Adrienne Gittus | Soulwater Productions | Mexico

StorytellerMexico

22 Mar

Adrienne Gittus, Founder & CEO of Soulwater Productions, established her niche in the Gili Islands creating promotional diving videos for a variety of operations. Now starting a new adventure in Mexico, her latest passions are cave diving and CCR, recently reaching the pinnacle of technical diving with a certification of 100m. Silent diving fits perfectly with underwater filming, allowing her to get up close and personal with hard-to-capture marine life.

The Soulwater Philosophy

“Soulwater Productions believes in the power of beautiful and striking imagery to change the world.”

After 10 years of teaching diving, Adrienne Gittus found a new outlet for her love of the underwater world by capturing her surroundings in imagery, allowing her to share her passion with others. Travelling all over the world, from the Cayman Islands to Fiji, Australia and Palau, working as a self-taught professional cinematographer since 2011, she founded Soulwater Productions in 2015.

Dynamic Production Services

Underwater Imagery Courses

What is a typical day like for you?

Every day is different for me at the moment. I left Fiji to marry my life partner and take a 12,000 km road trip across the US and back, camping and hiking in a dozen national parks in 19 states. Now we are looking for a new start in Mexico. Some days I am dive training in the Cenotes, exploring Quintana Roo, or talking to contacts about new potential projects. Others I am focussed on my laptop building my portfolio, working on my website, editing images and video, or writing my blog.

Indonesia is the number one shark fishing nation in the world. Sharks are a targeted species at the Tanjung Luar fish market in Lombok, where despite world wide trends away from shark finning, the trade persists.

What are the fondest memories from your upbringing that you feel impacted your life choices and lifestyle today?

Growing up in New Zealand gave me an appreciation of the natural world. I remember catching geckos in the bush surrounding our backyard and giving them a home in an open-air glass atrium that was the center of our house. I was very young and found them fascinating but I now feel very strongly against keeping animals in captivity. I first experimented with photography in an extracurricular course in high school. I borrowed my father's Pentax film camera and shot and developed black and white photos. Learning to dive changed my life and turned me into a perpetual wanderer. I became a dive instructor and never looked back. Eventually, I went back to photography and combined it with my love of the ocean to become an underwater videographer and photographer.

When did you first pick up a camera and shooting underwater?

I started taking photos as a teenager, but never really focussed on it until later in life. I bought a compact camera and took an underwater video course in Thailand about 10 years ago and since then it has become my passion.

What/who currently inspires you?

Being underwater is the one place I forget about any worries of the world. The ocean doesn't judge or have opinions. It gives me an incredible sense of wonder and reminds me how insignificant we are and how amazing our planet really is.

What path did you choose after leaving school?

When I was 25 I packed up my normal life and left New Zealand to travel the world. I have become a bit of a nomad since then. New Zealand will always be home but I am drawn to exploration and I value experiences rather than money and possessions.

What do you value most in life?

True friends and family are the most important thing in my life. They are my support network and without them, I could not have achieved even a fraction of what I have in life.

What would you most like to change in the world/environment today?

If you could get rid of human greed I think that would solve a lot of our environmental issues today. We, as a species, take whatever we want from the earth with no thoughts to the consequences.

Are there any books/documentaries that have guided your thinking?

The BBC A Life on our Planet and Blue Planet series amazes me every time I watch them. The cinematography astounds me and the voice and message of Sir David Attenborough are inspirational.

A compilation of drone and surface shots taken in Raja Ampat.

What brings you the most joy?

Diving. Just being underwater. Making beautiful video and photos. And the love of my husband.

What legacy do you hope to leave?

I hope to make people realize that even though we are only here for a short time our actions have a huge impact on the earth. We can choose to make those positive actions or negative ones. But it is a choice.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow their dreams as an ocean Storyteller?

Don't give up. It takes time and a lot of practice to become good at anything. And don't compare yourself to others. Value yourself for what you have to give. Other people have their own Stories. Simply be responsible for your own.