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Axu Kokkonen | UW Videography & Photography

@cinematicdepths

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Cinematic Depths
🎥 Underwater Films by Axu
📸 Underwater Photography by Carlotta
🌊 Ocean storytelling worldwide

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Not just spotted: studied, protected, and prepared. 🦈

These baby leopard sharks (Stegostoma Tigrinum) are part of a carefully managed rewilding program here at Maiton Island, Thailand.

Before they ever reach the open ocean, they spend time in a protected sea pen off Maiton Island, where they’re monitored, fed, and gradually introduced to natural conditions.

Here, they learn the basics of survival: how to forage, how to navigate their environment, and how to build the strength they’ll need in the wild.

Each individual is also photo-identified by its unique spot pattern, creating a living database that helps scientists track their journey long after release.

This stage is critical, because survival in the wild doesn’t start at release, it starts here.

In a region where leopard shark populations have declined, projects like this are rebuilding not just numbers, but resilience.
It’s slow, hands-on work powered by collaboration between conservationists, scientists, governments and local partners.

With thanks to @wildaid , @oceanbluetree, @resharkorg and the StAR Project Thailand coalition for making this possible.

Swipe through to see the next generation—learning how to become wild again 🦈🌊 by @cinematicdepths

Pygmy blue whale. 🐋

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of being in the ocean beside a whale.

In 2018, that dream came true when I came face to face with a humpback whale in Zanzibar. I never thought anything could top that.

Here in Alor, I was lucky enough to witness one of the rarest encounters of my life—a pygmy blue whale!

The pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) is a distinct tropical subspecies of the blue whale, the largest animal ever known to exist. Despite the name «pygmy,» it is still an absolute giant, reaching lengths of up to 24 meters.

No words can truly describe the feeling. 💙

#scuba #bluewhale #underwatervideography by @cinematicdepths

𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙝𝙨

Ocean stories through film & photography.

We’re Axu and Carlotta a filmmaker and photographer exploring the underwater world together.

While one of us focuses on capturing cinematic motion, the other searches for a magical photo composition.

Together, we share the harmony of the ocean through both film and photography.

Thanks for following our journey.

The best adventures are yet to come. 🌊

🎥 𝘼𝙭𝙪 𝙆𝙤𝙠𝙠𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙣 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙧

Former ski jumper turned underwater filmmaker.

“After trading snow for the sea, I built a life around diving, exploring and documenting the underwater world”.

Within 20 years of diving, my passion is creating cinematic films that reveal everything from the ocean’s smallest hidden creatures to its largest giants.

Every dive has a story and I want to share it with you!

📸 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙖 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙧

“Photography allows me to freeze moments that last only seconds beneath the surface.”

Through my lens, I hope to capture the beauty, emotion, and incredible diversity of the underwater world, inspiring others to see and appreciate the ocean the way I do. by @cinematicdepths

Before the magic... there’s the ritual.

I’ve taken cameras underwater for years, but | still get that small moment of focus every time I close the housing. 🎥

One grain of sand.
One forgotten setting.
One loose port.

The ocean doesn’t forgive mistakes.
Sony a6700. Nauticam housing. Vacuum sealed.
Ready for another dive.

Let’s go. 🪸👌🏼

#underwatervideography #scuba #underwaterphoto by @cinematicdepths

A few tiny creatures from the beautiful waters of Alor, Indonesia 🌊

Filmed with our macro setup, getting up close with some of the ocean's smallest and most fascinating creatures.

The smaller you look, the more you discover. 🔍

#underwatervideography #macro #scuba by @cinematicdepths

I was filming the beautiful reef wall of Anda in Bohol, Philippines, when I suddenly looked out into the blue and spotted a massive green turtle gliding effortlessly through the water at around 30 metres deep. 🐢💙

I started swimming towards it, and it just kept gliding, passing right by me without a care in the world. Such a peaceful moment!

I was filming with my Sony a6700 in my Nauticam housing, and everything happened so quickly that I barely had time to shoot my white fin to set the correct manual white balance, especially at that depth!

Somehow, I managed to keep my hands steady and capture the whole encounter, even while doing the Frenzel manoeuvre to equalise my ears with one hand! 😅✌🏼🎥

Sometimes the most beautiful underwater moments happen when you least expect them. Just two of us gliding past each other in the deep blue. 💙

#CinematicDepths #UnderwaterVideography #GreenSeaTurtle #AndaBohol #SonyA6700 by @cinematicdepths

One of the most venomous creatures in the ocean… and one of the most beautiful. 🐍🌊

I came across this banded sea snake and had the chance to film it from almost every angle — even getting a few moments with it looking straight into my lens.

It was constantly moving, making it a challenging subject to film. I kept my distance, stayed calm, and let the snake do its thing.

And eventually, it seemed completely unbothered by my presence.

Up close, the details were incredible — the scales, the patterns, and that unmistakable stare.

A reminder that even some of the ocean’s most dangerous animals can be incredibly peaceful when we simply give them space. 🤿

Shot with my Nauticam macro setup. 🎥 by @cinematicdepths

One of my absolute favourite creatures to film. 🐙

The way they move, how smart they are, and those incredible colour changes never get old. Every time I encounter one, I end up watching longer than I planned. 🤿

Nature is pretty insane. 🌊 🎥

#Octopus #UnderwaterWorld #underwatervideography by @cinematicdepths

I first heard about the Mandarin fish 20 years ago, when it was voted the most beautiful fish in the world. 🐠

Now, 20 years later, I’m filming one up close in Alor, Indonesia, and seeing all those tiny details makes it even more special.

Some fish are beautiful from a distance… but the Mandarin fish is something else when you get close. 🎥🌊 by @cinematicdepths

Two cameras, two perspectives, one little creative session. 🎥

Passing the camera over and letting @honey.andsalt take the lead, while the drone captures the whole scene from above.

This is how we create together. 🤙🏼 by @cinematicdepths

Just messing around underwater 🤙🏼🫧

Who else loves playing with bubble rings? by @cinematicdepths

Built for people. Claimed by the ocean. 🌊

Underneath an old jetty in Alor, the concrete has almost disappeared beneath years of coral growth, sponges, and soft corals. 🪸

What was once infrastructure has become a reef — a whole underwater world living in the shadows of the pillars.

#underwaterphoto #wideangle by @cinematicdepths