UNDERWATER | Beth Sweitzer Photos

postcards
from
the
sea

it's no secret that I love the ocean. For me, it has been healing - one of the greatest connections in my life has been to the underwater world. I relish the opportunities I have to share the water with others, so it's no surprise that underwater photos are one of my absolute PASSIONS. That being said, there are a few important things to know about underwater photography....

Are you ready for underwater photos? Let's find out:

1. Underwater photography is not as easy as it looks. Not only is it very time consuming (minimum 2 hours), but it is extremely repetitive. It’s not easy to look graceful underwater -- for ANYONE. So each “pose” is done anywhere from 3-8 times, to ensure that we get enough shots for a perfect final image! That means lots of repetition, lots of treading water, lots of holding your breath.

2. You must be a VERY confident swimmer. We will be swimming out into the ocean, so you can’t be scared of deep water. You must be able to tread water for long periods of time, and able to dive down at least 15 ft. If you are not this confident in the water, I promise you this will not go as you expect.

3. A lot of factors outside of our control affect underwater photography; Time of year, swell, lighting, water clarity, etc. This can affect scheduling, location, and water conditions, so be flexible with all three of those things changing.

4. Underwater photos are NOTHING like taking photos on land; The gear is bulky and slow, we are having to pay attention to lots of factors and put safety first always, and you don’t get back nearly as many images as an on-land session. However, this means the images you do get back are finely crafted, precious photographs!

is the ocean calling you?

underwater "rules"

While in water:

During the photoshoot, you’ll have to make sure that you are listening to me as I give you prompts / instructions. I know it’s exciting and fun to be in the water, but paying attention is not only for safety reasons, but also so that we aren’t wasting time or missing out on photo opportunities (we’ve got a lot to do)!

Wildlife:

Although it’s never guaranteed, we may be lucky enough to run into sea life enjoying it’s home in the ocean! We can try to get them in the photos, but we must maintain respect and distance for the wildlife, per Hawai’is laws and regulations.