The sea for me has always represented fear of the water. But as a street photographer, I wanted to document that moment when people met the water by choice. I wanted to capture the reactions of those who leaped into their fears and anxieties and met the water as they were. The ocean is a great equaliser. It is both what brings us together and sets us apart. My photography work is also an effort to push myself beyond my comfort zone. I had to be fully focussed, navigating flippers, snorkel, a heavy case, manual focus, aperture, shutter speed and then timing my dive at the same time as the jumpers. This work mirrored the difficulty I was facing in my life at the time and still am, and how it can feel like you’re being sucked in, pushed down and also diving in at the same time. I would say this is the work that I created when I was pushed to the edge, and jumped in.