All images by Tom Bendelow. Used with permission. Images of the model are also used with permission.

My name is Tom Bendelow. I make art to slow down, take a breath, and allow myself to focus on only one thing. I find peace by working and eliminating the noise of the outside world. In my artwork, I try to recreate this same sense of focus and provide my viewer with a moment isolated from reality. I like to shoot out “on-location,” somewhere that is outside of my everyday life. I really love to shoot underwater. It’s a completely different space with a whole new set of challenges for me to overcome. When I first look through the viewfinder, I consider what the final version of my image will look like. I try to preconceive what I will do to the image, how I will edit it.

My main camera is a Nikon D500, and my go-to lens is 18-55mm. Additionally, I use a Nikon D90 for some of my underwater shoots. The 18-55 is such a versatile lens, whether you want to get a nice wide landscape or close in tight around a subject with a shallow depth of field for a portrait. I aspire to invest in a larger underwater housing since the one I currently use is essentially a glorified plastic bag. Along with the housing, it’s my goal to also have a 10-17mm fisheye lens. This will allow me to get closer to a subject to get more detail without losing much of the surrounding area. When I bring a piece into the digital darkroom, I like to experiment; I go through a basic editing process and then add or subtract elements. No matter what I do, though, I never change the primary focus of an image. I try to adapt the rest of the piece to either complement or highlight that subject.

With a foundation in analog photography, I approach the digital darkroom manipulating each tool as though it were a physical object in my hand.I do some very basic corrections: I fix exposure, color, contrast, etc., to make my work easier down the line. Once I have a good starting point, I dive deeper into the editing process, figuring out the best way to add rendered elements. When creating a rendered piece, the key is to take your time. If you rush it, then you’ll end up having to redo work. Depending on what I have and the complexity of my idea, a piece can take anywhere from a day to months to complete. When my audience views my work, I hope they find their own sense of peace. Ideally, I can block out the world and allow them to feel the calm I find in my subject. I want them to spend time with each image, asking questions and allowing themselves to experience a moment of tranquility away from the noise of their daily life.

I think that it would be fascinating for the readers to see the work of high school students. For them to see the beginnings of artistic talents and visions. How different students are exploring new topics, such as underwater photography, and how these students are sharing their message.

Why did you get into photography?

Tom Bendelo: My interest in media began as an interest in videography when I was younger, but I soon learned that I was able to create more complex scenes and images from scratch through photography. Photography also allows me to capture a single moment by creating emotions, movement, and the ability to draw the viewer’s eye to one specific subject or part of the image, all from my own head.

Which photographers are your biggest influences? How did they affect who you are and how you create?

Tom Bendelo: My teacher, Rebecca A. Kandel-Scott, has had a huge impact on who I am as a photographer. She has taught me a lot of the skills I know and helped create my own style of photography. Additionally, one photographer who influenced part of my style is Peter McKinnon. I took a lot of inspiration from both his style of work and his process. Another photographer who I have recently started following the work of Jason Washington, an underwater photographer based in the Cayman Islands. I have yet to really explore underwater photography, but I have ...