Underwater Photography Archives - Photo Tips, Creative Photography + Travel Guides - The Wandering Lens

Beneath the Surface – Underwater Portrait Photography

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 04:46:57 +0000

The underwater world is like a blue watery canvas ready and waiting for your creative ideas. Of course there’s marine life and natural formations like rocks and coral to photograph but adding your own subject to a scene brings a new life to working with water, one that can push your creative boundaries and inspire a new approach to photography. Back in 2009 I introduced the concept of ‘Water and the Wedding Dress’ to my clients who were interested in jumping in the ocean the day after their wedding. It was one of the best things I did not only for my business but my creativity because it gave me a new outlet to try ideas and to challenge myself with an uncontrollable element like the sea. The idea saw me photograph brides on the Great Barrier Reef, in Thailand, the Cook Islands and the Mediterranean Sea and then led developing The World from The Water focusing on split-level landscape photographs. Sorry for the trip down memory lane…I just love thinking about all those underwater photoshoots where we came out looking like out of breath sea monsters but underwater, everything was serene and picture perfect! When photographing in the water...

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Setting the Scene: Underwater Photography

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 00:00:22 +0000

Getting Started with Underwater Photography Taking your photography below the surface opens up so many creative opportunities. Water is my favourite element to work with and once you’ve got the gear and some technical skills, it’s a canvas that’s hard to ignore. Whether you’re in the ocean, a lake or pool, underwater photography is such a fun way to capture your surroundings both above and below the surface. You can shoot underwater portraits, split-level landscape shots or capture the beauty of the underwater world and marine life. For this month’s Setting the Scene I’m sharing a few quick tips on underwater photography; how to plan, prepare your gear and some settings to get started. Underwater Photography: Planning the time + location Depending on what you’re hoping to photograph, planning is a big part of capturing beautiful underwater images. Not only is location important but the tides, currents, weather conditions and your own ability to swim for an extended period of time need to be taken into account. If you’re shooting underwater, water clarity is one of the main issues you’ll face and researching when the best time for clarity is can help in your images being clearer and more colourful....

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Behind the Lens… The Duck Photo, Queenstown

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 07 May 2018 22:23:00 +0000

The sun was shining, snow had fallen on the peaks overnight and the lake was clear and still. Driving to Wilson Bay from Queenstown I was getting so excited by the snow capped mountains lurking above Lake Wakatipu. I had with me an underwater housing with the idea of jumping in the lake and capturing split landscape shots; alpine scenery above and clear cold water below. One of the prettiest photo locations around Queenstown and my personal favourite, Wilson Bay was exactly how I wanted it to be. The sun was shining, snow had fallen on the peaks overnight and the lake was clear and still. Now to give you a little insight into my diet this trip…I lived off biscuits during the day. Not because I’m the cookie monster or on the latest fad diet (if only that existed!) but because I was out shooting from sunrise to starlight. I couldn’t bare the thought of missing a moment by stopping to get a decent meal when I could be taking photos of an amazing landscape. I’m not that much of a foodie so it’s my first compromise! So back to the lake…eating biscuits by the lake obviously attracts ducks. Usually it’s an...

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The Great Barrier Reef – Photographing Above and Below

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 03 May 2018 09:54:16 +0000

Australia’s Natural Wonder Every shade of blue from teal to navy appeared beneath me as we flew over the Great Barrier Reef east of Cairns in Queensland, Australia. As one of the world’s natural wonders, the reef really lives up to its reputation of being a photogenic landscape with that vibrant myriad of blues appearing not only above, but below the water too. Running for over 2,300km along the Queensland coast, the Great Barrier Reef is made up of numerous reef systems, sand cays and tropical islands. Basically if you dream up paradise, this is a giant picture perfect version of it. It’s a huge watery canvas with photo opportunities at every single angle whether you’re visiting it near Bundaberg, Airlie Beach or Port Douglas. I had never visited the reef further north off Cairns so the lovely (and super talented!) Katie from @mycolourfulworld_ showed me around her favourite photography spots and experiences. You can read more about our adventures exploring Tropical North Queensland here. The water has always been a huge inspiration in my work so getting the opportunity to photograph the patterns, natural formations and contrasting tones of this beautiful landscape again was one that I jumped at....

