Underwater Photographer: Mathieu Meur
This talented underwater photographer — who shoots both wide-angle and macro — has dived in many of the world's most renowned dive spots.
Red Gobies and Eggs on Blue Tunicate
A pair of red gobies with their clutch of eggs on a brilliantly colored blue tunicate.
Mathieu Meur
Sport Diver: When did you start diving?
Mathieu Meur: I’ve been diving for close to 20 years now. Surprisingly, my first dive was in the Mediterranean, even though I grew up on Mauritius. I actually started shooting underwater well before I got into diving. My first images were captured on waterproof disposable film cameras while free diving. My first real underwater camera was a Nikonos IV, but what really got me in front of the scene was my very early conversion to digital technology.
SD: What camera system do you use now?
MM: I use a Nikon D800E in a Seacam housing as a primary system, and a D300 as a backup, along with a number of other cameras that I use for special purposes.
Map Pufferfish with Red Cleaner Shrimp
The map puffer is found in the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean. It prefers fairly shallow water, along the reef drop-off or in sheltered lagoons, from the surface to about 90 feet.
Mathieu Meur
SD: What type of photography do you prefer?
MM: Honestly, I’m happy taking any kind of images. I love wide-angle images, as they allow me to share the beauty of the underwater world with others. I also revel in macro photography, as it highlights the incredible colors and patterns of marine animals.
Gold-specs Jawfish
Jawfishes prefer living in burrows that they construct in sand. They will stuff their mouths with sand and spit it out, painstakingly building a tunnel.
Mathieu Meur
SD: What is your most memorable moment underwater?
MM: I was diving in Oman with a friend. We were the last ones to go in the water, there was a strong current, and the rest of the group was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, we saw a large whale shark cruising by, and we ended up spending most of the dive with it. I’d seen whale sharks many times before, but this was really exhilarating as it was totally unexpected.
Japanese Zero Fighter
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero is a long-range fighter aircraft that was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. In early combat operations, the Zero gained a legendary reputation as a dogfighter.
Mathieu Meur
Tridachna Clam
The giant clam (Tridacna gigas) is the largest living bivalve mollusk. It is endangered — its range covers the Indo-Pacific, but it has become extinct in many areas where it was once common.
Mathieu Meur
SD: Have you ever had a scary moment underwater?
MM: I’ve had my fair share of scary moments underwater. I remember one time waiting for a sea snake to come down from the surface where it was taking a breath. I wanted to capture it with the sun and waves in the background. Suddenly, it started charging at me, chasing me relentlessly for several minutes. When I finally managed to get away, my heartbeat must have been going well over 200.
Whale Shark
A slow-moving filter-feeding carpet shark, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is considered endangered by the IUCN. There is no reliable estimate of its global population.
Mathieu Meur
SD: Where have your images been published?
MM: I've been published in many magazines and newspapers in Asia, Australia, Europe, USA, and even Africa. I've also co-authored two books on underwater digital photography with fellow underwater photographer Michael Aw. In keeping with today’s technology, I’ve written a new comprehensive book in digital format.
Manta Ray
Manta rays consist of two species: the larger one, M. birostris, grows to about 23 feet in width and M. alfredi is smaller, reaching about 18 feet wide. They are filter feeders and scoop up huge quantities of zooplankton, which they swallow with their open mouths as they swim.
Mathieu Meur
SD: What are you proudest of?
MM: I wrote what I believe was the first underwater digital photography course in the world back in 2001, years before any other formal courses came out. This is something that I remain very proud of to this day. I’ve also been a member of the jury at numerous photography competitions, but the one that remains special to me was being one of the judges at the World Underwater Photography Competition in 2007.
Oceanic Blacktip Shark
The blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is a requiem shark. Fast and acrobatic, blacktip sharks will make spinning leaps out of the water while attacking schools of small fish.
Mathieu Meur
SD: What advice do you have for beginning photographers?
MM: If you’re just getting started in photography, developing a keen eye for action and composition is more important than buying the most expensive camera available on the market. Sharpen your diving skills so that you can focus on honing your photographic talent.
Diver in Silfra Crack
The famous Silfra Crack in Iceland’s Thingvellir National Park is a fissure between the North American and Eurasian continents. The Silfra fissure actually consists of four sections: Silfra Big Crack, Silfra Hall, Silfra Cathedral, and Silfra Lagoon.
Mathieu Meur
SD: Which underwater photographers do you admire?
MM: I do admire the works of many underwater photographers — too many to list — but I also seek inspiration in other forms of plastic arts, like paintings and films. These media have a lot to bring to aspiring photographers.
Flabellina Sea Slug
Flabellina are aeolid nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are soft-bodied molluscs that shed their shells after their larval stage. They are known for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. Currently, about 2,300 species of nudibranchs that are known with many more being studied and found every day.
Mathieu Meur
SD: You travel quite a bit — where are you going next?
MM: I’ve got a short trip lined up to explore new destinations in the Middle East, followed by a longer stay in Derawan, off the east coast of Borneo. This is a very diverse location, offering opportunities for shooting macro, reefs, pelagic animals, etc.
Yellow Goby in Green Bottle
These fish are not generally aggressive, though they will actively protect their territory — even a bottle — against invasion.
Mathieu Meur
Sea Apple Feeding
Sea apple is the common name for the colorful sea cucumber found in Indo-Pacific waters. Sea apples are filter feeders with tentacles, round bodies, and tube-like feet. When stressed, they can release their internal organs or a toxin into the water.
Mathieu Meur
Parachuting Mimic Octopus
The mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) is a small Indo-Pacific species capable of impersonating other local species such as sea snakes and lionfish to discourage predators.
Mathieu Meur
Lipstick Snapping Shrimp and Basket Star
This species has an enormous claw that can be used to fire bullets of bubbles at predators, knocking them out cold or even killing them.
Mathieu Meur
Flatworm in Motion
These are primitive creatures with no internal body cavities.
Mathieu Meur