfully distilled in the images of award-winning underwater photographer, Christian Vizl. His photos are purposefully devoid of color, reminiscent of a Japanese ink painting, reflecting dappled light and dulcet tones. Seen in black-and-white, water imparts a story, and its magic is captivating. But there is also an undercurrent of urgency to his art—save a silent kingdom from falling.
A spotted eagle ray, Quintana Roo, Mexico. © Cristian Vizl.
Whale shark, Mexico, Quintana Roo, Isla Mujeres. Photo © Christian Vizl.
What draws you to a black and white perspective?
Ever since I started taking pictures, I was in love with black and white and very inspire by photographers like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier and Ernie Brooks so my first rolls where always in black and white. I have kept this tradition all the way to Silent Kingdom...
Has this changed how you see the world?
I’m a strong believer in the power of beauty and always look and find so much beauty in nature. I love colours also, but when looking to create images, there is a special way of viewing the scene in what will or won’t work for an interesting and appealing black and white image, and throughout my photographic career I have always looked at nature and beauty this way.
Which environments or subjects reveal more of themselves photographed in black and white?
In my opinion, you can create amazing black and white images with every subject and in almost any lighting, you just need to know what works and apply it to each image.
Can you share a few subtle discoveries to be found within your images?
Look at the natural design of each amazing animal, I find it unbelievable how beautiful they are.
How have you adapted a muted palette to emphasize these qualities?
Placing emphasis on the emotional impact of the image by taking away color, I can concentrate on the essence of the animal, on details, shape and form.
What is key to telling the story of a Silent Kingdom?
To have a consistent body of work, each image containing its own dialogue but when put together they create a much stronger voice that is easier to understand.
Which photo best encapsulates your love for the ocean?
If I could choose only one, it would be the male sea lion portrait, where its surroundings are in complete black and he is just completely relaxed in front of my camera.
How does the collection reflect the value you see in exploring this underwater world?
I believe each image is an important part because it contains a unique way of seeing that particular animal or environment, each one has its own voice.
What message would you like to impart with this book and your dedication to the deep?
It’s a call to action. Action to change our destructive habits which are literally killing nature thus killing ourselves. Our life is completely dependent on the health of all natural ecosystems—especially the ocean—it supports all life on this planet.
If you could ask people to do one thing differently in support of this message what that be?
Stop consuming so many products—products you don’t need! And stop buying from big corporations because while manufacturing their products these companies destroy the natural resources of this planet.
If this story has inspired you, then we'd love it if you would share it—and on behalf of our charity partners, thank you for reading!
Help us go beyond the page
BEJournal understands that stories are a gateway to peoples hearts and minds and we want to empower our readers to use this inspiration to make a difference. Please take a moment to visit Cristian Vizl and learn about his primary charity partner Mission Blue, subscribe for updates and share their work. To purchase your own copy of Silent Kingdom by Christian Vizl visit MANDALAEARTH.COM.
