Behavior

Name

Pier Nirandara

Where are you from?

Bangkok, Thailand. I now split my time between Cape Town and Los Angeles.

How long have you been shooting photos?

I started shooting underwater more seriously in 2018.

How long have you been diving?

Since I was 13!

What is your highest certification level?

I'm a PADI Divemaster and also an AmbassaDiver.

Is photography your full-time job?

I'm an author, travel writer, underwater photographer and founder of Immersiv Expeditions, where I lead trips to swim with marine wildlife.

Your favorite camera?

Currently the Sony a9.

Have you won any awards?

I've been fortunate enough to be recognized in competitions including Ocean Photographer of the Year Award, UN World Oceans Day, the Ocean Conservancy annual photo contest, Photographers Without Borders, and the 2023 Save Our Seas Foundation Ocean Storytelling Photography Grant.

How did you get started in underwater photography?

A mutual love for diving and photography led to combining the two—the rest is history.

What's your favorite place to shoot underwater?

South Africa, hands down. From crispy cold kelp forests to the frenzy of the sardine run, the conditions are incredibly challenging. But when things line up, there's nowhere else like it.

What's your most unforgettable moment underwater?

On a day in Dominica when we went out looking for sperm whales, we learned they had all fled the area due to the presence of a pod of false killer whales—a type of orca rumored to hunt sperm whales’ young. This incredibly rare and elusive species showed up next to our boat, circling for hours, clicking and communicating. They were undeniably curious, coming up close enough to touch. Making eye contact with such an animal—one we know so little about—was a surefire way to elicit a mixture of curiosity, fear, wonder and awe. Oh, and my very first sardine run!

Related Reading: What It's Like to Be an Underwater Photographer in Ningaloo Reef

What inspires your photography?

Growing up in Thailand gave me a profound respect for coastal communities of color and their relationship to the sea. There’s a massive human element in our relationship to the water—beyond pretty pictures. From “fresh off the boat” to “Black people can’t swim,” Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) are often excluded from marine narratives, even though disenfranchised groups are the most at risk from climate change. Representation is key to comprehensive storytelling and creating change. If we are to save our seas, we must first inspire others to care for our oceans, and that starts with seeing that they, too, have a place in the narrative. There are an abundance of nonperformative stories that warrant attention, and it’s my hope to provide a platform for such voices, to create, represent and showcase more diversity in environmental journalism and marine spaces. We can’t care about a place where we feel we don't belong. I hope my photography will break down the walls of apathy, signal that the ocean is a space we all belong, and showcase a blue world that is our collective responsibility to protect.

How would you describe your photography style? How did you develop this?

Narratively, I’m drawn to lesser-known places, Indigenous coastal communities, and the relationship between humans and water. Stories act as connective tissue for humanity—and allows us to transcend geographical boundaries and cultural differences to empathize and unite. Storytelling can break down the walls of apathy and give a platform to underrepresented voices, bringing about change through empathy and connection.

What's your #1 bucket-list dive destination?

The polar regions. There's something wonderfully ethereal about icebergs underwater, and it's an environment that historically has rarely been photographed by people of color. I'd love to see the White Continent underwater, through the lens of a female BIPOC.

Related Reading: How to Pack Your Underwater Camera Gear

What underwater photographer do you most admire and why?

This is an impossible question to answer—there are so many! I’ve often wondered what a photograph or story would look like if told from a female perspective instead of a male gaze—what elements it would highlight, what strengths it would find in softness. This ethos is reflected in Cristina Mittermeier’s photography—one of my favorites, along with Ami Vitale, Acacia Johnson and Hannah Morales. I also hugely admire Tony Wu, Henley Spiers, Brian Skerry, Kiliii Yuyan, Laurent Ballesta, Alex Dawson, and fellow Thai underwater photographer Shin Arunrugstichai.

Is there an emerging photographer you would like to give recognition to?

Maddie Hayes (@maddiealohilani). I've had the privilege of shooting with her before, and her underwater film is wonderfully unique and extraordinary.

How do you choose which of your photos to enter in a photo contest?

It's one thing to take pretty pictures, and another to evoke a reaction and makes people feel. Awe, empathy, horror—these are all important emotions and can be used as catalysts for change. A well-told story elevates work beyond the ordinary.

What's your advice for underwater shooters entering their first photo contest?

You'll never know if you don't try. Hit that submit button!