Latest Updates From Mermaid Hunter Studios
Over the years we have had much success working with professional modeling agencies finding the best raw underwater talent entering the modeling world. If need be we further train and cultivate a working relationship with the model and her agency. New talent will be showcased here when a new image has been added to the Sales Catalog.
Mermaid Hunter Studios is approaching its 50th year anniversary. During that time we have made contact with every major modeling agency around the globe. Our business request was simple - Scout and inform us when you sign true mermaids to your roster. We pay a finders fee when we book their new underwater talent.
Introducing Ariel Bonet’
Ariel Bonet’ is my go-to model when shooting Beauty and Glamour. She has flawless skin and symetrical facial features that are mandatory for beauty shots. Plus, she has an assortment of colored contact lenses that sometimes makes her look like an alien from outerspace… OR, a mermaid from innerspace.
Ariel relaxes and recharges her batteries in summer months by volenteering as a lifeguard at the community pool. Her heritage is French and she speaks 4 european languages fluently.
Ariel is a true waterbaby and first made contact by asking if she could pose as a mermaid, emailing me some photos of a shoot she did with another photographer. I knew immediately I had a special talent. After some training Ariel freedives to a hundred feet and breathholds to 3+ minutes.
Ariel is also a wine connoisseur and after work, a dinner is always a learning experience as she teaches me what wine goes with various entrees. Ariel wants me to teach her spearfishing so that we can catch, cook, and eat fish with the right wine!
Introducing Winney Tanaka
Mermaid Hunter has a paid relationship with every major model agency around the world for discovering underwater talent. So, when Tokyo Models told me that a new model has a family history in the famous Ama pearl diving society I take notice and flew all the way to Japan to interview and test a young beauty Winney Tanaka. What a discovery! She actually did grow up in an Ama family and trained very early as a pearl diver, meaning she was no stranger to cold ocean waters, deep freediving techniques and unafraid to interact with ocean life.
Winney examplifies all that is good in the Japanese culture: respect for elders being most evident. It was she who suggested a photoshoot to include her Ama family. Our first shoot was at the DeepWater dive facility in Osaka that had a depth of 50 meters; 165 feet. OMG, even Winney didn’t know how good she would be at breathholding at depth. She suprised herself and amazed me. In later shoots we shot editorial fashion for fashion mags and we did a fantastic shoot on WW2 airplane wrecks lying on the ocean floor. Also, some artistic new work.
Introducing Madison Romanova
For this introduction we need to go back in time. Mermaid Hunter Films has hosted its share of athletes and celebrities over the years. Julia Petrik was a professional freediver from Moscow that stayed with me in Key West for almost a month as we “combined my atheticism with your artistic vision” as she put it. Anyway, After keeping in touch after reading in a magazine she was swimming with beluga whales under the ice cap she told me of another pro freediver I should work with… Madison Romanova. Well, I discovered Madison was not only a professional freediver but a MUCH sought after art model by top artists around the globe. The reason I wanted to meet
her is I wanted to shoot a nude figure in the California kelp forests off Cataline Island on the west coast. And that water is almost always in the 50/60 degree range. In short - Cold! That meant I needed a special girl who could perform for long periods of time in cold water. I contacted her modeling agency and set up a meet in Paris where she was posing for several artists. She managed a front row seat to the creative process I rarely get to see.. What a beauty! What a talent! We hit it off immediately and I have had the honor of filmming this extraordinary woman many times over the years. Here are just a few images from our working together.
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Introducing Nikki Du Plessis
Definition: Muse - a person who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist. Nikki du Plessis was my muse for 15 years. This native of South Africa took my breath away when my eyes set upon her. She literally changed my life - I hired her for a 10 day shoot; showcase a brand-new Bed & Breakfast in Key West named: Mermaid Hunter. That’s right my own B & B !!!
That changed when we said hello. Read my bio in the About link above to see what happened after we said hello. Great story. Below are some of my favorite images we have made over the years. Too many for this first intro. Lots more to come for sure. Also check the book section to get the book of images we created doing The Sea Siren Project.
Introducing Victoria Padgent
Victoria and I go back almost a decade… she was 16 and a talent I predicted would become known globally. She hails from the heart of the Netherlands, a small town called: Alkmaar. I almost take credit for her being discovered. I was doing a shoot on the Italian island of Elba when I spotted this 16 year old beauty walking/shopping with her family in the market square. I introduced myself to her father and told him what
a rare beauty his child was, and that if it suited him, he should consider, investigate whether a modeling career would fit the family order. Then, sure enough, a year later, there she was in an Elle fashion magazine gig. I made contact with her agency and we have been working together ever since. I have trained Vick to be a superior freediver. This shoot is different as she poses in the Florida freshwater springs… So Cold !!!
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Introducing Tatiana Bardot
The Bora Bora Modeling Agency notified me they just signed a new model/mermaid originally from Paris, France, named Tatiana Bardot. She was a competative sychronized swimmer and brings experience as a bikini model that wants to specialize in watersport bookings.
The agency sent a few photos of her past work, and, we agreed she has great potential as a future star at Mermaid Hunter. I made contact, had a lovely conversation with Tatiana and booked her for an open ocean shoot last October. This gallery showcases her talent and her promise.
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Introducing Carmen Diaz
Carmen Diaz is a 21 year old Cuban born mermaid living in Miami, working as a swimming pool area manager & lifeguard at a posh Miami Beach condominum complex. She knew of Mermaid Hunter Key West but never had the courage to make contact until mid-year 2025.
I’m glad she did as Carmen has become a sought after model/mermaid in, not only the Miami area but on both East and West coasts. At my pushing she finally approached a legit model agency and was signed immediately. Way to go ! Carmen. Below are test and training photos.
This Print is Now For Sale - Check Out the Prints Link in the Menu Above
Introducing Zoe Ziegler
Zoe Ziegler is swimsuit model hailing from Dallas, Texas. She is 22 years old and a Texas U student majoring in Broadcast & Film. She is a standout swimmer holding several titles in the Freestyle and Breaststroke, both individual and relay. She is also an accomplished 3 M diver. Zoe credits her military dad’s tour in the Philippine Islands for her introduction to ocean saltwater and a variety of watersports such as freediving, SCUBA, and ocean swimming. Zoe plans a Doctorate degree in filmmaking and TV Production from USC Cinematic Arts.
Zoe is currently persuing a PADI dive instructor cirtificate and has a 159’ personal best freedive marker. Zoe tested so well in Key West I immediately booked her for a deep, complex, even dangerous shoot in a shipwreck 150 feet from the surface. It’s secheduled for later this year. More on that when it happens.
Zoe was invited to spend her college Spring Break in Key West on an all inclusive paid vacation providing she trained with me for 4 hours a day. Below are first photos from her time in Key West, Florida
