Looking at these images, it’s easy to see that life underwater is different. Strange and shimmering liquid distortions reveal a whole new world of mysterious delight.

The eyes of our earliest ancestors changed drastically when they left the water for land; as a result, we don’t see nearly as well underwater as they did. Unless we have masks or googles, the magical underwater world can be blurry or hard on the eyes. Even with the aid of snorkels and scuba gear, there’s a limit to how long we can spend below the waves. But underwater photography, when done well, allows us to see this realm with crystal clarity for as long as we like. For photographers, the challenge is dealing with the water itself, a substance much denser than air, which desaturates the colour and reduces contrast and clarity.

Water is part of life; our bodies are 60% water and with each drop of water we drink, we reinforce our connection to the oceans we once lived in. Because of our dependence on water, it frequently symbolizes life in fiction and pop-culture. It’s also a symbol of rebirth, health and rejuvenation. Given it’s ability to enable us to travel, it has long been associated with mystery, connecting us with parts unknown. And well before we had the tools to seriously explore the underwater realm, we created stories of daring deeds on the sea as well as of the monsters and mermaids that lived beneath its depths.

Images of people underwater are fairly aspirational: happy people enjoying vacation, travel or retirement. Whether portraying people ticking off another item on their bucket lists or embracing a healthy and active lifestyle regardless of age, these images are not only suitable for travel campaigns, but also for financial and healthcare projects too.