Embrace change: be ready to suck at everything again!
Franck Gazzola is a documentary photographer and filmmaker specialising in capturing stunning imagery in remote and hostile environments. His work mainly focuses on conservation / environmental protection projects, scientific expeditions, often with a twist of raw adventures.
Swapping his corporate suit and tie job for diving in a dry suit with a camera housing in –1.7ºC waters has led to multiple awards and regular features in publications including National Geographic, RedBulletin, WIRED, Times, and Nature.
After a master’s degree in business and a 15-year corporate life that took him from France to New-York, to Germany, to the Netherlands, to finally make his way to Australia and settle in Sydney where he discovered the art of Photography. The passion grew out of control, eventually allowing him to find a renewed sense of purpose and to dare taking a leap of faith.
Self-taught, Franck is a ''Swiss-army knife'' when it comes to his photography skills, allowing him to build 360º stories on his own and in challenging environments. He grew the ability to work with any available light and has the agility to juggle within a few minutes between shooting the darkness of the twilight zone deep underwater, to capturing wildlife, environmental portraiture, close in-action shots of his subject or bringing poetry though aerial landscapes.
Franck has worked on major films for international TV channels, presented a TEDx talk, and captured work for prestigious clients like Rolex and WWF. Whilst he is often in/around the oceans, he is also a keen mountaineer and loves shooting stories in altitude to document trailblazers who do great things for the common good, often out-of-sight. His imagery aims at making the work of these exceptional individuals known to a wider audience and delivering a hopeful message to the world.
When he’s not onboard an expedition ship, shooting a conservation story, or doing public speaking Franck spends most of his time in Byron Bay, Australia, working on advertising or commercial assignments. He is the Director of storytelling agency and production support, Creative Frame of Mind Pty Ltd. He also manages the Frothers Gallery, specialising in ocean imagery.
Talking Points
Change Management – The Truth About Change
Change doesn’t demand giant leaps. It starts with a decision to act, and continues through small, consistent steps. Franck introduces the DARE method (Dare > Achieve > Review > Expand) to demystify change as a manageable, repeatable process. He highlights how confidence fuels progress, but ego can stall it, and why embracing being a beginner again is key to long-term adaptability.Change Management – The Truth About Change
Key Takeaways:
- Break change into small, achievable actions to build momentum.
- Develop adaptability through repetition and reflection.
- Understand the role of ego in resisting change.
- Reframe change as a tool for growth, not disruption.
- Use regret as a decision-making tool to encourage action.
Risk Management – Navigate Risk Without Losing Momentum
From underwater expeditions to corporate boardrooms, risk is part of everyday decision-making. Franck shares lessons from high-risk environments to help teams make confident decisions, even under pressure. He shows how to shift focus from risk elimination to smart risk navigation through process, preparation and communication.Risk Management – Navigate Risk Without Losing Momentum
Key Takeaways:
- Risk management is about flexibility, not certainty.
- Train for scenarios where the plan will change—because it will.
- Build trust between risk-takers and decision-makers.
- Recognise when procedures serve you, and when to adapt.
- Create a risk culture where awareness replaces avoidance.
Teamwork – Perform Together or Fall Apart
Living in confined spaces under extreme conditions brings out the best and worst in teams. Franck draws on his experience leading remote expeditions to show how trust, communication and mindset can make or break performance. In the corporate world, the same principles apply—high-performing teams are built, not found.Teamwork – Perform Together or Fall Apart
Key Takeaways:
- Integrate into new teams through listening, observing and contributing.
- Understand the four purposes of teams: performance, safety, growth and engagement.
- Prioritise mindset and values over technical skills in recruitment.
- Promote help-seeking behaviour as a strength, not a weakness.
- Build a culture of ownership to drive loyalty and accountability.
Adaptability & Resilience – Build the Capacity to Thrive
Adaptability helps us respond to what’s next. Resilience helps us endure it. Franck explains how these two traits develop not through crisis, but through conscious practice. He provides a clear framework to help individuals and teams train for uncertainty, making them more responsive, agile and capable of sustained achievement.Adaptability & Resilience – Build the Capacity to Thrive
Key Takeaways:
- Differentiate between short-term adaptability and long-term resilience.
- Learn to respond to change without compromising direction.
- Train for resilience before adversity strikes.
- Embrace small, non-critical changes to build future capacity.
