In this Sure-Shot series, Coromind invites photographers to break down two of their favourite shots, sharing the stories, techniques and moments that make each image special. This month, Bella Muir takes us behind the scenes of her inspiring work.
My biggest goal is to share the ocean with as many people as possible. I’ve always been obsessed with it, and I’m deeply grateful for the time I’ve spent exploring beneath the surface.
I know many people don’t get the chance to experience the ocean this way, which is why I love capturing it through photos and video – to offer a glimpse into a world most never see. I believe that for people to care about the ocean in the way it needs, they first have to understand it.
Photography is my way of helping bridge that gap.
Image 1 – Moray Eel
Settings: f/4.5, 1/200s, ISO 800, focal length 30mm
This image shows a yellow moray eel (Gymnothorax prasinus) emerging from a crevice surrounded by long-spined sea urchins (Centrostephanus rodgersii).
It’s an environment that feels sharp, dark, and uninviting – home to two species that aren’t exactly most divers’ dream encounter.
The urchins, whose numbers have been increasing in recent years, can form dense barrens that strip reefs of life.
Yet in this moment, the moray appears almost curious, peering out from an otherwise hostile setting. When I first started diving, both of these animals were ones I gave a wide berth. Over time, though, I’ve learned that moray eels can be surprisingly playful, extending from their hiding places to investigate intruders while posing little real threat to divers. Even their two sets of jaws are simply an adaptation that allows them to feed efficiently in narrow cracks.
Image 2 – Barrel Vision
Settings: f/5.6, 1/4000, ISO 800, focal length 41mm
I took the second photo last summer during one of the first swells of the season. I’d always wanted to capture someone fully covered in a barrel, and that summer I set it as a goal. After checking the forecast, I arrived early; by 5:30am the car park was already full, and I knew the surf was pumping before I even saw it. The waves were too big for me to confidently swim out, and I knew I’d be back later for my job as a lifeguard. During my morning rotations, I watched in awe as surfers sent it on massive waves. On my break, I decided to give it a go and swim out myself.
I was completely out of my comfort zone. I remember looking up at waves that felt as big as houses before diving under, gripping the bottom and hoping not to surface too early into the white water, or too late breathing in the next wave. When I finally made it out the back, it hit me for the first time that I could actually drown.
Until then, I think I’d felt a bit invincible in the ocean. I stayed out longer than planned, almost late for my next rotation because I was too scared to swim back in.
Later in the day, when the swell eased slightly, I went back out with my camera. Without a long lens, I had to sit uncomfortably close to where the waves could break on me.
Then a clean wave rolled through, and from the shoulder I fired the shutter as a surfer disappeared into the barrel.
That afternoon, while sitting on the tower in my lifeguard uniform, I saw the surfer walk up the beach.
I told him I’d captured a shot of him in the barrel, got his details, and later saw him post it. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing and felt really proud of the photo.
Now I’m driven to get more comfortable being pounded by waves, so I can sit closer in and capture even better shots right inside the barrel.
Check out more of Bella’s work at bellaslense.com or @bellas_lense on Instagram.
Coromind: Coromandel’s Collaborative Magazine
Help us take Coromind Magazine to new heights by becoming a member. Click here
Change the Weather for Your Business: Advertise with Us.
Advertise your business in the whole Hauraki Coromandel in the coolest Coromandel Art Magazine, from Waihi Beach/Paeroa /Thames up to the Great Barrier Island.
Advertise Smarter, Not Harder: Get in Touch
