Meet Amanda Cotton, Underwater Photographer

The distinction of being the first in your field is always a solid resume booster, yet certain firsts undoubtedly carry more awe factor than others. I’m sure there is someone out there who holds the title of the first person to sharpen a number two pencil or patient zero of the Native American headdress craze at music festivals. Not quite worthy of a slow clap.
And then there are those who make us want to dust off the human spirit of exploration and adventure and step out into the unknown.
People like Amanda Cotton…underwater photographer, explorer, expedition leader and the first female to photograph American crocodiles underwater. Slow clap worthy. Her resume has teeth…literally.

Amanda and her stunning footage have grazed the pages and screens of National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, The Weather Channel, Smithsonian Magazine, Times Publishing, CNN, Scuba Diving Magazine, Sport Diver Magazine, Natural History Magazine, Earthweek and Science Daily.

She was the lead underwater photographer on an artificial wreck project for a 360 spherical mapping survey for Google. Under her (weight) belt is cave diving and cave/tech diving photography. She has worked on multiple underwater equipment advertising campaigns and spent hours in the water with sharks, whales, orcas and everything in between. Some of her favorite memories are from the inside of a bait ball surrounded by apex predators on the hunt, gracefully dancing in dappled blue water with sperm whales off Dominica and in classrooms where she gets to share her passions with the next generation charged with their stewardship. She has dipped her fins in the Arctic and the tropics capturing stunning images in both extremes. I suspect her fingertips are permanently pruned.

Amanda’s photography dogma is showcasing the human connection to the ocean, often using female models and free divers as her subjects to capture the spiritual and physical reciprocity between the feminine spirit and the sea. Her work, like the 2015 KORU project, highlights strength, vulnerability, beauty, frustration… the power of being a woman in a world that is both foreign and familiar.

As if her lens work wasn’t enough to make us all step up our game Amanda also supports shark conservation, promotes green tourism, youth development and women in diving, was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame and racks up frequent flyer miles like George Clooney.

Sharks are a particular passion. Those much maligned, beautiful beasts of the sea that exist to most in the lore of books and media, only really visible in their true form to those lucky enough to be in their physical presence. At age four Amanda fell in love with them. In the years since she has spent countless moments admiring their grace, power, presence and vulnerability. Her work gives her a voice and the ability to showcase the magic of these interactions in a way that challenges misconceptions and entices the public to fall in love with them the way she has.

Her position in the dive community has brought not only success but a platform to pave the way for others. Frustrated that every team she worked on was mostly composed of men, Amanda wanted to create more opportunity for women to do what she does…shatter glass ceilings. In 2014 she created a nonprofit designed to empower young women by connecting them with female leaders in the dive community…underwater photographers, marine scientists, marine biologists, marine archaeologists, marine conservationists and commercial divers. Water Women offers mentors, internships and scholarships for girls who are interested in water oriented careers and conservation.

A look at Amanda’s portfolio and it’s hard to believe that a dive shop employee once told her that girls should not be diving with sharks because it’s a “guy thing” and makes the male divers look bad. I smile thinking about this interaction and knowing that this poor soul would most likely need a change of undergarment put in half the situations Amanda calls “the office.”

Behind The Lens: Amanda Cotton from A COTTON PHOTO Creative Works on Vimeo.

Passion is a powerful driving force for people. How did yours develop and mold who you are and what you do?

Amanda Cotton: My parents took me to the beach and had me around water for as long as I can remember. I always loved being underwater from a very young age. I think a lot of children are like that. My love for it didn’t disappear. As I got older, it only grew stronger. Photography was something I discovered when I was a preteen, around twelve years of age when my father bought me a 35mm film camera. I was immediately hooked and wanted to learn as much as I could about it. I enrolled in several photography elective classes in middle school. Eventually, I had taken every class in photography that was offered, becoming the yearbook photographer for my high school and went into an undergraduate program in Professional Photography at Brooks Institute of Photography. Combining these two things into a career just made sense. I was completely in love with the ocean and wanted to share it with the world around me. I wanted to show its beauty and how I experienced it. After realizing how much trouble the oceans are in it was easy to see this had to be a large focus of my work, sharing the need for protection and preservation of this incredible environment.

What’s it like to be a woman in a very male-dominated space? Have you had to work harder to prove yourself?

AC: Being a woman in a male-dominated space has presented some challenges, I think in some circumstances I have had to work harder to prove myself, but it has helped me as well. Most people are not used to seeing a woman around large predators or in the environments I typically work in. We have often been able to use this to our advantage to get the message of conservation out to the public. It has also helped in my work of empowering young women and girls. This is something that is quite near and dear to my heart. I would love to see more confident women in the sport, trying it out on their own, believing in themselves, and pushing the limits they, and sometimes society, have placed on themselves.

You’ve been diving all over the world. Is there a favorite dive or experience you can share?

AC: Trying to pick a favorite place or experience is somewhat of a difficult thing to do. Every time I go underwater I am in love with the moment and the experience. That said, I do have a couple of encounters that stick out. Norway last November is one such experience. We found our-selves in the freezing cold waters of the Tromso fjords swimming into the middle of a huge her-ring bait ball, surrounded by over fifty orcas feeding on them, darting in and out, moving around the divers in the water with ease and care, all while two humpback whales breached from the depths, swallowing huge portions of the bait ball around us. The energy of the moment, the animals, and the adrenaline pulsing through all of us divers was intense and beyond description. As an expedition leader, I lead trips here every winter for Big Animals Expeditions, these moments are exactly what we had hoped for, but there is something so much more to encounters like this. These are the moments that change you forever that make you question your place on this planet. They are beautiful and so full of life.

You film at depth and often with large wildlife. Any dangerous situations you’ve found yourself in…how do you stay safe?

