Talia Greis

CCP asks Talia Greis the "ocean deep" questions about her craft

1.What gets you out of bed every day?

The ocean. Honestly nothing makes me more excited than knowing I’m going to get to photograph our wonders of the deep. I often spend hours of my day crafting new and exciting ideas of how I want to capture my next shot, but the beauty about underwater photography (and wildlife photography in general) is that the unexpected can happen at any moment. And these are these are the moments I spend my life chasing.

2. Who is the photographer/artist that has inspired you the most?

Paul Nicklen. Without doubt one of the greatest wildlife photographers in existence.  

3. What current camera are you shooting with?

Sony A1. But I keep my Nikon D850 on hand as I find it is better suited to certain shots.

4. When you are on a shoot do you play music? What other essential items do you have with you for a successful session?

Being an underwater photographer, I’m obviously not able to listen to music. And although I find music can be a great stimulant for creativity, I also find complete and total silence allows you to be present in the moment. I did however have music playing when I dived the deepest pool in the world in Dubai, and found it incredibly unnatural.

5. In the digital world how important is the print?

Globally, people average about 6 hours of screen time per day! We are totally consumed by the digital era to the point where we have forgotten about the true beauty of tangible art. Anyone can google Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” but to actually see it hanging in a museum brings life to the paint, textures, colours, and artistry ingrained in the image. The same is applicable to photography and print. During my last exhibition, several people expressed how impactful it was to see my photographs presented in large scale, as it breathed new life into each image, drawing them in and creating a more immersive experience

6. B/W - Colour - Analogue - Digital. 

    Put these words in your order of preference and tell us why.

Colour – Digital – B/W – Analogue

7. Have you exhibited your work, and other than the print, how important was the framing process to you?

I’ve been exhibited multiple times around the world; I was exhibited in Dubai as a finalist for the Global Exposure Project and have done a joint exhibition with Vanessa Torres Macho in Charing Cross. Later this year, I’ll also be exhibited in the California Academy of sciences as a finalist for Big Picture 2025, and at the South Australian museum as the winner for the Macro category for Australian Geographic.

I truly believe that when people attend an exhibition, the frame is often the first thing they notice, even before the artwork itself. Good quality framing compliments the piece, and sets the mood to tell a cohesive story.

8. What defines a great image?

What a loaded question this is. For me, the ability to evoke a sense of emotion and intrigue is what defines a great image. This is perhaps one of the reasons why I am in such awe of Paul Nicklen’s photos, as his work is able to transform me into the space he has captured, and feel what it must have been like to witness these great moments. 

9. What is your favourite photo? Why?

I would have to say my favourite photo is Underwater Garden, as it was a turning point in my journey as photographer. It was the first image I was truly proud to hang on my wall, and a photo that everyone (not just ocean enthusiasts) could appreciate.

10. What is the best photography advice you have been given? Tell us by who if you can or want to?

The best advice I have been given was actually from a TV show called Hacks, where I heard a motto that I now live by; “Trust the Process”. It's essential advice for any creative individual. Every key moment, good or bad, doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things as you’re on the path to something bigger. Art in general (and especially photography) can be detrimental to self-confidence as people are constantly judging your work, but if you don’t let the individual set backs keep you down and persevere, the juice will be worth the squeeze.

11. When you are not taking photos, what are you doing?

Working, travelling, diving.

High Point

Winning Head On - Landscape category 2023

Low Point

I unfortunately flooded my camera earlier this year . This happened during a time in my photographic journey where I was handed many rounds of rejection and failure, and was struggling to take photos that were inspiring. It took a few months to bounce back but my love for the craft helped me overcome these hardships.

Talia Greis

September 2025