Everything you need to know about Underwater Sessions
I started doing underwater photography because I wanted to stretch myself creatively and I knew there was a whole untapped world below the surface to get inspired by. I am a certified scuba diver and was a lifeguard in my youth, so being in the water has always been a passion of mine. After my first underwater session, I was immediately hooked and am so excited to continue to explore this art form! Because not very many people have experienced underwater photography before, I thought I’d share some information to get you as excited as I am. 🙂
Underwater Photography is a fun, creative way to capture the essence of childhood. Kids are at their happiest when playing in the water, so capturing that joy and playfulness has been equally fun for me! I love all the candid, yet magical perspectives that are possible! Below I will walk you through what to expect from a session and how to prepare.
WHO: Children who are confident swimmers, ‘Mommy and Me’ or ‘Daddy and Me’ sessions for babies and children who are not ready to swim alone, school age kids who are on the swim, dive, or water polo teams, as well as Swim Team photos. Why not do a whole family session in your pool? Let’s not forget engaged couples looking for a unique engagement session or a pregnant mama looking for some beautiful maternity photos! I am comfortable in the ocean as well, so the possibilities are endless!
WHERE: Your Pool, your friend’s pool, the ocean, the lake or any body of water with good visibility.
WHEN: May through October unless your pool is heated :). Sessions typically take place a few hours before sunset, but because ideal photography light hits everyone’s pools at different times, start times will vary. I will likely ask you to send me photos of your pool at 5:00pm and 5:30pm prior to the session.
PREPARATION: For pool sessions, choose 1-2 outfits to change into during the session. Underwater props are always welcome too! Lightweight fabrics like tulle skirts and dresses photograph nicely without weighing you down. Remove all debris and leaves from the pool just before the session as well as removing the pool cleaning gear and any toys from the water. Remove distracting articles from the outer perimeter of the pool as well, like towels and toys.
SAFETY: Water safety is my number one priority at all times. For this reason, I require only one adult to act as the lifeguard during the session. They need to be rescue ready and without cell phones or any other distractions. My attention will be focused on capturing images and may not recognize signs that your child is getting fatigued or in distress. Floatation devices and goggles are welcome, if your child feels safest using those things.
DURING: The session will begin with me swimming around the pool with my camera to scope out the various lighting scenarios. Next, I will photograph your kids doing whatever it is that they love doing in the water, but I may give guidance on where to swim. I will also provide some fun actions for them to do underwater that will photograph nicely. They can also do an outfit change during the session if they’d like!
AFTER: After the session, you will receive a sneak peek or two that have been fully artistically edited. Shortly after, you will receive your full gallery of images that have been lightly edited. Based on the package you purchased, you will then choose the images that you want to be artistically edited for your personal downloads. In your gallery there is a professional printing store with products like canvases, acrylic prints, metal prints, fine art prints and framing. I also offer an album design service to create a coffee table book of your favorite images.
Lastly, feel free to spread the word about your experience! I offer great incentives for any referrals you send my way! Posting to social media at @ihearthsp and tagging people who may be interested in the session is another great way to earn extras in your print store.
If this sounds fun to you, feel free to reach out for more information and to book a session!
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