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The World from The Water – Dubai

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 00:13:14 +0000

Underwater Photography Project – Dubai With a skyline of towering man-made monsters, the coastline of Dubai is impressive from almost any angle. If you’ve been reading The Wandering Lens for a little while you’ll have noticed my obsession with one particular angle. The World from the Water. It’s a personal photography project I’ve been creating in locations around the world and since the project kicked off in 2014, Dubai has been on the hit list. Rarely captured from the water, the idea of blending the natural element of water with a world so sparkling and modern fascinated me. That this bustling city that’s grown so rapidly is resting on the shores of sandy beaches and calm seas. Photographing the skyline while bathing in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf felt like I had been given a private screening to Star Wars. I haven’t seen all of the films but the buildings reminded me of Galactic City, all shapes and sizes, so fancy and futuristic. I had long been wanting to capture the beautiful Burj al Arab from the sea, created to look like a sailing boat it’s the ideal subject to float above the waterline in an image. As...

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Diving at Europe’s First Underwater Museum

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 20:00:27 +0000

Scuba Diving at Europe’s First Underwater Museum The water has an effect on me like no other environment. There’s an instant calm from the moment I jump in and take a dive beneath the surface. No noise, no crowds just a feeling of weightlessness in the waves. For the past six years I’ve been working as a professional underwater photographer however only to a depth where I could hold my breath unassisted. And I’m no free diver so we’re talking 3-4metres max! To finally do something about exploring more of the ocean, last month I flew to a little volcanic island off the coast of Morocco to get my Open Water Dive Certificate. Lanzarote is known to most as a British holiday haven, where all you can eat and drink restaurants lure groups looking to have a good time. My trip though had nothing to do with cocktails and deck chairs, it was all about what lies beneath the water. Europe’s First Underwater Museum Just off the coast of Lanzarote are an incredible series of over 300 individual statues lathered in coral and sea grass. Created by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, these underwater worlds are where art blends with...

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Photographing The World from The Water in Europe

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 13:43:55 +0000

Underwater Photography Project – The World from The Water I love to photograph the world from the water. I’ve said it before and I’ll no doubt continue to repeat myself for as long as my photography career lasts. The perspective of seeing above and below the water level in a single shot fascinates me. It’s like two worlds blending together; the element of water adding a soft and creative balance to the landscapes and coastlines above. For the past year I’ve been based in France while I travel to various destinations around Europe for my photography project ‘The World from The Water’. Starting out I had grand plans to visit every nook and hidden bay of the Mediterranean. In reality, the Mediterranean is pretty damn big! While I may have Google Earthed the entire coastline from my home in Australia, during my time in Europe I narrowed it down to photographing a few select and accessible locations that intrigued me to capture their view from the water. The destinations covered so far have been a result of weather conditions, the avoidance of summer crowds and sometimes surprising circumstances that led to photographing in unexpected places. The coast of Italy still...

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Underwater Photography: Five Tips for Beginners

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 08:00:25 +0000

Underwater photography is a great creative outlet whether you’re looking to take professional shots or just have fun in the water! The beautiful movement of the waves and water is one thing, you’ve also got the underwater world of marine life, coral reefs and swimming subjects to focus on in order to take your shots to the next level. If you’re heading away on holidays somewhere tropical and have packed a waterproof camera, these tips are for you. They’re also for anyone interested in testing out underwater photography in the hope of developing their skills and perhaps advance to a housing for their camera. Below are five simple steps to get you started with underwater photography. While the first one may seem super obvious, definitely don’t skip it in the hope that once you’re in the water everything will work out. It pays off to be prepared and know what you are doing in the water. #1 Jump In Being comfortable in the water is an obvious but necessary step toward taking underwater photos. The more aware you are of the underwater environment, the less focused you’ll be on holding your breath or worrying about the waves being too big. Once...

