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Underwater photography – without getting wet!

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First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. The image above. It’s a starfish, and those are its spines. OK great, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about an underwater (just about) photography idea you might not have considered before: rockpools!

If you’re a warm water diver who enjoys a bit of underwater photography, chances are your camera gear spends more time in storage than in the water. Even us hardy UK divers often leave the camera at home when diving our local site, there’s no denying it’s another thing to worry about.

This is where rockpool photography comes into play. Don’t get me wrong, this type of underwater photography certainly brings its own challenges. Swap buoyancy control for slippery footing, gas management for incoming tides, and a foggy mask for a hidden view finder. But here’s the thing; keep your battery charged and when the mood strikes, you can be out the house in 5 minutes, driving to the beach to take some underwater pictures. Rockpool photography enables one key thing, spontaneity. And when you can be spontaneous, your expensive underwater camera is much more likely to get used!

Macro

Tompot Blenny. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

Get comfortable – rockpools are spiky! If you can bring yourself to embrace the fashion faux pas, gardening knee pads would be a blessing. Personally, I just can’t do it, so a rolled-up jumper has to do. Getting comfortable is particularly important when it comes to the first type of shot I’m going to talk about – macro. The Tompot Blenny above was in about 20cm of water which meant the viewfinder was totally submerged. I also had a tiny depth of field because of the macro lens I was using; look at the surface of the rock on the left to see the focus go in and out. Put these things together and you can guess how many shots it took to get that front eye and head fringe sharp.

Macro in rockpools is great, it allows you to bring to life the overlooked critters hiding right under our noses. It definitely takes some time and patience though and getting comfortable makes the experience much more enjoyable.

Beadlet Anemone. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

When you think there’s nothing to see, keep looking. At first glance, most rockpools look fairly uninteresting. But in a similar way to when you look at the night sky and the stars gradually reveal themselves, the more time you spend looking in a rockpool, the more you will notice.

This Beadlet Anemone, a pretty common sight in UK rockpools, happened to be dealing with a stray claw that had recently been shed by a moulting crab. I didn’t even notice there was something unusual until I was lining up the shot, and it wasn’t until I got home and zoomed in that I realised exactly what it was.

There is more going on in most rockpools than you might think. It’s quite a departure from open water diving where you have space to take everything in, but I promise – keep looking, it’s worth it!

Shore Crabs. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

Capture behaviour. You can be forgiven for assuming that rockpools are quite static. They are just full of creatures waiting for a high enough tide to get back to the sea, right? Not necessarily. When I crouched down to take the shot above, I thought there was only one crab. To my surprise, I noticed that there were actually two! The larger of the pair was carrying a smaller crab underneath it, chasing away other critters as it went.

After researching the behaviour, I discovered the two crabs were in a mating embrace. When this happens, a male crab carries a female away from other males where he will guard her for up to six days. During this time, she moults her hard shell (now I think about it – perhaps it was her claw I found in the anemone above?!) in preparation to mate, leaving her vulnerable. Throughout this time, she is totally reliant on him for protection.

Observing behaviour as it unfolds and capturing it with your camera makes you feel connected to rockpools in a more meaningful way than you might be used to. Next time you’re out, watch out for interactions between creatures, you might be surprised how dynamic these habitats are!

Rockpool Prawn. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

Don’t wait for something amazing. If there’s one thing that you are almost guaranteed to see in rockpools, it’s prawns. They are generally semi-translucent, small, and not particularly interesting. But when you get very close, all sorts of colours, textures and intricate physiological features are unveiled.

The Rockpool Prawn above was only about 1.5cm in length and I only really bothered photographing it to practice with my macro lens. It wasn’t until I got home that I noticed the fascinating blue silver detail in the eyes, similar to a fly. Spiky ridges along its back, bright yellow bands and colourful green eye stems were also revealed under the scrutiny of the macro lens

This silly little creature that I generally ignored, was turning into something far more interesting. Don’t wait for something amazing, get shooting because you might be surprised how amazing the mundane is when given some close attention.

Herman the Hermit Crab. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK.
Photo credit: Anna Clarke

Give it a go! The image above was taken during a trip to Wembury Beach by my partner and it was her first time trying underwater photography. She was using a ten-year-old camera and managed to capture a picture as good as any I took.

This shot has such good composition and beautifully captures a moment in time. By getting down low and facing the Hermit Crab head-on, it looks like it’s posing for a portrait. The sprinkle of sand on the top of the shell and the vibrant blue colouring on the legs are the icing on the cake. I love this picture and it’s proof that you don’t have to be a pro to take a great shot. Get out there and give it a go!

