I'm not sure what it is, but there's something very alluring about the world underneath the surface of the ocean.
I think Ariel had it all wrong when she wanted to become part of our world. Seriously, who in his or her right mind would want to leave a majestic underwater playground for dry land?
Recently, one Hawaiian photographer named Sarah Lee created a photo series that really makes a splash.
By suiting up and hitting the waves, she was able to capture a variety of incredible images of surfers interacting with the magical underwater realm of the ocean.
Lee says the inspiration to create this subaquatic series is quite simple. She revealed,
Having a competitive swimming background and spending hours on end in pools and in the ocean, I couldn't help but want to capture what I was seeing underwater as humans interacted with the sea.
Take a look at the pictures below to see these awesome underwater surfers in Hawaii and Fiji.
Sarah Lee doesn't take your average surfing photos.
Instead of capturing surfers hanging 10 from the surface...
...she dives in and photographs them up close and personal...
...as they interact with the underwater world.
As a native Hawaiian, Lee is no stranger to spending lots of time in the ocean.
It comes as no surprise she wanted to create a photo series showcasing humans connecting with the sea.
However, shooting underwater isn't always easy.
There are lots of things, such as the tide, surf and lighting conditions, to take into consideration.
While shooting in the open water, Lee is often at the mercy of Mother Nature.
But, the physical and creative challenges are Lee's favorite parts of the job.
According to Lee,“I'm attracted to underwater photography in the ocean because of the lack of control I have in such a massive body of water and its constant state of change in the lighting, water clarity, currents, etc."
"It's somewhere where you have to be completely switched on and able to adapt to anything it throws at you.”
All of Lee's photos are breathtakingly beautiful.
And her subaquatic snapshots make surfers look like memorizing mermaids...
...as they maneuver through the waves of this weightless, watery world.
Capturing humans as they frolic in the sea can sometimes be a dangerous task.
Lee has run into some big, scary sharks during her oceanic endeavors.
She's also gotten trapped beneath 20-foot waves.
But, she doesn't let that stop her from doing the one thing she loves: taking photos underwater.
Lee revealed, “My Hawaii roots give me a light-hearted and carefree approach to photography – keeping things simple while magnifying the best in what surrounds me."
Citations: Amazing Photos of Surfers Under the Waves (The Weather Channel)
