So why start underwater photography?

After 3 weeks of intensive underwater shooting, I asked myself this question. Underwater photography is as different to land-based wildlife photography as starting street photography or macro photography, the subjects are still wild, free and unpredictable, but there are also a plethora of new challenges. Starting this journey cannot be taken lightly as significant time and resources need to be invested in the subject. Dipping your ‘toe in the water is not really an option, it is an all or nothing proposition.

Ultimately two things drove me. Firstly, there are many conservation challenges with our oceans and seas that really trouble me. Everything from shark finning, to whale hunting to plastics and overfishing all trouble me. The passion and drive I feel towards these issues will drive me the extra mile to take images and hopefully tell a powerful story.

The other aspect that helped me take the leap, was the sheer challenge. I take better images, am more driven and it kicks me out of bed fastest when the challenge is at its biggest. I prefer to take difficult images, new subjects in new ways… whether the images are ‘better’ is for you to decide but my methods are driven by a personal desire to push my talents to the limit.

So I’ve started… Mexico was no picnic. Far from it, it was pretty brutal and one of the toughest assignments. I am deterred, more to come as ‘The Last Frontier has more to teach me and I’m sure will put me in my place many times over.