Jemma Paradise, 24, was born and raised in coastal Southern California. She grew up exploring the region’s kelp forests and developed a deep fascination for their rich biodiversity. She particularly loved snorkeling during local leopard shark aggregations and, upon bringing a camera to document them, became obsessed with the perfect
I saw my first turtle in the Maldives before the seaplane even landed. Bleary-eyed after 40 hours of non-stop travel, I was initially convinced that I was seeing things, but as I continued peering out across the reefs, the shape became unmistakable: a turtle surfacing to breathe, enormous even when
From my very first boat dive of the Backscatter Digital Shootout, I knew I was in for the experience of a lifetime! I arrived at the docks bright and early for our 7:30am departure, to find what can only be described as a full-on underwater photography invasion: kitted-out camera rigs