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Adventures in the Adriatic Sea – Beneath the Dubrovnik City Walls

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 08:00:21 +0000

Rising from the calm waters of the Adriatic Sea, the city walls of Dubrovnik are an evident vision of history. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the walls are considered one of the greatest fortification systems of the Middle Ages and to this day, house one of the most well preserved medieval villages in Europe. As part of my underwater photography project of Europe’s coastline, I travelled to Croatia with the idea of photographing Dubrovnik from the sea. I had seen photos and researched online about accessible entry points to the water but nothing prepared me for visiting in person and discovering how enchanting this city really is. Arriving through the old town on foot carrying my giant backpack of underwater camera gear, I found a small ladder near the port entry and under the Fortress of St John. The water was so refreshing on a 30 degree day and after checking my camera wasn’t leaking I looked up to see what I was swimming beneath. Impressive is an understatement. The walls climb out of the sea with a staggering height of up to 25m at some points, still as impenetrable as they were in the 14th century. The...

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Riomaggiore, Italy: The First Stop

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 10:05:56 +0000

Arriving into Riomaggiore by train, my head was stuck to the window hoping for a glance at the glistening sea along the coast of Cinque Terre. The nine minute journey from La Spezia I soon found however is 96% dark tunnel. The four percent of scenic views is shared 3% with the suburbs of La Spezia and 1% when you are smacked in the face by the Mediterranean Sea when you arrive at the platform in Riomaggiore. The build-up of anticipation only adds to the impact of this dramatic coastline which barely needs an introduction. I’ll be the first to admit to squealing a little (there may have been some jumping involved too) with excitement when the train slowed and the sea appeared. Cinque Terre is visited year round by crowds of tourists stepping off boats, yachts and like me, the train. The best part though is there are miles of photo worthy coastline to explore so you can find your own little part of paradise and escape the day trippers. For me, Riomaggiore early in the morning was bliss. At 7am the streets were empty, the smell of seafood and salt gently wafted through the air and the little...

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Project: Underwater Adventures along the European Coast

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 09:00:55 +0000

I’ve been keeping this project a secret for a few months now while I worked out the nitty gritty but it’s finally time to share with you what I’ve been busy dreaming into reality… The Wandering Lens is about to embark on an adventure photographing the European Coastline from the sea. As you may have read, I recently moved from Australia to France. This also marked the start of a photography project that I’ve been preparing and planning for what feels like years! For the next twelve months I’ll be exploring the European coastline and photographing beautiful villages from the sea; not from a boat, but from underwater in a collection of split level images. The split level approach is all about showcasing both the underwater world and coastal landscape in a single photograph. It’s about changing perspectives and having a little fun seeing the world from a new angle. What better way is there to experience a new destination than gazing at it from the water!? The bucket list of places to photograph for this project is constantly growing and I doubt it will ever stop. I’ve got coastal locations from France to Montenegro, Portugal to Norway on my radar....

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The Maldives: A Snorkel Safari in South Male Atoll

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 08:00:21 +0000

The Maldives. Two words that conjure up visions of luxurious over water bungalows, sparkling swimming pools and white sandy beaches. You’ll find all this and more on over 1100 dreamy islands dotted within the atolls, 105 of which are home to hotels and resorts. One thing everyone needs to do when visiting the Maldives? See the underwater world! While each resort will have a swimming beach that’s the definition of paradise, there is nothing quite like jumping off a boat into the ocean and exploring an open ocean reef. While staying on Kandoomafushi Island in the South Male Atoll I booked a boat trip to ‘Turtle Point’ to photograph underwater in the Laccadive Sea. The 45minute boat trip was reason enough to take my entire camera bag, passing exotic islands and local fishermen in their traditional wooden Dhoni boats. What I was excited about though were the turtles…surely being named ‘Turtle Point’ was an obvious hint at what resides below the surface!? Arriving at Turtle Point I was a little surprised to see it was actually a spot in the middle of the ocean, no nearby islands, no beach to swim to, just water for as far as the eye could see. Jumping off a boat is...

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