Wide-angle & under/over

Shore Crabs. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

Put things into context. If you don’t have the equipment/eyesight for macro photography and aren’t sure how your wide-angle setup can be used in a rockpool full of tiny creatures, keep reading.

You might recognise the two Shore Crabs above from an earlier image. That earlier picture was taken using a macro lens whereas this one was an under/over image using a wide-angle lens. Wide-angle is great for this type of shot. The larger dome gives you more glass to position the water line where you want it, allowing you to capture both over and underwater worlds in one shot.

I find this type of picture great for giving some context to your images. They aren’t just random underwater scenes; they are moments in a recognisable environment.

Various rockpools. Wembury Beach, Devon, UK

Animals are optional. Now, despite me saying how many hidden creatures will reveal themselves if you look for long enough, those of you with a patience deficiency have another option. Rockpool landscapes are incredible varied and fascinating, particularly if you use a wide-angle lens to capture under/over pictures.

The collage above is a collection of rockpool landscapes I took one evening at Wembury Beach. You can see how different the textures and colours between rock pools within metres of each other can be. From the surface, they look fairly similar, but capturing them in this way allows you to showcase the diversity that’s hidden beneath the water’s surface.

A final thought

If you’re anything like me, one word comes to mind when you imagine taking your underwater camera into a slippery rockpool – awkward. To a certain extent it is, and honestly, it takes a bit of getting used to, but compared to scuba diving, rockpool photography is so convenient. It’s easy to dismiss, but stick with it, stay patient, follow some of the tips above, and you’ll be surprised what you can find just under the water’s surface. Get out there and give it a go and don’t forget to tag me if you post anything online, I’d love to see it!

James is a freelance scuba diving instructor and underwater photographer/videographer based in Plymouth where he works for the Shark Trust. As a passionate marine conservationist he advocates for our oceans by sharing pictures and videos of the underwater world. Follow him at instagram.com/jamesharrisunderwater Website: www.jamesharrisunderwater.co.uk

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PADI and Scuba Diving Magazine Seek Incredible Underwater Photographs in Annual Photo Competition

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underwater photo competition

Scuba Diving® magazine’s 21st annual Through Your Lens photo contest is underway and accepting images that highlight the incredible underwater world.

“Entering our Through Your Lens Photo Contest isn’t just about winning,” says Candice Landau, Content Director for Scuba Diving magazine. “It’s about beginning the journey of putting your work out there, sharing your unique perspective and realising just how much impact your images can have. With categories for all levels, including an amateur category specifically for newcomers, there’s a real chance to get noticed and inspire positive ocean change.”

“This year we decided to bring back a couple of tried-and-tested categories, as well as add two new ones. In total, photographers will be able to submit to five different categories: wide angle, macro, split shot, amateur, and cold water,” Landau says.

Scuba Diving has confirmed the return of highly esteemed underwater photographers Brandon Cole, Kate Jonker, Suzan Meldonian and Alex Mustard to assist as guest judges. Entry is free, and photographers can submit up to five entries per category.

The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 USD cash prize and a weeklong liveaboard trip aboard the Komodo Aggressor. First-place winners for each specified category will receive an Aggressor Adventures liveaboard trip; second-place winners will receive a Scubapro regulator; and third-place winners will receive a SeaLife SportDiver S smartphone housing. Two winners in the Amateur category will receive a liveaboard trip from All Star Liveaboards. Select winners will also be given the opportunity to have their photos featured on PADI certification cards.

Past winners of the annual competition include colorful images of alpine newts on water lilies in Belgium, divers finning through a submerged Slovak opal mine, and an eye-to-eye encounter with a dwarf minke whale on the Great Barrier Reef.

“This contest is a chance to celebrate the artistry and passion of underwater photographers at every level. It brings the underwater world to the surface for everyone to see, and it’s always amazing to witness the creativity, dedication, and stories that these images tell,” says Landau. “It’s not just about taking a beautiful picture, it’s about capturing a moment that inspires others to dive, explore, and protect the ocean. Every submission helps us tell the story of the underwater world and why it matters.”

All winners and honourable mentions will be published in the September/October 2025 Photo Issue of Scuba Diving magazine, with the cover featuring one of the contest entries. Entries are open now until July 7, 2025 on scubadiving.com/photocontest.

