Pro underwater photographers?

Hello,

I have been a professional photojournalist for twenty years, and I have been asked to speak to a college photo class next week. They have asked me to speak about underwater photography because I have a little experience with it. I know I'll be asked what prospects exist for a professional underwater photographer, and frankly, I don't know what to tell them. Obviously there is a market for the various dive magazines, and the occasional editorial story on sea life, but surely I am missing other sources. So, I am posting this question to any pros earning a significant portion of their income underwater who care to share.

How do you earn a living with underwater photography?

Please forgive me if this question seems impolite. If you would rather reply outside this forum, you can contact me at:

rbenton@sacbee.com

Thanks in advance for your input.

Randall Benton

Staff Photographer / The Sacramento Bee

I've added a poll.

I think the answers to the question will be different from the poll.

things like advertising; resorts, dive companies, countries .. etc all need images.

Interesting question, especially for anyone considering it as career !

I think the answers to the question will be different from the poll.

 

things like advertising; resorts, dive companies, countries .. etc all need images.

 

Interesting question, especially for anyone considering it as career !

For sure.

The editorial market is less of an earner these days, but there is still a need for some underwater work in creative advertising for a range of subjects; some that relate to the ocean; some that relate to water; others where UW environment (not always the sea) is being used to make some kind of point in the creative.

I was a guest lecturer at Plymouth College of Art's photography department. They ran a nice underwater photography course but they dispensed with my services when they found out I was telling the students you couldn't make a career out of it.

Here's an example.

Audi's London agency BBH wanted to shoot a car (galvanized) underwater in the sea. I went after the commission but was told they had chosen Geoff Senior (a specialist car photographer) to do it. Geoff was not a diver so he employed me to do the underwater part. Years later the art director Warren Brown did not even remember me being at the shoot! So much for underwater photography as a career!

I shot lots of car ads for Alfa Romeo, Toyota, Ford, Michelin etc doing my halcyon days but never was ever asked to shoot anything underwater!

Hi Randall,

I've met very few underwater photographers who make a full time living out of their craft.

However, if you hold down a main source of income as I do and use your skills to supplement this, then underwater photography and the businesses that "wrap" around it can be lucrative in many ways other than financial.

If you are interested I have penned a lot more info on this subject in my blog.

Good luck with the lecture

Just a thought. (I do this totally for fun)

Maybe an angle to consider is presenting UW photography as an additional skill set to consider as part of a broader photographic career, rather than a single focus, which as John and others mention makes it difficult or impossible to present as an economically viable enterprise.

Just a thought. (I do this totally for fun)

Maybe an angle to consider is presenting UW photography as an additional skill set to consider as part of a broader photographic career, rather than a single focus, which as John and others mention makes it difficult or impossible to present as an economically viable enterprise.

There are the fashion guys who shoot underwater in pools although I am not sure that there is enough of that work to employ a football teams worth of photographers.

Just a thought. (I do this totally for fun)

Maybe an angle to consider is presenting UW photography as an additional skill set to consider as part of a broader photographic career, rather than a single focus, which as John and others mention makes it difficult or impossible to present as an economically viable enterprise.

I'm expecting the poll results will back up this statement.

Sorry I can't answer the poll because whilst all my income derives from photographically linked work/sales, the proportions/ratios variy from year to year. However underwater photography/videography always accounts for a good chunk of it! I'm working on this book on fish at the moment - which is a mix of research, writing, underwater image sourcing (mine and others) and above water image sourcing - classifying such projects doesn't work IMO. And at the end of the day does it matter? Careers shift and change as markets open and close so what is true for one period of time won't be for another.

To answer the original poster's question, I'd say that very few people make their living solely from underwater photography and nothing else. Some professional underwater photographers make a part of their income from it and as it is seen as a specialist area this helps them get known and so is a useful asset. Depending on your country and legalities it can be lucrative as a sideline or difficult to make pay - in the UK its an expensive area in which to work due to over-regulation.

Sorry I can't answer the poll because whilst all my income derives from photographically linked work/sales, the proportions/ratios variy from year to year. However underwater photography/videography always accounts for a good chunk of it! I'm working on this book on fish at the moment - which is a mix of research, writing, underwater image sourcing (mine and others) and above water image sourcing - classifying such projects doesn't work IMO. And at the end of the day does it matter? Careers shift and change as markets open and close so what is true for one period of time won't be for another.

 

To answer the original poster's question, I'd say that very few people make their living solely from underwater photography and nothing else. Some professional underwater photographers make a part of their income from it and as it is seen as a specialist area this helps them get known and so is a useful asset. Depending on your country and legalities it can be lucrative as a sideline or difficult to make pay - in the UK its an expensive area in which to work due to over-regulation.

I tried my best to cover every possible option in 7 questions....

but I don't think we can ask (or expect) a multiple choice poll to offer up more than a "feel" for where things sit amongst the photographers that visit Wetpixel.

Year to year variations....why not take a last 10 year average maybe? We won't keep you to it....

The effects that Workplace Health and Safety Regulations have had on the business are an excellent point to raise. They sure have created a challenging (and IMO anti-competitive) environment in some jurisdictions.

Thank you very much to all who responded to my question. I spoke to the class yesterday, and eventually someone did ask about the market for UW photography. Your responses on this forum (and in private emails) gave me a better perspective on the matter than I had before. The results of the poll added another dimension that helped a great deal, as well.

Again, thanks to all, and I hope this thread continues to grow.

Randall Benton

Staff Photographer/ The Sacramento Bee