Dr Alex Mustard has been widely regarded as one of the world’s leading underwater photographers for the last 20 years. He has a PhD in marine ecology and has received national recognition in the UK being made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for ‘services to underwater photography' in 2018.
His photographs have won many awards including regularly in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year - being awarded in 9 different categories and appearing in 15 different books of winning pictures in the last 20 years. He is a founder and chair of the jury for UPY, the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, and has been a committee member of the British Society of Underwater Photographers for the last 21 years.
Move slowly to your nearest cleaning station and settle in — great shots are on their way.
Crank up that ISO, leverage a sunny day and think of kelp as a backdrop to capture stunning shots underwater.
Streamline your kit based on the images you want to create, especially when shooting macro, and leave the rest behind.
Wear color to peak the sea lion's curiosity and adjust your shutter speed to match theirs to get good underwater photos.
Tips and tricks for capturing beautiful images of this ocean superstar.
The best vacations for diving photographers, from Indonesia to Egypt.
Capturing natural ocean scenes in original ways is just the start. Shoot with RAW files, follow content rules and deadlines, and submit photos to contests frequently to be a serious entrant.
Learn where nudibranchs live and aim for a super macro shot that highlights the sea slug’s unique features.
Tailor your message, focus on what matters and keep hope alive to take underwater photos that will inspire ocean conservation.