Bengaluru shutterbug shoots shipwrecks underwater in Bermuda Triangle

In a possibly rare feat, an underwater photographer from Bengaluru has shot ship and plane wrecks in the Bermuda Triangle, including that of Mary Celeste, an American brigantine that went missing in 1862.

Ajit, 38, studied MBA (marketing) but quit his job to pursue his passion for photography. He studied postgraduate diploma in photography from Light and Life Academy, Ooty, in 2007 to take up photography as a profession.

He developed interest in underwater photography when he went scuba diving in Sri Lanka. He decided to get specialised training in underwater photography and enrolled at the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) in Sri Lanka. He trained in deep sea diving, technical diving, wreck diving among other types of sea diving at the PADI in 2007.

After training, there was no looking back for Ajit. He has a diverse collection of images, from marine life to the historic World War II wrecks besides ship and plane wrecks. Some of his collections are displayed across the globe. His passion has taken him to several places in the world. He has also done underwater photography in Komodo Islands (Indonesia), the Antarctica and Mexico.

Ajit says that underwater photography is more challenging and sometimes life-threatening. He once had a near-death experience while exploring the world under water at a depth of about 120 feet in the sea. “Underwater photography is difficult. Sometimes, strong ocean or sea currents can drift a diver several kilometres away. Venomous marine life and killer whales also pose a threat,” he says.