For once, no nudes was good news for West Palm Beach underwater photographer Todd Essick.

Essick, 48, this week starred in an episode of Germany’s Next Top Model. Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, it’s one of that country’s top five TV shows.

Producers dreamed up a heck of challenge for the reality fare, which has a counterpart in this country on the CW network. They took the 10 remaining candidates to Catalina Island, off Los Angeles, to pose for Essick. Underwater. In a kelp forest. With just a bikini on.

Safe and dry in a glass bottom boat, supermodel Heidi Klum looks like she's sinking with the Titanic as West Palm underwater lensman Todd Essick snaps away outside. (Photo by Todd Essick)

Wouldn’t have been so bad if the girls weren’t diving into the Pacific and its 57 degrees when the episode was shot, in February.

Todd Essick photo, on assignment for Germany's Next Top Model

“It was a tough one,” Essick said. “I had to train 10 totally inexperienced and young (some as young as 16) girls to look natural in the water with no gear. And then with the cold, we gave them a maximum of six minutes in the water.

“Heidi was so impressed that none of the girls were eliminated.”

The episode aired on Germany’s ProSieben Thursday night.

Essick made news in 2006 when two of his professional models were attacked by sharks in The Bahamas while posing nude for him at the bottom of the ocean for a coffee-table book. They suffered minor injuries.

Essick says he was tapped for this top model assignment because he’s exhibited his work in Europe.

“Since I do a lot of nudes, I’m well known in Europe,” he said. “Nudes don’t do that well in this country.”

For more shots of the filming of Germany’s Next Top Model? Click