Maddie Burgess-Iselin | Ocean Wildlife & Art Videographer | Freediver | Underwater Model | Australia
Maddie (Mads) is an ocean wildlife and ocean art videographer and underwater model based on the South East Coast of Queensland. Maddie grew up with endless days spent surfing, snorkelling, and exploring the Great Sandy Straits which has fuelled her passion to create a life surrounding the ocean.
Mads also won the Corona Female Creator Scholarship and is now the proud co-founder of Salty Collective Media, which started out as a passionate hobby and has now thrived into a busy partnership, collaborating with brands to showcase their products in the natural wondrous environment.
What are the fondest memories from your upbringing that you feel impacted your life choices and lifestyle today?
Being bought up near the ocean, I connected with it from a very young age. I was raised to admire it, to appreciate its incredible beauty, and found solace from being even just on its foreshores throughout many times in my life.
What are you doing in or around the ocean?
Longboarder
Freediver
Sea Swimmer
Beach Dweller
What/who currently inspires you?
Aside from the ocean and its inhabitants, themselves. I draw my inspiration from so many ocean advocates/enthusiasts, those who I have met and am lucky enough to call friends along my ocean journey are; Jacinta Shackleton, Liv Slip (@livallil), Nicole Mclachlan (@nicolemclachlanphoto), Jono Allen (@jonoallenphotography), Harry Foster (@hazfos), and Josh Linton (@mrg.josh) to name only a few. Though, of course, my partner Radim Klimes inspires me daily with his incredible work and ability to capture and portray the ocean for the beautiful, natural wonder that it is.
I am also always inspired by brands that produce sustainable products and allow consumers to access materials that aren't detrimental to the environment e.g. World Treasure Designs, Sommerso Fins, 4Ocean.
What path did you choose after leaving school?
After completing high school I decided to travel and explore different parts of the world, I had no intentions of settling down and committing to a degree. I needed to find what would spark my passion in life and by luck, I found Paramedicine.
Once living back on the East Coast of Australia I started to explore more of my own backyard and fell in love with the Great Barrier Reef. I can remember it like it was yesterday, I'd visited Heron Island for the very first time, and my eyes were drawn to its white sands and turquoise waters...from then on I was hooked. I returned to my normal job, gave them 2 weeks’ notice, and before I knew it, I was on a tiny tin can of a place to go live on one of the best islands in the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island.
What do you value most in life?
Aside from the ocean? Haha. Kindness, towards others, towards our all-important Mother Nature, towards our beautiful wildlife that we are so lucky to share a home with.
What would you most like to change in the world/environment today?
HUMAN IMPACT. I could write an essay in response, but really those two words are all I need to say. In today's society we are all aware (or ignorant of) the impact that we've had on the climate, nature, and wildlife. We know what needs to be done, and treating the ocean with respect rather than a free-for-all buffet/rubbish dump would be a fantastic start.
📸 @radimklimes
What brings you the most joy?
Being underwater. That first plunge into the sea, whether it’s from a surfboard, boat or foreshore always invigorates me. I'll always open my eyes and look around me and up to the surface, I think "I wish I could just stay under here forever".
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow their dreams?
Immerse yourself. You have to be in it, there’s no sitting behind a screen. The most successful people I've met who are living a life they have created for themselves are the ones in the ocean every single day, travelling, networking, and educating themselves constantly.
