There’s something completely different about being photographed underwater! The second you slip beneath the surface, gravity lets go, fabric comes alive, hair starts floating, and suddenly a portrait can look like it belongs in another world!
And no—you do NOT need to be a mermaid, an experienced swimmer, or capable of holding your breath for three minutes to do this!
If you’ve been thinking about an underwater portrait session but wondering what the heck you’re actually getting yourself into, here are five things I want you to know before we hit the water!
1. You Don’t Have to Be an Experienced Swimmer!
This is probably the biggest misconception about underwater portraits!
You don’t have to be an amazing swimmer. You don’t even have to be particularly comfortable going deep! We start where YOU are comfortable and work from there.
Underwater portraits are created in short, controlled bursts. You’ll go beneath the surface, we’ll create the image, and then you come right back up! We repeat that process while I guide you through your movements, expressions, and positioning.
There’s no prize for staying underwater the longest! This is portrait photography—not an Olympic event!
2. You’re Not Holding Your Breath Nearly as Long as You Think!
When people see my finished photographs, they sometimes assume the person was underwater forever.
Nope!
Most of what we create happens during short breath holds—often around 10 to 20 seconds!
The magic comes from timing, movement, light, fabric, and knowing exactly when to photograph the moment. You don’t need some superhuman set of lungs!
And yes, we take breaks! Lots of them!
3. What You Wear Makes a HUGE Difference!
Underwater, clothing becomes part of the photograph!
Long dresses, flowing skirts, sheer layers, dramatic sleeves, and lightweight fabrics can move in ways they simply can’t on land. Something that looks fairly simple standing beside the pool can turn into absolute freaking magic once it hits the water!
We’ll talk about wardrobe before your session so we can choose pieces that photograph beautifully and fit the kind of images you want to create!
And your session doesn’t have to mean a giant flowing gown! Underwater portraits can be glamorous, romantic, maternity, boudoir, edgy, whimsical, sexy—or completely outside the box!
That’s half the fun!
4. Looking Effortless Underwater Takes Direction!
Here’s the funny part: sometimes the most peaceful, effortless-looking underwater photograph required a whole lot of coordination to create!
Water has its own ideas!
Hair floats wherever it damn well pleases! Dresses twist! Bodies naturally want to float! Bubbles happen! And sometimes we come up laughing because absolutely nothing went according to plan!
That’s normal!
You don’t need to know how to pose underwater. That’s MY job!
I’ll guide you through body position, hands, facial expression, movement, and when to exhale so you aren’t down there trying to figure everything out yourself!
The final photograph may look effortless.
Behind the scenes? There may have been a little beautifully controlled chaos involved!
5. Safety Comes Before the Photograph! Always!
Yes, I want to create something spectacular with you!
But I will NEVER sacrifice safety to get it!
We work gradually from shallow water toward deeper water based on your comfort level, and underwater sessions include a safety swimmer/spotter. I’m also CPR trained.
If you need to come up, YOU COME UP!
If you need a break, WE TAKE A BREAK!
If something doesn’t feel right, WE CHANGE IT!
There is no photograph worth pushing someone past their limits!
So… Are You Ready to Get in the Water?!
An underwater portrait session isn’t about knowing how to model or being perfect underwater.
It’s about creating something you simply cannot create on land!
The reflections! The movement! The weightlessness! The way light travels through the water! The beautiful unpredictability of it all!
Every session is different—and that’s exactly why I love photographing them!
Whether you want something soft and ethereal, dark and moody, wildly dramatic, sexy as hell, or something we haven’t even dreamed up yet, we’ll create it together!
Ready to see what you look like in another world?!
Come get in the water with me!!! 💙
Tobi Rose Rabaliati
Tobi Rose Photography
Hood River, Oregon
Underwater Portrait Photographer
THE Columbia River Gorge, Windsurfing Capital Of The World!
Tobi Rose Photography Instagram
Rose & Lace By Tobi Rose Instagram
Ready to see how the whole underwater experience works? Explore The Experience.
Still dipping your toes in? Grab my free Underwater Portrait Guide!
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