A game of tones

Our apprentice meets a vintage diver and channels the House of the Dragon with pro Paul David Smith

Geoff met Paul at the pro's cabin premises, overlooking Newquay beach. They were joined by Paul's partner and photography assistant for the day Rhian and their strapping 6ft 7in model, Peter.

"Pete's one of the few people who can G fill the diving suit out," said Paul. "You need someone tall and strong; it's very heavy."

"Especially in this weather!" said Pete.

"I'll make sure we keep you cool, Pete. We'll be shooting in the shade, and you won't have to put the helmet on until everything is perfect and we're ready to go."

"How do we get Pete all the way down to the beach?" asked Geoff.

"That's why we've got this," said Paul as he nodded towards a small trolley, laden with gear and the diving suit itself. "Don't worry, we won't ask Pete to shuffle down to the beach in those lead boots," he said as the group laughed.

When they reached the beach, they made for a rocky outcrop beside a pair of cliffs that formed a natural avenue. "We'll start here," said Paul, "and work our way down the beach towards that cave in the distance. But only if the tide allows it.

"It's five o'clock already and it's going to come in fast today," said Pete.

"We'll be shooting with our backs to an escape route the whole time, so we can just walk it back when the water gets too close. Rhian will be keeping an eye on the tide, which is an important point. It's easy to get complacent when you're busy shooting, so having an extra pair of eyes is always sensible."

As Pete began the laborious task of putting on the diving suit, Paul started to discuss his process with Geoff.

"Normally, I'd want a moody sky to go with the vintage diving aesthetic," said Paul, "but we'll just have to work with the clear conditions that we've been given."