Deb Achak’s process takes her literally into the water, swimming with a camera to document scenes at popular beaches around the world teeming with families, vacationers and sun worshippers. For her latest series she recorded scenes in Italy, Hawaii and Florida, where waves resemble the crests of a watery mountain range, or bodies are suspended in a sea smooth as glass.
“Many of my favorite photographs are unplanned,” Achak says. “‘The Queue’ was shot on vacation with my family in Maui. I went to Black Rock with my son with the intention of capturing people jumping into the water. He was nervous to climb the rock, so I stayed close. I was able to capture the perfect line of bodies moving from one corner of the frame to the other. My goal while shooting is to recognize what is in front of me, even if it’s not what I set out to shoot. I look for ephemeral moments, guided by my intuition, as I release the shutter.”
Culture and Sea is on view at Winston Wächter Gallery through June 20.
