Featured Photographers

Featured Underwater Photographer – François Baelen

One of the best ways to learn photography is to see other photographers’ work. We try to find some of the best underwater photographers in the world, and showcase their work, along with the gear they use, to help other aspiring photographers improve, learn new skills and get inspired.

This week we will feature the talented François Baelen!

Francois Baelen

About François

My name is François Baelen, I’m 28 years old and currently living in Reunion Island, in the western Indian ocean.

I spent my life in the Caribbean until my 9th birthday, where my father died freediving. But it didn’t stop me to grow a passion for the oceans.

Moved on to France to complete my studies, became a general practitioner and started my diving levels in the Mediterranean waters.

When I decided to move to Reunion Island in 2015, I only had 50 dives under my belt and I started to do some GoPro footage, then added a red filter, and completed with powerful lights…

But it was never enough (and it still is not) – and eventually, I got tired to feel like a critter spotter for my photographers’ friends… critters that I wasn’t able to shoot with my gear.

That’s why I started 2018 buying my first real camera with a macro setup, then strobes and later a wide angle setup. I was now ready to capture what I see during my dives.

I learned a lot during my only year doing underwater photography but I still have a long way to go.

Here I come 2019, may I be able to improve as much as I would like to, and may I be able to share good stuff with you!

François‘s Gear

Camera:

1x Sony A7III

Lenses:

For Sony FE: 90 mm macro

For Sony Zeiss: 16-35 mm

Wet Lens: SMC1; Moby (noodilab)

Housings:

Nauticam NA-A7III

UW Strobes:

2x Inon Z330

Dome:

Nauticam N120

TTL:

s-TTL from turtleprod

UW Photos by François

Here are some of the underwater photos taken by François Baelen.

© François Baelen
Reunion Island without whales is not Reunion Island! Probably my favorite shot to date.

Pigmy
© François Baelen
Front shot of a Pigmy seahorse in Tulamben. Allowed myself not more than 5 shots so I was pretty happy with this one.

amplustre
© François Baelen
Aplustrum amplustre, a small sea snail carrying its eggs by night in a tidepool.

clownfish
© François Baelen
Dad clownfish taking care of the next generation.

cyerce
© François Baelen
Cyerce kikutarobabai: what an exotic name for a wonderful nudibranch!

cuttlefish
© François Baelen
Playing with a cuttlefish in Crystal Bay, Bali.

froggy
© François Baelen
A lovely frogfish in Reunion Island, hanging out in a sponge.. or are those small volcanos?

leopard
© François Baelen
Cleaning scene with my favorite eel, the leopard eel. Had to be patient for this one!

rhinopias
© François Baelen
Rhinopias are extremely rare here in Reunion Island so thanks to my buddy Cedric for finding this juvenile!

© François Baelen
Reflection of a Spanish dancer in a tidepool by night. The surface was very, very calm!

Whale
© François Baelen
Face to face with a playful calf while the mother is watching carefully.

Whale
© François Baelen
I will never get bored of those amazing encounter!

Get in Touch with François

Website : https://www.linkou-underwater.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/linkou.underwater

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/linkou.underwater

Ran Mor
Follow me!

3 comments

  1. Kerry Smart January 15, 2019

    Beautiful macro photography. I hope in a year I can be half as good as you. Lol

  2. ppcyn January 21, 2019

    Amazing, does he use instagram?

  3. Avatar photo
    Ran Mor February 12, 2019

    Yes he does! You can see the link to his Instagram profile at the bottom of the article:
    https://www.instagram.com/linkou.underwater

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.