About Scuba Diving Magazine

United in our passion for diving and the world beneath the surface. Scuba Diving is an inclusive print and digital forum to learn about, connect on and fuel a shared passion for underwater exploration. Our enthusiasm for the sport of diving, the stunning places we experience, the incredible marine encounters, and our purpose-driven commitment to ocean change keeps us connected and inspires one another to seek adventure and save the ocean.  The ultimate, trusted source, we deliver expert insights on gear, safety, training, local diving, travel and dive professions – because, as divers ourselves, we care deeply about the same topics.  Whether we dive once a year or for a living, we’re a single community of ocean lovers constantly encouraging those new to diving to join us.

www.scubadiving.com

About PADI

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the world’s largest ocean exploration and diver organisation, operating in 186 countries and territories, with a global network of more than 6,600 dive centres and resorts and over 128,000 professional members worldwide. Issuing more than 1 million certifications each year, and with over 30 million certifications to date, PADI enables people around the world to seek adventure and save the ocean through underwater education, life-changing experiences and travel. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, maintaining its high standards for dive training, safety and customer service, monitored for worldwide consistency and quality. With a longstanding commitment to environmental conservation, PADI is leading the way for millions of people to actively explore, steward and protect the ocean through its course offerings and partnerships with like-minded, mission-driven organisations. PADI embodies a global commitment to ocean health with its mission to create a billion torchbearers to explore and protect the ocean. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.SM

www.padi.com

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Marine Life & Conservation

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Coast Leads the Way in Marine Conservation

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marine conservation

Saudi Arabia is reaffirming its commitment to preserving the extraordinary marine environments along its Red Sea coastline

From Jeddah to Yanbu, Umluj, Farasan Islands, to Tabuk, as Saudi welcomes greater numbers to its Red Sea shores, this emerging global destination is making waves not just for its beauty, but for its mindful approach to the environment.

An Underwater Paradise

Stretching along Saudi’s western coastline, this pristine aquatic world is home to over 300 species of coral and more than 250 species of fish, hawksbill turtles, dugongs, dolphins, sharks and sea birds. Just last month, a record-breaking giant 800-year-old coral colony was discovered in the waters of AMAALA. Stretching the length of over six London buses, it is the largest in the Red Sea and even close in size to the current coral colony world record holder—indicative of the Saudi Red Sea’s rude health.

Preserving Nature’s Masterpiece

Recognizing that conservation is key to ensuring the future of this underwater paradise, numerous environmental studies and initiatives have been launched. In 2022, the Saudi National Centre for Wildlife began the largest environmental baseline study ever conducted in the region, the Red Sea Decade Expedition. This saw a team of 126 scour more than 1,800 kilometers of coastline and 90 offshore islands, using DNA sequencing technologies to establish an end-to-end catalog of the Red Sea’s biodiversity—from bacteria to whales—to inform Saudi’s commitment to conserve 30 percent of the Red Sea.

Reef Encounter

The Saudi Red Sea’s coral reefs, considered some of the most climate-resilient in the world and the cornerstone of marine health, are the subject of a number of initiatives in Saudi. Groundbreaking new AI reef monitoring technology has been created and employed to not only monitor coral health, but dispense nutrients, medicine and probiotics as needed in real time according to their needs.

Significant investment in coral labs means that unlike in the wild—where coral reproduces for just a handful of days per year—scientists can now breed coral throughout the year. This can then be transplanted at one of the many floating nurseries established in the Saudi Red Sea, which boast a healthy 97% survival success rate. Just last year, NEOM announced the World’s Largest Coral Restoration project, which will produce 40,000 corals annually, while a secondary facility with ten times this capacity is built to help maintain this underwater ecosystem.

Rachel Moore, PADI Ambassadiver, called the Saudi Red Sea one of the few healthy places left on our planet, saying: “Diving in the Red Sea has made me incredibly hopeful – the corals here are extremely resilient, the coral coverage on the dive sites extensive… [I] was surprised to see how much living coral there is.”

Built to Protect, Not Just Impress

Beyond the labs and the sea itself, protecting this precious environment is at the heart of development in the Saudi Red Sea. For example, the 1.2km Shurayrah Bridge was crafted with a graceful curve, rather than a simple straight-line design, to minimize impact on coral formations.

In the Saudi Red Sea, guests can experience world-class hospitality that puts nature first. Resorts such as Shebara, Desert Rock, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and The St. Regis Red Sea Resort are designed with sustainability at their core. From off-grid energy systems to zero-waste initiatives and wildlife-friendly architecture, these retreats offer the ultimate escape—without compromise to the environment.

With just 1% of the entire Saudi Red Sea footprint being developed, the rest will be left untouched—a testament to this commitment to a more conscious conservation.

A Call to Conscious Travel

Soon, visitors will be able to dive even deeper—figuratively and literally—at the world’s first fully immersive experiential marine life center, “Corallium”, currently under development by Red Sea Global. Designed to educate and inspire, the center will offer interactive exhibits and underwater observatories.

To learn more and plan your trip, visit the Visit Saudi website.

 
 
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