Research Log - Nicholas Samaras

Nicholas Samaras

Nicholas Samaras is a Greek photographer who is committed and passionate when it comes to his underwater photographs. He was enthusiastic about exploring fresh techniques to innovate new ideas and this turned him from a curious diver to one of the most well known underwater photographers with a rich portfolio. I picked this photographer because I think his work is unique when it comes to the element of colour. Samaras is talented at capturing creatures underwater in such a way that the theme of colour is portrayed immensely. I've noticed that in most of his work, the background of the picture is completely black and I think this is done deliberately in order to accentuate the colour of the subject. Overall, I find his work appealing because the different colours found in certain pictures compliment each other and the different tones of colour make the pictures look more attractive. I really like the way he concentrates on the colour of the main focus more than the actual subject itself; in most of his pictures, the subjects are glowing and this attracts people to his work and fills them with excitement and wonder.

I find this photograph really exciting - the neon colours are a huge contrast from the black background and this exaggerates the glow of the subject even more. Also, the yellow and the pink are two completely different colours and not the typical colour someone would expect to find underwater - this makes the viewer curious, similar to the curiosity of Samaras when going underwater to take pictures. The pink and the yellow further emphasise the element of contrast as they completely different to each other.















This picture is quite plain but once again, the element of colour is portrayed as Samaras forces us to concentrate on the woman's dress. Because the background is fairly dark and the blue dress is light, this shows contrast and makes our eyes notice the dress. I find this interesting because people would normally associated the colour blue with the ocean but in this particular picture, it's the opposite. The element of reflection is also shown in this image, this distorts the main subject and is a contrast to the main subject and the actual scene.

For this picture, the elements of lines, colour, depth, form and pattern are all shown. Form is portrayed through the silhouette of the diver, pattern is seen in the coral, lines are shown in the light from the torch, colour is shown in the coral as we can see orange as well as white and depth is put across by making the ocean look like it never ends. I find this picture interesting because as soon as I looked at it, I automatically focused on the coral just like Samaras aimed for his viewers to by including leading lines from the torch.

This picture is one of my favourites from Nicholas Samaras; I think he has captured the form of the sea horse perfectly. By photographing its' silhouette, Samaras shows off the shape and details of the creature. Moreover, by including a bright green background, the sea horse seems almost majestic as it looks important and powerful due to the glowing green colour of the water right behind it. This also shows the element of form as we can see the shadows on the seahorse, further emphasising it's shape and form.

This photographer has taught me that when it comes to the element of colour, the bigger the contrast, the better. Also, the use of a variety of colours is best, this way, I can make sure the colours compliment and contrast with each other. After looking at more of Samaras' work, I've developed an interest in his different methods and wish to explore them even more. Although many of his pictures are repetitive and consists of the same idea - I like how he uses different techniques each time to achieve this idea. In the future, I would like to include neon colours in my photographs as I think it brings more excitement to pictures as it did with Samaras'. Furthermore, I would also like to make the backgrounds in my pictures darker, especially if my subject happens to be a bright colour in order to add the element of contrast to my pictures.

Before I found out about Nicholas Samaras, I wasn't very interested in underwater photography. I thought it was too basic and I didn't find it as interesting but after looking into his work, I was heavily influenced. I enjoyed the way he shot human beings underwater, making them seem magical and bringing the picture to life. I also liked how he would use colours to contrast with the darkness of the ocean.

Although this picture was not taken underwater, I used the idea of the pitch black background to drown out every shadow. This forces the viewer to concentrate on my subject and makes them stand out extremely well. Samaras has influenced me to make use of my backgrounds and to find the best way to use them so that they may benefit my pictures.

Overall, his work is amazing and mind blowing. The colours he captures brings life to his work - it also excites the reader and creates a mysterious atmosphere. Also, the contrast shown in each of his pictures is incredible, his use of colours are carefully planned as they always compliment each other. Many are captivated by his work and are immediately curious about what he shows in his work. His passion and dedication to the underwater life is incredible and he does a great job when capturing underwater creatures in such a way to make them appear majestic.