The Six Most Common Mistakes New Underwater Photographers Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Underwater photography looks magical from the outside. Scroll Instagram and you’ll see dreamy portraits, surreal split shots and glowing skin tones that feel like they belong in another world.
But what you don’t see are the hundreds of misfires, safety scares, or “why does this photo look so green?!” moments that most beginners go through.
The truth? Every new underwater photographer makes mistakes. The good news is, you don’t have to repeat them. Below are the six most common pitfalls I see and exactly how you can sidestep them.
Mistake #1 — Skipping Safety Basics
Most people rush to the fun stuff: buying a shiny camera housing or testing new presets. But the very first thing that matters is safety.
If you don’t feel confident in the water, or worse, if your client doesn’t feel safe—everything else falls apart. Accidents can happen quickly in the ocean and even in a pool, panic spreads fast.
How to avoid it:
Learn breath work and relaxation techniques.
Use client questionnaires and waivers to set expectations.
Always have a safety plan in place.
Think of safety as your foundation. Without it, you’re building on sand.
Mistake #2 — Diving In Without Ocean Literacy
It’s easy to forget that the ocean has moods. Ignore tides, currents, or swell and you’ll end up battling conditions that make shooting impossible, or dangerous.
One of the biggest questions I get asked is: “How do you know when it’s safe to shoot?”
How to avoid it:
Learn to read weather and swell forecasts.
Understand how wind direction affects visibility.
Start in calm, sheltered sites before venturing further.
Your images will instantly improve when you stop fighting the ocean and start working with it.
Mistake #3 — Buying the Wrong Gear (or Too Much Too Soon)
We’ve all seen it: someone spends thousands on the “best” underwater housing or wide-angle lens, only to realise they don’t actually know how to use it.
The result? Frustration, fogged housings and an empty bank account.
How to avoid it:
Start with what you have (even a compact camera or GoPro).
Learn the basics of light and framing before upgrading.
Invest slowly; let your skills dictate your gear, not the other way around.
Remember: great art comes from vision and practice, not from the most expensive rig.
Mistake #4 — Forgetting Buoyancy and Body Awareness
Here’s a sneaky one: your own body might be sabotaging your shots. Without understanding buoyancy, you’ll either float like a cork or sink like a stone and your clients will too.
This makes posing almost impossible and often results in frantic, awkward movements.
How to avoid it:
Use small weights or fins to control buoyancy.
Practice in a pool before heading into the ocean.
Pay attention to body composition (pregnancy, fitness, even muscle mass change how people move underwater).
When you master buoyancy, your clients will look graceful instead of panicked—and your shots will finally match your vision.
Mistake #5 — Overcomplicating Posing and Session Flow
Above water, you can shout cues and adjust angles easily. Underwater, it’s a different story. If your directions are too complex, you’ll lose your client’s trust and waste precious dive time.
How to avoid it:
Keep poses simple and repeatable.
Focus on flow and natural movement, not static positions.
Position clients relative to the light source (not just the background).
The best underwater portraits look effortless because they are effortless.
Mistake #6 — Neglecting the Edit
You’ve nailed the dive, got the shots… and then your images come out cloudy, green, or flat. Editing is where most beginners give up.
How to avoid it:
Always shoot RAW for maximum flexibility.
Correct white balance early in the process.
Use presets or build a workflow for consistent skin tones and vibrant colours.
Editing isn’t cheating—it’s finishing the job.
Bonus Mistake: Forgetting the Bigger Picture
It’s tempting to chase “pretty” underwater shots. But the most powerful images carry a story: about the ocean, about your subject, about you.
When your work connects to values or conservation, it moves from being decorative to being transformative.
Final Thoughts
Every underwater photographer stumbles in the beginning. But if you take safety seriously, respect the ocean, build your skills before splurging on gear and focus on flow over perfection, you’ll shortcut years of trial and error.
The mistakes don’t have to be your story.
👉 If you want to skip the guesswork and build your first underwater portfolio with clarity and confidence, join me inside Underwater Alchemy—my six-week program designed to help you do exactly that.