This was Difficult!

I don’t live near the ocean, and I don’t have a professional bodybuilder’s physique—but I know someone who does. So, I took a friend to a large lake nearby to bring my vision to life. I imagined an old-fashioned treasure hunter emerging from the sea, chest in hand, ready to claim his find. To enhance the scene, I blended elements from my Oregon images, creating a dramatic, stormy atmosphere. The timing was perfect—the earlier storm left behind moody clouds. On set, everything came together smoothly, just an hour from home. In Photoshop, it all stacked up—about 50 layers later, the final image was complete.