Water Planet: The Art of Underwater Photography

ART [ahrt] noun: the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

Artists can be gifted in various facets of art: painting, sculpture, architecture, or literature to name a few. There are others of us who have found that same level of passion in the world of underwater photography.

There are times below the surface when any photographer can be transformed into an artist, if you are willing to think a little outside of the box. The secret is to take the beauty of the ordinary and make it extraordinary by taking it to the next level. When you see a subject —whether it’s something you see on every dive or a once in a lifetime encounter —something clicks in your mind and you see it in a different way. It’s natural for you to wonder how your image will be received by others, but if you shoot this image for you — and only you — it’s easy to let go of any pressure and allow you to see the subject in as many creative ways as your mind will allow. And when others see the image — and of course they will see the image — what a surprise it will be! And as any artist experiences, the reception may be warm — or maybe not — but you can take satisfaction in the fact that you are showing the image exactly as you wanted it to be seen. It’s an exhilarating experience when people viewing your work “get” what you were going for when you shot the image. And if they don’t get it? Maybe you can be the artist who makes them look at the world a little bit differently. After all, isn’t that the goal of every great artist?

Craig Dietrich is the photo pro for Pompano Dive Center.