For more of Armando's amazing photography, check out the gallery.

The VI Challenge from a different vantage point.

Whirling Dervish. That’s the term that comes to mind when one meets Armando Jenik. The visual image is an athletic man who is around fifty, casually dressed, with a deep tan, and eyes that always seem happy to see you. His eyes twinkle with the life that he has seen and that yet to come. The creative spirit of this man seems to be at odds with the practicality of everyday life. He is full of ideas, willing to work hard to make them a reality but easily distracted by the next idea that comes his way.

Armando was born and raised in Argentina. As he tell it, Argentina was a difficult place for a “nice Jewish boy” to grow up. His mother sent him off to Jewish summer camp expecting him to be learning how to make matzo balls, instead, he was taught to fight. He found his way to Israel, served as an Israeli commando during the 1967 Six Day War and became interested in diving soon after his active service was over. Armando learned to dive in the Mediterranean, qualified as a diving instructor, and met Bill Sloksy of St. Thomas Underwater Industries before returning to Argentina. In Argentina, he worked in an oyster farm and had the opportunity to observe rite whales, sea lions and orcas. Jenik remembers, “The size of these marine mammals is truly awesome; the killer whales are so fast but after diving in the Red Sea, I missed the tropics with its clear waters, myriad of tropical life and the colours.” Contacting his Virgin Islands acquaintance, Bill Sloksy, he was hired to run the first Red Hook dive shop at Johnny’s Harms’ Marina in 1970 and became a NAUI instructor in 1971. Then in 1972, Armando branched out, forming his own diving company, “Ocean Adventures”, with a shop at Bolongo Bay.

Armando's Vision in White

It was in 1986 that Armando’s life, once again, was diverted. Through customers, who had become friends, Armando was given a combination research/live-aboard dive boat. Divers would come for extended periods and combine pleasure diving with research, collecting and observing specimens, and determining the health and wellbeing of reefs. This meant documenting facts and taking both still and motion pictures. When Armando’s friends lost their fortune due to events in the computer industry, Armando lost his boat. What he did not lose was his fascination with the intricacies of underwater photography.

Armando has spent much of his life documenting the beauty of the sea through his photography. He has managed to capture the tranquility of the life below the surface and also filmed the seas most magnificent but dangerous predators. When Armando first started out to film sharks, he did not have the money needed to purchase the necessary safety equipment. Thus, his first shark cage was “borrowed, without permission” and had started out its life around a vending machine. Imagine the owners surprise one morning when he found his vending machine seemingly untouched but missing the cage designed to protect it. After painting the cage as a disguise designed, not for the sharks, but rather to fool anyone who might think it was a vending machine cage, Armando realized that he must prepare mentally to face the sharks. Thus, he found that running against traffic helped him to shift into the correct mind set for placing oneself amongst a shark feeding frenzy.

For more of Armando's amazing photography, check out the gallery.

The beauty of the Caribbean sea and sky.

It was 1999 when the University of the Andes in Columbia contacted Armando. They wanted to make produce footage for a film highlighting the beauty of their country which was to be shown at Expo 2000 in Lisbon. The film was to be shot in 3-D and shown in a virtual reality tunnel. Armando spent nearly a year in Columbia shooting footage and developing an appreciation for 3-D photography. Enthusiastically he explained, “Using 3-D, you feel underwater.” Returning to the BVI, Armando shot and produced a 30 minute 3-D film called, “Virtual Reality Dive, the Wreck of the Rhone.” This film and the 3-D glasses are commercially available by contacting Broadsword Communications.

Amando has a host of credits that he can brag about. He has magnificent postcards and posters and his photos have been published in a number of local publications. Additionally, his underwater motion pictures have been used in commercials of well known brands including, MasterCard (part of the “Priceless” campaign), Virgin Islands Tourism, Don Q Cristal, Kent Cigarettes and Jet Tours. He was awarded the “Best Commercial” for the footage he shot for the VI America’s Cup campaign. His footage has also been used in several full length motion pictures including one with O.J. Simpson that had been due to be released just as he was charged with murder. Needless to say, not many people have seen that one.

An interesting medium for advertising.

Today, Armando’s home is in the British Virgin Islands. He is working to further develop his split photography using a contraption he designed called an “aqua-dolly”. Aqua dolly supports and steadies the camera and can be lowered and raised by the use of an “elevator”. He does freelance work using both still and motion picture medium outputting electronically or on film. He is available to shoot footage for films and commercials but also to help sailors and visitors in the Caribbean to immortalize their experiences in a way that captures that beauty of these islands both above and below the water. His unique split shots also lend them selves to promotion of businesses through the joy of sailing.
Watch out for Armando next year as he covers the 2004 race season from the waves...

To see some of Armando’s incredible split photography, check out his on-line gallery. If you want to learn more about Armando’s range of photography services please contact Alastair Abrehart from Broadsword Communications by e-mail.

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