Kickstarter

I’m a man of the sea.

I’ve sailed many boats in many places - from a two person El Torro on Lake Union, to the 135' tall ship Corwith Cramer through the Caribbean. I have a insatiable passion and profound appreciation for the natural world, and an unfaltering desire to capture its beauty. During my cruise down the Pacific coast and throughout the Sea of Cortez my goal will be to document that beauty wherever it may be: in the wildlife of the land and sea, in the glistening of the waves, or the wonder of the weather. My desire is to raise awareness of the incredible power and elegance of the natural world.

In late October, I set sail from San Diego. Two weeks beyond that, I enter the Sea of Cortez. The biological diversity within this isolated and unspoiled body of water is nearly unmatched by anywhere else on the planet. Being home to an incredible number of endemic species, such as the vaquita - a rare and critically threatened species of porpoise - it is an unparalleled photographic opportunity. As a naturalist, it would be a tragedy to let these photographic findings go unnoticed. My mother always said I wasn’t very good at sharing, so I’d love to finally make it up to her and share this adventure with you.

My Kickstarter goal will not only allow me to capture my perspective on these ecological gems, but to share my point of view personally with people who pledge. Through my two websites, ZSOLimaging.com &SailPanache.com, people will be able to review my portfolios and track my progress.

I have been preparing and training for this cruise for two years. I have tabled a career, worked three jobs (sometimes simultaneously), lost my girlfriend of five years, and saved every penny - partially by eating worse than a billy goat - all to make this sailing dream come true. I have personally covered travel costs, a boat that can take me anywhere, and the skills necessary to do it. However, what I need, and what my Kickstarter goal will provide is: redundant image backup, an underwater housing for my camera, two written field guides for the Sea of Cortez, scuba diving certification classes, and ample online space for my portfolio with unlimited bandwidth.

I live through my camera lens, and invite you to live vicariously through my images.

Thanks for looking at my Kickstarter, share this project with others, and please donate :)