In Memory of Dean Treml — Shadows, Grit, and Pure Instinct
Few sports push human limits quite like cliff diving. Athletes launch themselves from heights of nearly thirty meters, hitting the water at speeds exceeding eighty kilometers per hour. For over a decade, photographer Dean Treml stood right on that razor-thin precipice, capturing the sheer drama of human flight for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
Following Dean’s tragic passing, this remastered tribute episode revisits a heartfelt, wide-ranging conversation with one of sports photography’s finest craftsmen. From developing 35mm film in European hotel bathrooms during the All Blacks rugby tours to balancing shadows under the Basque sun, Dean walked us through the philosophy, gear choices, and mindset behind his legendary imagery.
Chasing Light, Not Lighting Kits
Early in his career, Dean relied on traditional sports lighting setups. But his move to Europe prompted a major creative pivot: leaving artificial flash behind completely.
Inspired heavily by the moody, dark aesthetics of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and Alien, Dean chose to let available light dictate the mood. Where other photographers instinctively pushed exposures to brighten shadows, Dean leaned into darkness, preserving rich blacks, raw contrast, and real-world grittiness. He refused to let bulky light stands compromise his mobility or disrupt candid moments. As he bluntly put it, he preferred being a photographer rather than a “photoshopographer”—nailing the in-camera shot first and keeping post-processing down to simple dodging, burning, and contrast adjustments.
"I'm not trying to overexpose to compensate for the darkness—I want to keep the darkness. If it's dark, I'll just shoot it dark."
The Danger of Over-Planning
In an era dominated by meticulous digital scouting and smartphone reconnaissance, Dean remained an instinctual shooter. Production teams often sent him second-hand video clips and mobile snapshots of potential dive cliffs, yet Dean never committed to an angle until his own boots hit the ground.
Within ten minutes of clambering over slick coastal rocks or traversing ancient structures—like the stepwells of Jodhpur, India—he could spot the winning composition. Dean understood that while clients often demanded predictable, iconic landmarks (like Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum framing a bridge dive), true creative fulfillment came from seeking out unexpected angles on the fly.
Trusting Your Craft
Despite building an international portfolio that spanned the Olympic Games, America’s Cup, and global sports features for Sports Illustrated and National Geographic, Dean wrestled with imposter syndrome for years. He candidly shared that he often worried his success was merely luck, waiting for the day things would unravel.
"I try and be a photographer rather than a 'photoshopographer.' I get my exposures right in camera to limit what I have to do afterward."
His ultimate advice to younger creators was straightforward: stop worrying about pleasing everyone, shed the self-doubt, and trust the vision that brought you to the camera in the first place. Dean Treml’s body of work stands as enduring proof of what happens when a photographer stops overthinking and simply trusts their eye.
Key Takeaways
Let the Darkness Stay: How Dean eliminated flash entirely, choosing Ridley Scott-inspired available light, deep contrast, and natural grit over clinically clean exposures.
Scout with Your Own Eyes: Why third-hand videos and scouting photos never match the reality of standing on location for ten minutes.
Know When to Outsource: Why Dean preferred hiring specialized underwater shooters for dive landings while keeping his focus strictly on terra firma.
Lean Gear Philosophy: Transitioning from the heavy film developing kits of the 2000s to a prime-lens-heavy kit that enables rapid, mobile shooting.
Silencing Imposter Syndrome: Dean’s deeply honest advice on overcoming self-doubt and trusting your artistic instincts.
Gear & Kit Mentioned
Cameras & System: Switched from Canon to Nikon in 2017.
Zooms: Nikon 14–24mm, 24–120mm (ideal for shooting from motorbikes), 70–300mm.
Primes: 20mm, 35mm, 50mm, 58mm, 105mm f/1.4 (replacing his favorite Canon 135mm f/2), 180mm, and 300mm f/4.
Specialty Lenses: 16mm fisheye, Sigma 150–600mm.
Film Roots: Traveling with developing tanks, scanners, and 400mm f/2.8 glass on early rugby tours.
It was an honour to speak to Dean and I feel lucky that I manage to capture his voice before he passed. Thank You Dean! Rest in peace, Dean Treml.
