Benjamin Von Wong Speaks About His 'Underwater River' Shoot with Ballantine's Scotch Whisky

The toxic layer and its potential consequences is something extraordinary. Have you ever encountered any other instance where this level of danger was so imminent?
Well I shot some superheroes dangling off the edge of a rooftop and lit people on fire, those were pretty extreme. (laughs)

Photographers struggle with light and composition all the time. Shooting constantly moving subjects underwater at such a depth must’ve been exponentially more difficult. Could you share some tips or techniques that helped with this shoot?
Gosh, it’s hard to really summarize a single list. Shooting underwater is so different in every capacity, from the simple obvious things like movement, communication and safety, down to lighting. I guess if you’re looking for one example, one of the things I had was Rich, my safety diver, to help me monitor my position. He would make sure that if I started drifting, sinking, or floating he would anchor me in place. If he saw me moving with intent, he would let me go. We did a bunch of practice dives together to guarantee our communication and I would never have been able to pull off this shoot without him.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during this entire project? And how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I faced was letting go and trusting my team to do their job. There were many people far more qualified than I was during the setup phases that I had to simply trust they had to get their job done before I even got involved! Rob Franklin for example was instrumental in setting up the boats and lights for the entire project.

How does Ballantine’s ‘Stay True’ series’ approach to work and creativity fit with your own?
I really only participate in projects I enjoy or believe in, so when Ballantine’s asked me to be a part of their ‘Stay True’ series, it instantly resonated with me.

What does ‘Stay True’ mean to you and why is it so important?
I believe that the only way to get great at something and to make an impact in the world is to love what you do, and that means staying true to who you are and what you believe in. I think that there is no purpose to life, unless you are positively affecting someone around you, and to achieve that maximum potential, I believe you need to strive for greatness in some way, shape or form.

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