Under the beautiful lakes, rivers, oceans, and seas of the world, there are beautiful landscapes that are quite different from our own. There are all sorts of fascinating scenes, creatures, and other treasures that must be discovered underwater. Unfortunately, many of us will have to rely on underwater photographers to show us the beauty of life under the sea.
Underwater photographers enable people like me and you to see this beautiful world. Underwater photographers capture fish, plants, and also the landscape of the ocean floor. These images also help us appreciate these widely undiscovered areas.
If this is a job you are interested in, there are certain things you need to know. First, you will need a special kind of camera as not every camera is fit to be in the water. You also must be a trained diver. To learn more about this career, continue reading below.
Roles And Responsibilities
Apart from learning how to dive and obtaining all of the necessary equipment and licensing, you will need to do what all photographers need to — learn to take clear pictures. And to do this, photographers must ensure they have the right equipment. In this case, the job requires that all of your equipment is waterproof.
You can specialize in many areas of underwater photography. One area would be marine wildlife. With this, you would need to master the art of capturing photos of dolphins, sea turtles, fish, etc. You can also choose to specialize in different things, such as focusing on ruins and wreckage. Both pay so well, so the choice is entirely up to you.
You can also focus on people. In this specialization, you could work for tour companies or dive shops. You would shoot travelers who are exploring the sea with you.
Eligibility To Become An Underwater Photographer
The only official training needed is SCUBA diving training. You can get these lessons from various instructors, and it can take somewhere from a few days to a few weeks to complete the necessary course. You should also have photography skills as well. In general, you should at least know photography basics such as how to operate a camera.
If you don’t have underwater photography skills, you might consider taking a course in underwater photography. Additionally, if you want to specialize in a particular area, it would be prudent also to take lessons in that area. For instance, if you are specializing in marine biology, you might also want to consider a course in underwater ruins and wreckage.
Underwater Photographer Salary
It isn’t very easy to pin down the exact amount underwater photographers make because their paths and marketing skills are different. Whereas some photographers might find it hard to make money selling their photography, others find it a walk in the park. The Bureau of Labor Statics, however, claims that the average pay of photographers is about $32,490 as of 2017. On the other hand, technical and scientific photographers earn up to $32,980 and commercial photographers can earn up to $56,780.
Bottom Line
If you love swimming and the experience that comes with it, then you might as well consider becoming an underwater photographer. If you have SCUBA diving skills, then you are ready to start working! If you don’t, then you might consider taking a course before you get started.
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