By the fall of 1998, my thoughts about the possibilities of a mural project were starting to converge with the type of tasks tackled every day at work and I decided to test a few of these ideas. I began to conduct a series of experiments in a swimming pool to determine optics and lighting requirements.

The basic theory was pretty simple. If a large area were divided into a series of close range overlapping images, each image was optimized for the life-size reproduction of that section; and the lighting was extremely uniform over the entire area of each frame, it may be possible to reconstruct the entire image as a digital mosaic of extreme resolution.

To determine the image area to be photographed in a single frame, many factors were considered; camera and lens selection, angle of view, lighting capabilities, resolution capability of the film, size of the digitized image file and the resulting resolution and clarity of the final reproduced image. Based on this analysis a target was designed and produced representing the image area to be covered by one frame. The target image included an underwater photograph with a superimposed test grid. Natural objects were placed over the target to test depth of field and lighting. A frame was constructed to fix the placement of camera and lighting equipment. From these tests, two lens and film-to-subject distance configurations were determined, and the lighting arrangement specifying placement of light sources and light modifiers required to achieve even light coverage across the entire field of view.

After initial specifications were determined, a camera platform was designed consisting of a welded steel frame with machined aluminum mounts for equipment. Flotation was added to make the frame neutrally buoyant underwater. Some of the lighting equipment had to be redesigned to withstand continuous use in an ocean environment. Ocean tests with the platform revealed several avenues for improvement and modifications and tests were repeated several times.

During these initial trials, I was assisted by Peter Neubauer, a long time friend and dive partner who's also an accomplished underwater photographer. Mike Clint of Clint Precision Welding was a big help in making last minute modifications, and custom aluminum parts for lighting and camera mounts were fabricated by master machinist Kent Harper. I also received assistance from Art Sepin of Synergy Systems, who helped specify and locate the hydrostatic foam that was used to make the camera frame neutrally buoyant throughout its operating depth range. Jim Amann of Ocean Technology systems provided underwater communications equipment, which quickly became an indispensable component.

Based on the success of our trials, final plans were made for the actual project trip and a test mural at a site closer to home. The location for the actual mural was an easy choice - Bloody Bay Wall in the Cayman Islands offered an abundance of marine life and sheer vertical walls.

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