Candice Landau
Last Updated on June 11, 2024 by Candice Landau
I’ve dreamed of becoming an underwater photography my whole life…
Okay, that’s a lie. I didn’t even know underwater photography was a pastime (and for some, a career) until I actually learned to dive in 2016. Back then, GoPros were really the only thing on my radar. That said, it wasn’t long before the bug bit and I too wanted a camera.
Put a GoPro in a diver’s hand and pretty soon they’ll be longing for a point and shoot. Put a point and shoot in a diver’s hands and, well, so begins a steep spiral into the world of professional underwater photography, with kits and set-ups that look more like something out of Men in Black than the storytelling tool they are.
Though the photo bug bit early-ish for me, probably just a year or two into diving, taking the next step felt daunting and, quite frankly, out of reach due to the high cost of equipment. For years I ogled peoples’ camera setups with deep-seated jealousy, wondering how many body parts I’d have to sell to get the equipment. As it turns out, none. I just had to wait for my first-ever insurance payout after my Rover pet sitter decided to fund her own future with my family heirlooms and hard-earned purchases. Nope, still not done feeling bitter about that, in spite of the path it set me on.
That said, the silver living is that my replacement—my Canon R5 and Aquatica Digital underwater housing—has changed my life. Out with the gold jewelry of yesteryear and in with possessions that provide professional value.
The two things to save your moolah for
If you’re still mired in the depths of even understanding what equipment you’ll need, let me make it simple. The two most expensive (and important) purchases out the gate are arguably the camera body and the underwater housing. I say this assuming you’re not buying a mega fancy lens or crazy expensive strobes from the start.
Though there are a range of cameras and housing manufacturers on the market, the one thing I encourage you to do is your research—you’ll be with this company for a long time. Make sure you’re okay with the way they communicate, provide services, and support their community. That out of the way, stop eating out and save those $$$.
I also recommend buying the camera body that will make you want to spend the money on lenses as you progress (you will want to buy lenses as you gain shooting confidence). There’s nothing worse than owning an old-school DSLR and having to spend a fortune on housing and lenses that may soon not be supported, or that take mediocre shots.
I chose the Canon EOS R5 because I’d done my research. It also came recommended to me by a few underwater photographers, each of whom I asked personally about their experience. I also opted for Canon over Sony as I thought a strong photo camera would have a slight edge over a strong video camera. Of course, nowadays, most cameras in the high-end mirrorless range perform superbly on both accounts and many photographers may choose to opt for Sony over Canon. At the end of the day, at this level it’s a moot point.
After the Canon and a couple of basic lenses (I won’t get into that here)—there were really only two I needed to get me started—I dug into housing research. I knew I wanted something tough. I’m hard on my gear after all and travel a ton. I also knew I wanted something I saw others using (the proof is in the pudding). Soon the options available to me had narrowed themselves down. I reached out to each manufacturer to find out what sort of package I’d need and to get a feel for them. When it came time to communicate with Aquatica Digital, the game changed. The owner, Blake Stoughton, asked if he could give me a call. “Of course,” I said, “I’d love that.” We spoke about our travels in Florida and about all of the equipment I’d need. Spoiler alert, at the time I didn’t know. It was in those minutes my decision was made. Blake and Aquatica Digital would be my partner in all things underwater photography as I learned.
When the package came it took me a while to figure out how everything fitted together. Thankfully, I knew others with the same housing. My colleague at Scuba Diving magazine—Kristin—had her own Aquatica Digital housing for her Sony. She made little videos for me to show me how it came together, and helped me troubleshoot when things went wrong. Finally, I had something to test.
I won’t lie and tell you the game changed on the first few dives. It didn’t. In fact, my photographs actually got worse for a bit. I didn’t know how to use a camera on manual (I had to learn), and I didn’t know how to use strobes well. It took a couple of months of literally on-the-job experimenting to start seeing some results. And from there, I had another learning curve, Adobe Lightroom editing. Fortunately, there are a ton of videos to help guide you through this step. Brent Durand’s videos were a huge help as they gave me a great primer. I also had guidance from Kate Jonker and Brandon Cole when it came to picking lenses and cameras. And for strobe choice, Andy Sallmon helped me figure it out.
In Chuuk Lagoon I learned everything I could about the importance of good lighting and a lower ISO (my photos were grainy!). In Belize I learned more about color grading than I wished (a good chunk of my photos had an unsavory green tinge). In the Red Sea I learned about how to pose underwater (kudos to Kristin) and how to direct a diver to pose.
What came before Aquatica Digital?
Before acquiring the housing, I used an Olympus TG-6 (there’s a TG-7 now). While the TG-6 is a fantastic camera for beginner underwater photography—it’s compact and easy to use with plenty of strong preset underwater options—it has its limitations. The image quality and control over settings just can’t match what you get with a DSLR or mirrorless setup. Upgrading to the Canon R5 with Aquatica Digital’s housing was like stepping into a new world. The difference in image clarity, depth, and the ability to manipulate settings to achieve the perfect shot was immediately apparent.
However, if you’re looking to learn and start somewhere, I couldn’t recommend the TG-6 more. It’s still a camera I take (without the underwater housing) on dive trips as it’s got some solid waterproofing out the gate. It’s a good backup if everything goes to hell in a hand basket. It’s also brilliant at macro photography so if that’s your thing, consider it your entry into pro photography.
Which brings me back to now
Today, I’m not just a dive industry writer, I’m also an underwater photographer. Yes, I’m still learning and am certainly no Alex Mustard, but give me a little time and maybe one day I’ll have the shooting come as naturally to me as writing does. Next step? More lenses.
In closing, if you’re on the fence like I was, reach out to camera companies and manufacturers. Get a feel for how they communicate with you and the sort of support you like. It will help make your decisions a lot more easily. After all, who wants to drop $3,000 on a product that will need servicing with a company that doesn’t respond? No one.
At the end of the day, thanks to robust underwater housing, I’ve captured moments that I previously could only dream of sharing. These images not only enhance my storytelling but also help raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of our ocean ecosystems.
For anyone looking to delve into underwater photography, I cannot recommend Aquatica Digital enough. Their products are top-notch, and their commitment to supporting the diving community unparalleled. They’ve turned what seemed like an unattainable dream into a vibrant reality for me, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
And now, over to you? What camera rig are you diving and what questions do you have?!
