First Swims 

Analog film, underwater series

First Swims captures the visceral experience of entering the ocean, from the awkwardness and fear to the gradual transformation as the body learns to trust the water. Photographed exclusively with Nikonos cameras, the series draws on my time volunteering with a snorkelling program and collaborating with Grow Aitutaki, where children learn to swim before becoming coral gardeners. It also reflects my own journey as a diver and a mother, observing my daughters gain confidence beneath the surface. First Swims is a meditation on adaptation and belonging, a reminder that we all begin in water and spend our lives remembering how to return to it.