Franck Gazzola’s authenticity & spirit wow Xposure audiences

Sharjah 24: Hard work, determination and a twist of luck rather than talent was what helped him succeed in his daring missions as an underwater photographer, confessed Australia-based lensman Franck Gazzola during his talk “An Odyssey of Change – 10 Years of Oceanic Exploration” at the 9th annual International Photography Festival (Xposure 2025) taking place in Aljada, Sharjah until February 26.

Photographic career

Gazzola, who began his photographic career in 2015 by joining ‘Under The Pole’ polar diving expeditions led by Ghislain Bardout and Emmanuelle Périé-Bardout during their 2nd expedition Winter in Greenland, gave tips on a career in adventure photography.

“To be a good human before becoming the best photographer”

“Protect yourself and protect the gear, or it could be the end of your project. Missing a shot is better than risking an accident. Second, avoid staging shots and educate your crew how to use the camera well which is especially important under water where communication is limited or nil. Third, a documentary should tell the truth and hence a documentary photographer should play gatekeeper and get his images in camera and edit lightly. Lastly, take the viewer with you. The biggest thing I have learnt is that your achievements are not about your photography but about your values,” expanded Gazzola as he emphasised the need to be a good human before becoming the best photographer.

Self-taught photographer

Gazzola, who migrated with his wife from Paris to the Bondi Beach area in Australia, said he was drawn to the water as a kid though he did not have access to it then. The self-taught photographer, who left a successful corporate career to take up photography full-time, said he used to shoot local beaches in his teenage years and send the images to Brad Malyon’s Frothers Gallery which he later bought. “That was the first step in my evolution. Your first 10,000 photos are your worst.”

Opportunity from Under the Pole

The opportunity from Under the Pole had made him dedicate six months to learning to sail, dive and shoot under the ice. According to him the biggest challenge is working with humans where 80% of the time one has to be a teammate. Eighteen months after his first expedition, the team called him to be their official photographer for the second expedition around Alaska and Greenland. He has completed four expeditions so far meeting near-death experiences such as being bitten by a shark in French Polynesia while studying corals or living underwater in a 4 cubic-metre capsule for four days with four colleagues. “I was constantly out of my comfort zone while shooting the twilight zone 85 metres under water,” he reminisced. He added that one needs a real commitment with underwater photography to make the invisible visible.

Gazzola has found fulfillment in shooting in tricky conditions to bring back images from the roads less travelled or angles less often seen -- from over 100 meters below surface, under the sea ice, at the surface where the waves break, or up to 6000 metres altitude.

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), Xposure 2025 features 100-plus galleries, over 300 renowned photographers and over 2500 pictures.

Learn more about the biggest platform for visual storytelling globally. Visit https://xposure.net/.