A Canadian photographer has set a new Guinness World Record for the deepest underwater model photoshoot which took place nearly 50 meters (163.38 ft) below the ocean’s surface on the deck of the Hydro Atlantic shipwreck in Boca Raton, Florida, US.
The location was chosen because it lies beyond the decompression zone. Steven Haining had previously held the record twice, winning titles in June 2021 and September 2023 at depths of 21 feet and 30 meters, respectively.
However, his record was broken by fellow Canadians Kim Bruneau and Pia Oyarzun, who shot at 131 feet in the Bahamas in December 2023, according to the website of Guinness World Records.
Haining’s team, including model Ciara Antowski, underwent rigorous training to safely reach the record-breaking depth. Antowski, who had previously dived with Haining but not modelled on his last record-breaking shoot, wore a white dress and black boots during the photoshoot.
The 15-minute shoot was initially scheduled for 20 minutes, but Haining called it off early. At such extreme depths, divers risk experiencing narcosis, a condition caused by breathing compressed air and high pressure.
The team faced several challenges, including rust from the shipwreck, sharks, errant fishermen, and ensuring the model’s safety while wearing a dress and no oxygen tank while she was unable to see underwater. peaking about the photoshoot, Haining told Guinness World Record: “Up until the day of the shoot, we actually practised more than we planned on, and then we got there in good weather, we did our scout of the wreck, we figured out exactly what we were doing and from that point on we were perfectly set.”
