Tony, you need to get into the water," Mama Tony insisted. I cried, terrified, but my dad came to my rescue, telling her to just let me be. Little did they know that from that moment, my heartbeat would always race whenever I was near water more than it ever would for anything else, even love.
I was so young when my mum first made me step into a swimming pool. The water felt endless, nothing like the small basin I was used to. It was overwhelming, but it planted a seed in me.
Fast forward to university I joined the swimming team, competed in several galas, and even won a few awards. I’d go home and proudly tell my dad, "I won a swimming award!" He’d look at me, amused, and say, "You? The same kid who was terrified of water?" I would just laugh and say, "Yes, but that was basin water this is different!" (For those who know, taking a shower in a basin as a kid is a whole experience of its own.)
In my third year of university, I set foot near the ocean for the first time. Thanks to my swimming skills, I could truly experience its beauty, and from that moment, something changed. My connection with the ocean became deeper than I could have ever imagined.
I dedicate my ocean journey to my parents, who made my love for water both scary and beautiful. And now, as a conservation visual storyteller and educator, I share this love through photography.
Watch my series on BBC, where I take you into my world—capturing the ocean’s magic and sharing my passion with the world