Underwater Portrait Photography: Behind the Scenes

Photography Tips  •  Portrait Photography  •  Underwater Photography

Underwater photography gives us a glimpse of a different world. As beautiful as the images are, capturing them is an adventure of its own. In this video, underwater photographer Lexi Laine shares a glimpse of behind the scenes in the enchanting cenotes of Mexico:

“For me, the most amazing thing about being underwater is that everything else in the real world just disappears for a while. There’s no distraction or stress, just quietness and nature.”

Human activities have posed a real threat to oceans and ocean life. And Laine’s aim is to use her passion for photography to raise awareness about the need to preserve the oceans.

For this shoot, she’s chosen to work in one of the many cenotes in Mexico. Her objective is to take images underwater that seem otherworldly.

Challenges in Underwater Photography

Photographing underwater definitely is not the same as regular photography. Laine talks about two of the challenges that you face as an underwater photographer.

You’ll need a camera that allows you to have easy access to controls while being submerged. Having a system that works seamlessly underwater just like it would on the ground is important, as it will let you concentrate more on the image making process.

Besides having good skills in photography, you also need to be a good swimmer. Laine spends a good amount of her time training to hold her breath for an extended amount of time underwater.

Having scuba gear helps, but Laine prefers not to use it for the sake of greater freedom, flexibility, connection with her model.

“We experience the same feeling together. Of holding our breath, of diving down together, and actually being part of the underwater world rather than just observers.”

Lighting in Underwater Photography

Lighting underwater is really fascinating. The light seems to play around with every movement of the water. The movement makes the lighting equally unpredictable and beautiful.

“As photographers, we’re always on the hunt for magical light. And the best I found is definitely being a few meters under the surface.”

Have you ever tried underwater photography?