AC: Most of the situations we are filming in have the potential to be dangerous, just as driving a car down the road does, but safety is always first and foremost in our minds when encountering large predators or venturing into tricky environments. It is our goal to share a different side to the animals we are photographing and filming, any man-made accident would undo decades of work in dispelling many myths associated with these large animals. Because of this, we are very careful to not take unnecessary risks. The safety and well being of all involved, the divers, animals, environment, and filmmakers, is always more important than getting the shot. We strive to make that a reality with each and every encounter we have.

Tell me about your passion for sharks and conservation work with them.

AC: Oh, I have loved sharks since I was a very young girl. I was forever nagging my parents to buy me books on them and to allow me to watch programs about them on television. I think it is a draw that many have. Instead of being scared of them I was completely fascinated by them. As I moved into my career as an underwater photographer, I realized how much trouble they were in with overfishing, pollution, human impact on the oceans and the drastic changes that needed to happen in order for many species of sharks to thrive again. It was an easy move into focusing my efforts on educating the public about the dangers sharks faced, in hopes that others would want to get involved with the many conservationists, filmmakers and pro shark individuals/organizations working so hard to protect them and their environment.

You were the first female to photograph American crocodiles underwater…which I find infinitely more intimidating than sharks…how was that experience?

AC: When I first went to Chinchorro to film the crocodiles no other women had been in the water to film them. In fact, there was only a handful of men who had attempted it at that point. They were fascinating, exciting and completely unknown to me, all things that made me want to learn as much as I could about them and make this encounter happen. Those first moments getting in the water with the American Crocodiles of Chinchorro I was nervous and scared, but the drive to see them and photograph them was overwhelming. I knew I couldn’t back down. I am so happy I did, many of the fears I had proved to be untrue. This population of crocodiles, at this specific location, dived within the manner that we do with a safety team in place, during a very specific time of the year and conditions, is a scenario that works for us. We feel strongly that people under-stand it is quite dangerous to jump into the water with a large apex predator like a crocodile. No one should attempt it under any circumstances unless with experts in the field, a safety team, and protocols in place. These crocodiles, like all the animals we encounter in the wild are just that, WILD. As such they deserve our respect, full attention and we should continue to stay humble in the encounters we have with them.

You’ve spent so much time in some of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems, have you been witness to these places changing over the years?

AC: Our marine ecosystems are under attack from many sides; human impact, overfishing, pollution. Even ecotourism has a dark side that is potentially toxic to our oceans. Having been fortunate enough to visit many of the oceans’ most pristine locations year after year I have seen the negative impact these things have. I have also been witness to the positive side as well, something we cannot overlook. I am forever the optimist and believe we can make a positive difference, every single one of us, whether ocean people or not. Making informed decisions in every-day life on things which impact the environment is a great place to start.

You mention that the end all be all for your work is not a magazine cover or a TV appearance, it’s something more valuable. What is that?

AC: I enjoy being published and the feeling of success you get when you see your work in print, but my greatest joy comes when I see the excitement of children and curiosity that is sparked from their viewing of my images or from one of my presentations. This is what feels most fulfilling to me, knowing that I may truly have a positive impact on the planet by helping the next generation fall in love with the oceans just like I did as a child.

Your company, A Cotton Photo, is a marine conservation based company. What does that mean and what else do you offer in addition to photography? I see expeditions on there and my ears perk up.

AC: We focus on bringing awareness to the public about the issues at hand for our oceans and all of the creatures that live in them. Through imagery, filmmaking, network television, cooperation with organizations and individuals we hope our message will get out to those that can help make a difference. We also offer divers the opportunity for close personal encounters in the wild with these beautiful marine animals that we are photographing and diving with on a regular basis.

You discuss having to be unique in your approach to be successful in the photography market. What is the creative vision you’ve developed over the years that help you stand out?

AC: I think standing out in this day and age can be difficult, but everyone brings something unique to the table if they listen to their inner voice and follow what truly makes them passionate and curious to explore. It can be easy to follow suit and copy what is already successful out in the market, but that isn’t what is going to get you noticed. Doing something different, trying something outside the norm is what will get you a second look, this can be incredibly important. I am lucky that I work with some amazingly talented artists that also believe conveying emotion through our work is a priority. Drawing the viewer in through a connection of the human element and experience is what I have always worked to achieve with my work and what I continue to focus on. I think in underwater photography it is easy to fall back on the documentary style ID images, but when focusing on showing emotion, it takes the imagery we are producing to a whole new level.

You spend a lot of time promoting youth development and women in diving. You even started a nonprofit called Water Women. What is the origin and importance of this org?

AC: It is important we work to empower young men and women to believe they can truly make a difference in the world by following their dreams. By supporting and encouraging the next generation to believe in themselves, we can create a future generation of ocean advocates in leadership roles who will work to protect our oceans.

Everyone has a message they put out into the world through their words, actions and lifestyle. What is yours?

AC: Something simple, it is summed up by my favorite quote, “Have Courage and Be Kind.” Living life on your terms, knowing what is best for you and your family while caring about others: feathered, finned or four-legged, these are all things I hope others can take away from my work. You have to believe in yourself, even if everyone else thinks you are crazy. If your heart tells you it is the right way for you, follow it. Believe in your ideals, your strength, your own path. Listen to the call that beckons to you, it is okay if no one else can hear it. This can take courage, but life is nothing without a lot of courage. The same goes for kindness, the world would be an amazing place if we were all just a little kinder to each other.

What future life goals do you have? Any big bucket list items, travels, career goals, etc.

AC: For the future, I would love to continue to explore the planet and help young people feel empowered to follow their dreams. I think it is important for those who can to help when it comes to important matters like this. Aside from that, I simply want to continue to do things on my terms and grow at the rate and pace I feel most comfortable at.