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

A Guide to Photogenic Landscapes + Locations in the Whitsundays

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:25:53 +0000

Your Photography Guide to The Whitsunday Islands, Australia In the calm waters of the Coral Sea, a collection of 74 Whitsunday islands await visitors with their fish filled waters, snorkelling hot spots and lush coves aplenty ready for sailors to float on in. The magical Whitsundays were first visited by Captain Cook in 1770 when he noted ‘Indeed the whole passage is one continued safe harbour,’ on the morning of Sunday, 3 June. Its sparkling seas are now infamous for the annual Hamilton Island Race Week and of course for tourists travelling on boats, seaplanes, helicopters and kayaks as they explore the endless dive and swimming locations amongst the myriad of islands. For photographers, the reef formations, vibrant underwater world and sandy shores offer a playground of opportunities to take that perfect tropical landscape shot. Having lived on Hayman Island for five years I’ve used these special spots over and over again in all seasons and can safely say you won’t leave the Whitsundays without your own series of amazing photos. This destination guide is my way of sharing one of my favourite places in the world, a collection of photogenic experiences and locations for you to visit whether you’re...

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04 Water – The Wandering Lens Community Collection

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:00:41 +0000

Monthly Collection 04 Water Working with the element of water is something that inspires my work whenever I’m out shooting landscapes. Ocean swells, calm lakes, waterfalls, rain storms and puddles. From the Aussie shores of Sydney to the waterfalls of Iceland and Greece, this month the community collection is filled with watery wonders from all corners of the world and I can’t wait for you to browse below and see the talented photographers taking part! If you’re keen to learn more about photographing water whether it’s above or below the surface, take a peek at the water archives here with articles on underwater photography, capturing movement and more. For now though, browse through this collection of work from talented photographers. Alongside each image is a link to the photographer’s portfolio or social media account so have a little peek at their work. I’d love for these monthly collections to grow as a place where photographers can showcase their work and connect with one another! Okay, let’s take a look at the collection this month… Photographer – Evagelia Panagiotopoulou Location – Palaiokarya, Greece Portfolio – Website | Instagram Photographer – Rosie Steggles Location – North Curl Curl Rockpool, Sydney, Australia Portfolio...

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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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Underwater Photography: Kayaking Glacial Meltwater in Canada

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:18:16 +0000

Hidden high in the Lillooet Range of British Columbia, Canada you’ll find vibrant turquoise streams of glacial meltwater. This natural phenomenon only happens for a few weeks each year and I have to say, photographing this landscape in is something I’ll never forget. Melting rapidly as summer creeps in, the streams produce an intense clarity and a brilliant blue hue which provides a striking contrast against the surrounding snow-covered landscape. During the winter months the glacial lake is completely frozen over with snow covering the lake lying metres below the surface. Once Spring arrives in May, the lake begins to slowly thaw out, revealing colourful meltwater streams around the edges and creating what looks like a watery race track seemingly made for adventurous kayakers. Every word in the thesaurus relating to beautiful, stunning and awe inspiring is relevant. Above the surface of the meltwater alpine peaks and pines loom amidst rocky outcrops and white slopes. Below the surface a patterned floor of ice dimples ranging from a few centimetres in width to crevices more than 8ft deep in places provides a fascinating canvas to photograph. The conditions for split-level images was perfect. I’ll be honest in saying that it’s taken...

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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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Swimming with Whales on Australia’s Sunshine Coast

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 29 May 2017 23:00:41 +0000

Imagine floating in the middle of the ocean when a gentle giant swims in the deep blue beneath… Your first reaction is probably pretty spot on; it’s both terrifying, exciting and magical. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. The Sunshine Coast is home to Australia’s first Humpback Whale Swim, where you can jump in the water with these majestic mammals on their annual migration along the Queensland coast. Each year on average 24,000 humpback whales pass by the Queensland coast as they swim north to the warm waters of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. On their way back south, mothers are often seen teaching their new born calves tail slapping and jumping tricks. Departing from The Wharf in Mooloolaba, Sunreef take small groups out on Australia’s Zoo’s Croc One, a boat designed by the one and only Steve Irwin who was so passionate about animal conservation. I headed out with the team on my birthday last week for what turned out to be a spectacular way to celebrate getting older. On the water by 7:30am it only took five minutes before we caught a glimpse of our first whale and calf. Within the next ten minutes we had...

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14 Outdoor Photography Experiences To Have In 2017

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 02:00:02 +0000

Photography Experiences to add to your 2017 Travel List Getting outdoors with your camera is one of the best ways to improve your photography. To be surrounded by inspiring landscapes and enchanting light further fuels that drive to capture the world with a creative eye. After a year exploring everywhere from New Zealand in the South to Iceland in the North, I’ve put together a list of my favourite outdoor photography experiences. Selected based on their photogenic qualities below you’ll find photography experiences to wow you and your camera in 2017. First up, a map to show you exactly where each of the locations is in the world… #1 Pastels of Polar Night in Lapland Winter takes on another level of beauty when polar night takes over the far northern regions of the world. From roughly December 12th to early January there is no sunrise or sunset, simply a few hours of dusk brilliance each day. A pink and purple haze hovers above the horizon creating a dream winter landscape that you can experience and photograph in places like Lapland in Sweden, Norway and Finland. You’ll find plenty of polar night images from my Hike through Midnattssolstigen in Sweden. Photo...

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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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Kayaking the Coastline of Santorini

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 12:07:48 +0000

Paddling through the clear azure seas as you breathe in fresh salty air and the sun shines from above; it’s about as good as a day by the water can get. The idea of sea kayaking has always fascinated me. Everyone you see paddling out in the depths of the ocean always looks so relaxed and comfortable. I had always imagined though that I’d be the one hunched over with numb arms begging to return to shore. However, there’s a little secret. It’s all in the technique, a little twist of the paddle and if you’re equipment and kayak is decked out, you’ll be cruising along like you’re driving a car….on the water of course. I jumped at the chance to try sea kayaking for the first time recently with Sea Kayak Santorini. While I’ve paddled in canoes and used the colourful rental kayaks plenty of times, I’ve never sat in a fancy sea kayak which has lots of leg room, a cushioned seat and back rest! Safely tucked into the mango coloured kayak, we set off to explore the southern coast of Santorini from the water which if you read this site regularly you’ll know is my preferred way to see...

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Silfra Underwater Adventures: Snorkelling between Tectonic Plates

Lisa Michele Burns — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 00:05:33 +0000

Silfra Iceland – Snorkelling in Iceland, yep…it’s as crazy as it sounds! As an underwater photographer I have numerous lakes, seas, oceans and coastlines on my growing list of places to photograph. Silfra, Iceland was at the very top. The Silfra Fissure is a crack between the North American and Eurasian continents which allows you to swim where the tectonic plates meet. You read that right, you can swim between continents where they drift apart by 2cm each year. Crazy cool!? One of the main reasons people flock to Silfra is because underwater visibility is possible up to 100m deep so whilst swimming it appears like you are staring straight down into the centre of the earth. Water visibility usually comes at a price and here it’s the temperature. The glacial water is a frosty 2degrees year round and it’s filtered through underground lava from Langjökull Glacier which ensures the incredible clarity. I ventured underwater with Arctic Adventures, a tour operator that offers snorkelling and diving adventures in Thingvellir National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where Silfra is located. Being that the temperature is just 2 degrees, you can’t just grab a camera and jump on in so it’s...

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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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