Text: René Lipmann Photos: Joost Van Uffelen

The Wild North Sea, the documentary about the above and underwater world of the North Sea, has now attracted more than 140,000 visitors to the cinemas. A magnificent milestone and wonderful promotion of our largest nature reserve. The Wild North Sea has also been published in book form. The book describes an adventure that takes the reader to nature that cannot be tamed. We spoke with underwater photographer Joost van Uffelen.  

You have done a lot of dives in the North Sea in recent years for the film and the 

beautiful book The Wild North Sea. What surprised you positively during this trip?

The diversity and functioning of the entire North Sea ecosystem surprised me the most. I have previously made many dives in the North Sea and in the Oosterschelde, but that only gave a limited picture of the North Sea. During this project we dived at many locations. From the fjords in Norway, the kelp forests in England, the sea grass in Shetland, to the rocky coasts and the open sea of Scotland. These locations brought with them very different habitats and animal species. When you get all those puzzle pieces in front of your lens, you start to understand it better and better. 

What have you personally learned from the Wild North Sea project?

During COVID I decided to focus more on our local waters for two reasons. Traveling was of course difficult, but diving locally has the advantage that you can return there regularly. That provides more knowledge of the animals, their behavior and therefore better images. In addition, I think that our waters are often underexposed. Certainly to the general public. With all the changes that are taking place, think of the warming of the sea, the energy transition, it was time to put the North Sea on the map. The voyage of discovery of Peter van Rodijnen that we see in the film has been a special journey. For the entire film team and certainly for me.

Have you given the North Sea a face?

The goal of the project was to create a sense of wonder in the audience. Given the overwhelmingly positive feedback we receive from viewers and readers, it seems we have certainly succeeded! I get photos sent to me of children looking at the book and families going to the movie together. People tell us what their favorite sea creatures and scenes from the movie are. The response is very enthusiastic.

What do you hope the book will achieve?

Unknown, unloved. The book therefore also aims to amaze, but then in a physical form. A tangible addition or memory of the film that people buy for themselves as a coffee table book. We also see many people buying the book as a gift for others. Details in the photos and the descriptions in the book are a deepening for those who have seen the film. This book can also be a eye-opener and hopefully a motivation to go see the film! The most important thing for me is that with this project we also reach people who until now had nothing to do with the underwater world or the North Sea.

You will probably encounter different challenges on the North Sea than in the Vinkeveense Plassen?

Diving in the North Sea is a lot more complex than diving in fresh water or in Zeeland. We often have to deal with poor visibility, strong currents and greater depth. The North Sea is also a sea that is strongly influenced by wind and tides, which quickly makes the sea restless and turbulent. Many of our dives are therefore cancelled, because the sea simply does not allow diving. We also have to set up a lot of logistics to carry out the dives safely, especially when we work far from the coast. Preparation and teamwork are essential to keep safety as high as possible. In addition, knowing where which animals are located is crucial. Acquired knowledge, but also the right (local) contacts have been important to increase our chances of success.

Face to face with a giant shark… How do you capture the action? Hop in the water and click clack?

The basking shark is one of my favorite North Sea animals! I have tried for years to get this giant in front of the lens. From Ireland, England to the west coast of Scotland. That it finally succeeded in the North Sea was really a dream come true. It is indescribable what goes through your mind after all those attempts when several basking sharks come swimming towards you with their enormous open mouths. I was in ecstasy! Photographing the sharks was not technically complex as I used natural light. Of course the idea was to capture the foraging of the sharks, but I also wanted to use my freediving skills. This gives you more flexibility in the angles you can make in your composition. It was really cool to dive under the sharks to capture their silhouettes. There was also a school of mackerel swimming underneath that was also hunting for plankton! Furthermore, I was mainly looking for the right light on the sharks and the right moment to press between the clouds of plankton. 

Do you have a preference for large animals? 

I have a soft spot for the larger life in the sea, that is certainly true. These animals are often good ambassadors, because they are high in the food chain and have an impressive appearance. The basking shark stole the show again in this project, and rightly so! That does not mean that I do not like macro photography. The small life has also clearly received attention in the film and this book. From seahorses and plankton to fish eggs. For me, photographing the development of the eggs of lumpsuckers was a great opportunity to dust off my macro photography skills. The details in the eggs, such as the small eyes of the lumpsuckers, made it a joy to be able to capture that!

In your opinion, what is the state of the North Sea? 

With this project we did not want to complain about the state of the North Sea. It is clear that the North Sea is under great pressure. By showing the animal species and what is happening in the North Sea, we hope to contribute to the awareness of the general public. When I read books about how the North Sea has deteriorated over the past hundreds of years, I do get worried. It is clear to me that we find it very difficult to imagine how rich in life this sea used to be. From the large schools of herring to rich shellfish beds and vast seagrass fields. Giant sturgeons and enormous schools of cod swam on the Dogger Bank! Groups of bottlenose dolphins followed the large schools of herring into the then still open Zuiderzee. Times long gone, but hopefully we can give nature a chance to recover with restoration projects. There are enough examples that show that this really has a chance of success!

There are many iconic species swimming in the North Sea, which animal stands out for you?

Grey seals are truly one of my favourite sea creatures. They are super curious mammals that are also a crowd pleaser for many people. Young grey seals have a special place in my heart. Yearlings have investigated my camera several times with their sensitive whiskers. Anyone who has seen the film knows that young grey seal pups certainly get into trouble in stormy weather. An emotional scene from an icon of the North Sea!

Are you trying to convey a message with your underwater photos?

Certainly! I hope that my images contribute to the appreciation of underwater life. Our North Sea can use that appreciation! In addition, I think it is important that we show what is happening underwater. Shifting of animal species due to the warming of the seas, the consequences of overfishing, the introduction of wind farms, etc. Ultimately, the images will hopefully contribute to awareness.

You are a fanatic freediver. Less hassle?

Freediving is a great way to explore the underwater world. I am not a competitive freediver who wants to set depth records along a line. For me it is really a skill that allows me to shoot images of big game or an underwater landscape in a moving way. It is of course less hassle than technical diving, which I do on wrecks in the North Sea or other deeper dives. Freediving or snorkeling for advanced divers as I sometimes call it, feels very natural and also makes less noise which is an advantage for some subjects. Some animals are afraid of bubbles. I am also a lot faster underwater with only a mask, snorkel and fins! 

What's the point of fishing nets anyway?

I have been working as a photographer with Stichting Duik de Noordzee Schoon for years. They have set themselves the goal of leaving the North Sea a little cleaner by removing fishing nets, lead and lines from the wrecks. As a photographer I record the important work that the divers do to prevent animals from getting entangled in the nets. 

In the Duikvaker edition of RENÉ Magazine there is an article written by you, 10 reasons to live in the North Sea to dive. Which reason stands out for you personally?

For me the most important reason is that there is still so much to discover. The North Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Every North Sea dive is therefore an adventure in itself. Recently we have discovered a new species for the Dutch North Sea. You never know what you will encounter!

Are you done with the North Sea now?

We will of course continue with expeditions on the North Sea in the coming years. There is still much to discover, to clean up and to record! Furthermore, during the Wild North Sea project we have made contacts that I expect we can build on. There are still plenty of subjects on my wish list that I have not yet had in front of the lens!