There are three aspects to underwater photography — diving, photography and marine biology
Does the ocean and its mesmerising marine life fascinate you? Do shipwrecks allure you? Have you wondered what it takes to capture underwater images? If you responded in the affirmative, then perhaps you should consider a career in underwater photography. There are three aspects to underwater photography — diving, photography and marine biology.
Dive
Being a certified scuba diver is a basic requirement to start off in this profession because the seabed will be your office. Being comfortable in water, knowing how to dive and breathe with all the equipment are key to being in the profession. There’s a lot to learn with water and about respecting the underwater environment, as well as knowing the risks it poses.
Several organisations in India and abroad offer free diving and scuba diving certifications, but getting certified from an internationally recognised organisation is advisable. The two most commonly recognised ones are Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and Scuba Schools International (SSI) that offer courses for beginners, amateurs and even niche divers.
Two courses that should be undertaken are Open Water Diver course and Advanced Open Water Diver course. “It’s very dangerous, and even illegal, to dive in the sea without completing these courses,” says Kshitij Mittal, Pune-based professional diver and co-founder of Finkick Adventures. “I’d also recommend going through a buoyancy course with deep and navigation specialities to improve your skills in the water.”
When it comes to free diving or breath-hold diving, which is diving without the compressed air tank regulator and a buoyancy device (jacket), PADI and SSI offer the Freediver course. For photographing shipwrecks, there is a PADI’s Wreck Diver course.
Shoot
Even if you are a pro photographer or you have some experience in photography, it is advisable to go through a basic level of underwater photography course. The light under water is very different from how it falls on land, so how your photos turn out will depend on it.
“One can dive into water with a camera only after one becomes comfortable inside, after 20-25 dives, or more,” says Mumbai-based underwater marine photographer Digant Desai.
Among the most popular courses ones are PADI’s E-Digital Underwater Photographer and SSI’s Digital Underwater Photography Specialty courses. “Apart from a few individual photographers in India, DCP Expeditions LLP offers this,” adds Desai.
Marine life
Since a majority of underwater photographs are of marine life, it is critical to know about and understand marine life. Studying marine biology will help identify marine species and understand their behaviour and breeding cycles. “I started underwater photography rather late, and am now making the effort to learn about marine life along with photographing them,” says Desai.
One will have to get a Bachelor’s degree in Science, with a Zoology major followed by a Master’s degree in Marine Biology. A few universities in India offer a Masters in Oceanography. The Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) also offers a masters in wildlife biology and conservation.
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