Environment & Climate Change – Lessons from the Ocean Floor
Franck Gazzola doesn’t speak from theory—he speaks from the sea floor. Across expeditions to remote and fragile ecosystems, he’s witnessed the visible impact of climate change: coral collapse, plastic pollution and shifting marine life patterns. But he’s also seen progress, community efforts and moments of resilience in nature. This keynote offers a compelling visual narrative grounded in lived experience, designed to stir action, not despair.Environment & Climate Change – Lessons from the Ocean Floor
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the real-world effects of climate change through first-hand documentation.
- Why awareness without action isn’t enough and how we can bridge the gap.
- How to communicate environmental urgency in a way that drives corporate responsibility.
- Learn why sustainability is a shared performance metric, not just a policy.
- Find balance between climate realism and climate optimism in your messaging and mindset.
Inspiration – The Power of Showing Up and Daring Anyway
Franck’s story isn’t about being fearless. It’s about daring with doubt, and pushing forward regardless. This keynote strips away the clichés of extreme adventuring to reveal something more powerful: a relatable journey marked by vulnerability, missteps and growth. Audiences leave not only inspired, but practically motivated to take their own next step—whether that’s launching a project, shifting careers, or embracing a challenge they’ve avoided.Inspiration – The Power of Showing Up and Daring Anyway
Key Takeaways:
- Why courage isn’t about confidence—it’s about starting despite uncertainty.
- The value of vulnerability in leadership and performance.
- How to reframe fear as a signal, not a stop sign.
- Tools to help individuals and teams take decisive action under pressure.
- A mindset for daring more, comparing less, and progressing anyway.
Innovation – Make Progress Without Reinventing Everything
Innovation isn’t always about starting from scratch. It’s about solving problems in smarter ways. Franck shares real-world expedition examples to show how combining existing tools, methods and collaborations leads to meaningful innovation. He positions innovation as a shared responsibility across the organisation—not a job title or a department.Innovation – Make Progress Without Reinventing Everything
Key Takeaways:
- Reframe innovation as improvement, not invention.
- Encourage collaboration across teams to unlock new thinking.
- Build a culture where experimentation is safe and supported.
- Empower all staff to contribute to innovation, not just specialists.
- Focus on outcomes, not novelty.
Video
What it takes to be truly brave - it’s not what you think. | Franck Gazzola | TEDxByronBay
Franck Gazzola swapped a suit & tie for a camera and wetsuit and followed his passion to be an adventure & documentary photographer in some of the harshest conditions in the world, from documenting the freezing waters under the polar sea ice to actually sleeping in the Pacific ocean for four days. But what came with that was a sharp lesson on what it takes to be brave, and it’s not what you think. From under the polar ice or up to 6’000 meters altitude, adventure & documentary photographer Franck Gazzola brings back images from the roads less travelled and angles less often seen. Only years later, after travelling the world during a successful corporate career, he picked up a camera again. Quickly, his passion became his full-time career, but more importantly he found a great sense of purpose in documenting inspiring stories. He is currently in charge of the imagery & the documentary/editorial photography for the ''Under The Pole III'' expedition, a groundbreaking underwater exploration expedition that traversed the globe from the frozen waters of the Arctic to the deep blue waters of the Pacific from 2017 to 2021.Franck Gazzola draws attention to new findings in world's oceans
Franck Gazzola, Underwater Adventure Photographer, touched on the mysterious world of the ocean, during the first day of the 9th Xposure International Photography Festival, held in Aljada. He explained how the perspective on oceans changed after 10 years of documentation and exploration.I’ve always thought that meeting certain people can change the vision of one’s environment, or even one’s path…This could happen during short encounters, shared moments, or thanks to a talk ... keep reading Heineken France
Franck drew our first sell-out crowd. 'Corporate guy turns Adventure Photographer' is certainly an appealing tagline that was attractive to most in the room. His quick ascension to professional status could almost suggest that anyone with half an ounce of creativity could do it if they really put their mind to it... until he spoke. Franck delivered a rich yet concise account of his story arc accompanied by stunning imagery, well told stories and a carefully constructed presentation that was tailored specifically to our audience. I could see the crowd being pulled into wanderlustful dream scenarios only to be awe-struck hearing what sacrifices had to be made. What made Franck stand out was his preparation, asking great questions in the lead up and working hard to build the most appropriate narrative. As much as he left his suit firmly behind, his corporate experience helped him deliver a polished, considered, engaging talk that left a significant impression.
