Aleksander Nordahl

What is keeping us alive? That's the question that drives freediver and underwater photographer Aleksander Nordahl. The ocean – source of the majority of the world's oxygen – is his safe space, where he finds solace and peace, away from the noise, alone in what could be described as a whole other universe. Aleksander was a documentary journalist and photojournalist for many years, but the sea was constantly calling to him. Now he works as an advisor for an ocean project, which gives him more time to concentrate on his art.

Born in 1971 in the Lofoten Islands, Norway, Aleksander's passion for photography stems from his father who, on his 14th birthday, gifted him a camera. "Soon after that, I fell in love with photography," he recalls. "My first job was at a one-hour photo shop, and with the money I earned, I bought my first camera in 1987 – a Canon EOS 650."

Initially, many of Aleksander's underwater photos were of freedivers, but he got tired of photographing people. "People aren't supposed to be there," he explains. "I started to let myself see, and I noticed all these beautiful colours and the silence. I started taking photos of how I felt when everything was quiet, close and personal – when your heart rate is really low. A two-minute dive feels like an hour."

Now, Aleksander photographs kelp forests, algae and underwater landscapes in an effort to show humanity what it is destroying. He also delivers lectures on the importance of the ocean. "Underwater, there are no people, no wars, nothing, but people don't know that the kelp forest is under threat, and it's that story I want to tell. These forests can grow back," he explains. "There are two ways of telling a story – you can show the destruction or the beauty. But if you combine both stories and personalise it by adding, 'This beautiful algae is keeping you alive', you deliver a powerful message."

Why did you choose freediving?

"I was photographing Børge Ousland, the first man to cross Antarctica solo. He was spearfishing and freediving in Norway, and my publication wanted to do a story on him. I rented an underwater camera, had my full scuba gear, but before I could put the breather in my mouth and my big bulky tank on, he was swimming elegantly, diving 10 metres down with the halibut. I took so much time that I almost messed it up. The first thing I did when I came home? I gave my diving kit to my brother and bought new freediving gear – my old kit didn't fit anymore! Also, it would be really dangerous for me to swim into a dense kelp forest wearing scuba gear – I'd get stuck."

What's been your most memorable dive so far?

"It was in May, in the Lofoten Islands, and the visibility was so-so. Suddenly, there was this easterly wind, which is very rare, and the ocean just cleared out. It was like lying in clear air and seeing everything 20 to 30 metres down, and it lasted for three days. To this day, I wish I could be there 24/7. Something similar also happened on the west coast. It's like a big present the ocean gives to you where it opens itself up – the kelp, everything was so clear. Those two times, when the ocean invited me in and showed me everything, those are my most memorable dives."

How do you manage shooting underwater, given that you can't change lenses?

"I use one wide-angle zoom and that's it. If you shoot something flat, it's difficult to get the perspective, so you need light. To shoot landscapes underwater, you need good visibility. You also need to see how the light changes, so it's actually difficult to take good landscapes underwater, especially when it comes to kelp – you need to see the movement. Also, you can't use a 50mm or a 200mm lens when you can only see the next 20 metres. If the wide-angle lens is too wide, it becomes too flat, so it's all about the lighting and where you position yourself in the ocean."

"More than 70% of our oxygen is produced by oceans, and 20-30% of that is produced by kelp forests, so to me, it's like the kelp forests and the oceans are the givers of life. I want people to thank the ocean for the oxygen it gives us. There are a lot of amazing photographers who cover conflicts in dangerous places and I respect that, but for me, there's no point in fighting a war if there's no oxygen and we are destroying nature. There are a lot of photographers all over the world, but very few witnesses under the surface."

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