Oceans comprise more than 97 percent of the water in the world. It’s the most extensive ecosystem on Earth and is the world’s life support system.
What are we doing to help protect our oceans? What steps can we take to preserve and protect the marine ecosystems within these bodies of water?
Da Silva: Amazing, excellent. What’s the sensation of being in water like for you? What has changed?
Ogilvie: I have anxiety issues like many people. However, when I’m in the water, it alters my personality. I get out of the water, and my thoughts are clear and peaceful. My body feels perfect. It is beneficial and healing, and that’s the reason I’m so drawn to the feeling of water. I also love the fun associated with it. It’s always an adventure because you still determine what you will likely experience and see. It’s a very mental experience when you are freed, too. It can help you go inside yourself, be confident, and concentrate on experiencing the sensations while underwater.
Da Silva: Do you want to share something more about the stories that lie behind your photos?
Ogilvie The following work has been utilized to raise funds to support conservation initiatives. I’d like people to be reminded of our connection with water. When they look at an image that they want, they can relate to it as it is familiar. It becomes something they’d like to nurture and safeguard.
Sometimes, the nakedness of my work is misinterpreted as sexual or a particular type of sexuality. For me, it’s about removing the layers of society, labels, and everything else–and being in your actual state. It’s a moment of pure connection with something lovely and natural. It’s also attempting to capture the sensation of being in the water and feeling it contact your skin. It’s reducing the experience to its bare essence.
Da Silva: I love how you could express the water in a way that isn’t water, and it continues to flow throughout the other pieces of the work. I’m interested in your style of telling stories. When working with others or working on your idea, what direction does your brain go when trying to make the perfect photoshoot?
Ogilvie: I’m more than an intuitive shooter. I have a thought in my head, but I’m not bound to it. I wouldn’t say I like too many parameters. Consider this photo as an instance. It was cold enough to go underwater. We chartered an inflatable boat to search for places to explore and came across this stunning little rock and crystal-clear water. I was contemplating the image as a symbol of the rising tides, the loss of land, and the displacement of populations.
Da Silva: What do you think is the solution to the disconnect we face with water?
Ogilvie, I’m looking at this from someone living in a vast city. There needs to be a more significant gap in understanding because we can see water flowing from our taps or utilize it for recreation. It’s not about gaining experience. There is an underlying spiritual and therapeutic aspect to water. We must remember that water is living and provides us with all the energy we need. It is the source of the life we need. This is the lesson that the Anishnaabe women taught me and showed me. In the urban setting, we overlook that water is vital and precious. It should be safeguarded.
