The Collective

Creative director Jens Drygalla is a creative director, underwater photographer and visual storyteller known for cinematic imagery that bridges fashion, environments and human presence beneath the surface. With a career spanning broadcast productions, international campaigns and editorial work, Jens has developed a distinct visual language rooted in authenticity, movement and atmosphere. His work in underwater and on-location environments has been featured in collaborations with major broadcasters and brands, bringing a rare combination of technical mastery and artistic sensibility to every project. Over the years Jens has produced content for television outlets including VOX (upcoming broadcast 2026), RTL, SAT.1, Disney Channel and rbb, demonstrating his ability to translate complex narratives into compelling moving image and still work. His long-term collaboration with Scubapro resulted in high-end visual campaigns across multiple countries, from the Red Sea to Thailand, combining product storytelling with natural encounters and cinematic positioning. As co-founder and creative lead of Visionsea, Jens creates full production concepts that encompass photography, film, casting, location strategy and post-production for swimwear, fashion and lifestyle brands. His work is characterized by quiet confidence, refined aesthetics and a commitment to visual experiences that feel timeless, purposeful and brand-aligned. Jens lives and works between Europe and international project locations, balancing deep technical expertise with a fluid creative approach. His focus remains on building visual stories where water becomes a character, not just a backdrop.

Melanie Drygalla is a holistic pre- and postnatal coach, water-adaptation and water-safety expert, swim trainer, and professional underwater photographer and videographer. Through her work across DiF Underwater, Aquelli and melaniedrygalla.de, she combines deep expertise in pregnancy, parenthood, body awareness and trauma-sensitive approaches with refined underwater imagery. Her background in aquatic pedagogy and water-based bodywork allows her to create safe, compassionate and emotionally resonant experiences in and around water. Melanie works with pregnant persons, babies, families and brands, developing water-based productions and programs that prioritize trust, physical awareness and safety. Her work spans underwater photography and film, maternity and family imagery, aquatic coaching, swim training and comprehensive water-safety and water-adaptation concepts. Widely regarded for her calm, grounded presence and her expertise in underwater safety, Melanie brings a rare combination of technical precision, emotional intelligence and creative sensitivity to every production. Her approach ensures that water becomes a space of connection, confidence and authenticity rather than performance.

Professional Model & Posing Coach Katrin Gray is a professional model, underwater performer, coach and creative specialist with a unique blend of fashion and aquatic expertise. Known also by her artistic name Mermaid Kat, she has built a multi-faceted career that bridges runway, editorial and underwater performance. Katrin’s modeling journey began with international pageant success, including being crowned Miss Germany International and Queen of the World Germany early in her career. She has worked as a fashion and underwater model worldwide, bringing depth, poise and expressive movement to campaigns that extend from traditional studio environments to open-water settings.  In 2012, Katrin founded the Mermaid Kat Academy, one of the first dedicated underwater modeling and mermaiding schools, where she has trained thousands of participants in safe, confident and creative underwater movement across Europe, Australia and beyond. Her work as an instructor and coach encompasses in-person workshops, retreats and a comprehensive Underwater Model Workshop designed to elevate technical skill, breath control, body awareness and visual expression for models shooting in and around water.  Her multifaceted expertise — as a certified dive and freediving instructor, underwater stunt performer and experienced coach — informs a teaching style rooted in safety, confidence and artistic clarity. Katrin’s workshop curriculum spans technique, posing, comfort under pressure, styling adaptation, and on-camera presence, helping models and creatives unlock authentic performance in challenging environments.  In addition to her coaching and modeling work, Katrin is known for her efforts in ocean advocacy and conservation, often integrating educational and environmental perspectives into her work with students and creative collaborators. Her interdisciplinary approach helps participants move beyond technique to find personal expression, emotional resonance and resilience in their work both above and below the surface.

Ian Gray is an underwater photographer with a deep fascination for rare environments, wildlife encounters and human presence beneath the surface. Born in Scotland and based in Australia for over two decades, Ian discovered his passion for underwater photography in 2012 and has since built a body of work defined by calm observation, technical precision and respect for the natural world. His photography spans some of the most extraordinary underwater locations globally — from historic shipwrecks in Truk Lagoon to tiger shark encounters in Tahiti and saltwater crocodiles in Mexico. Working internationally alongside his wife, underwater performer and coach Katrin Gray, Ian has become a trusted photographer within the global mermaid and underwater performance community. He regularly photographs mermaids and mermen both above and below the surface, capturing moments that balance strength, vulnerability and visual clarity. As part of The Collective, Ian contributes his extensive experience in open-water environments, wildlife proximity and complex underwater conditions. His approach is grounded, patient and safety-aware, allowing performers and models to move freely while maintaining focus on authenticity rather than spectacle. Ian’s work is driven by curiosity and a genuine respect for the environments he enters, resulting in imagery that feels immersive, honest and quietly powerful.