The Ocean Is Wide, The Ocean Is Huge…

Meet the woman who has pioneered a transformative therapy practice and empowers people with underwater portraits as they struggle through their physical and mental turmoil.

- Paul Gambino

Erena Shimoda is a talented photographer who specializes in taking beautiful underwater portraits while at the same time helping her subjects become empowered and feel beautiful and strong…sometimes for the very first time in their lives. She donates her time and money for this project as a way for survivors of cancer, domestic violence, PTSD and physical disabilities to take back their lives. Erena’s goal is to spread this project across the globe, because “Everybody needs to escape and experience this life-changing underwater transformative photography session.”

When Erena came up for air and put her camera equipment down for a well-deserved break from work, we asked her a few questions about her life and her passion.

What came first for you, photography or scuba diving? Scuba diving in Honduras in 2003! It was my first solo trip to Latin America with my little Spanish dictionary. I wanted to get lost and figure things out on my own, just like when I came to U.S. with no English skills in 1989.

I absolutely loved scuba diving and I become a dive master in Venezuela. My first camera was a disposable camera!

When and how did you make the connection to bring the two together? I volunteer for the Look Good Feel Better program. It's a place for cancer patients to learn how to put on makeup and wigs while undergoing chemotherapy. This program is for them to support each other, feel beautiful and gain confidence. It's giving them hope.