Featured Photographers

HomeFeatured PhotographersFeatured Underwater Photographer – Jack Pokój

Featured Underwater Photographer – Jack Pokój

One of the best ways to learn photography is to see other photographers’ work. Mozaik looks for some of the best underwater photographers in the world, and showcases 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 Jack Pokój!

About Jack

I am 61 years old, originally from the UK but currently based in the Philippines in Dauin. I moved here 8 years ago to enjoy life while I was still healthy enough and have an outdoor life with lots of diving, hiking and camping. I have been diving with my wife Shiribelle and together we call ourselves JackBelle. Shiribelle has a special talent for finding unusual underwater critters  while I try to share their beauty and special features through underwater photos and videos. We usually do 1 or 2 night dives and regularly explore new places to dive in our local area around Dauin. When we find a place that’s “hot” we will dive there repeatedly which helps us to get to know the area well and find most of the new critters.

Jack’s Gear

  • Nikon Z6 camera and native Z mount lenses
    • 105mm f2.8 MC for macro
    • 14-30MM f4 for wide angle
    • I sometimes use an F Mount 60mm micro lens for Blackwater and Bonfire dives
  • Sea and Sea housing and ports
    • Ikelite DS160 and DS 161 strobes. They have a circular flash tube which provides even lighting
  • Fix Neo mini 1000. Focus light. I use the red and white lights to see the critters so I can decide how best to shoot them. The auto cut off feature is very useful so I don’t get too much red in the background.
  • Scubalamp Supe V6K Pro 12,000 lumens video light. This is bright enough so it is not in the way when I take photos and bright enough so I don’t have to move it to take videos.
  • Inon float arms and clamps. My set up is heavy on land but balanced underwater which helps me take photos and videos more easily on vertical surfaces, ropes or rocks as well as on the ocean floor.
  • Marelux SOFT Pro snoot to simplify the background. I can easily change the size of the snooped light and the red light is great for easily spooked subjects.

Jack‘s Work

Blue-ringed octopus: A juvenile Blue-ringed Octopus hanging on a blade of grass. It looks very conical.

Candy crab: A well camouflaged Candy Crab in soft coral. I had to be patient and wait for it to move into a good position so I could make it pop against a black background.

Coconut octopus: This Coconut Octopus has made itself a home in a plastic bottle and was hunting crabs from the hole in the side of the bottle.

Coryphellina exoptata: I took this photo of a Coryphellina exoptata nudibranch with the snoot backlighting it so it make the bady more transparent.

Flam Cuttlefish: This Flamboyant Cuttlefish was hunting and you can see its blue “tongue” poking out just before it tried to catch its prey.

Frogfish lure: The Painted Frogfish was using its lure to try to catch some food. Frogfish usually hunt at night and stay camouflaged during the day so night dives are usually best for taking interesting photos and videos.

Goniobranchus geometricus: The Goniobranchus geometricus nudibranch is a good subject for taking an almost symmetrical photo.

Halgerda tesselata: The Halgerda tesselata nudibranch has a beautiful colourful pattern.

Harlequin shrimp: The Harlequin shrimp is a “Bucket List” subject which tend to hide during the day but frequently found hunting for starfish on night dives.

Lizardfish: This Lizardfish had recently caught a fish and was trying to swallow it tail first. You can see the victim wedged inside the mouth.

Noumeaella sp.: The Noumeaella species nudibranch was laying eggs on the side of a concrete sinker covered in sponge and coral. It was very well camouflaged and difficult to see against the background so I have to light it from the side to make it visible.

Painted frogfish: A small juvenile Painted Frogfish looks cute!

Phestilla melanobrachia: The Phestilla melanobrachia nudibranch looks like a small piece of coral until you see its head. It come in yellow, orange, brain and black and normally has its head down while feeding on night dives. During the day it hides in the nearby coral.

Seahorse: A yellow Thorny Seahorse with its tail wrapped around a blade of grass.

Tiger Shrimp: The Tiger Shrimp is another “Bucket List” critter and best seen on night dives when it hits for food, usually brittle stars.

Wide Pier. I took this wide angle photo with a snoot to make it more dramatic. A similar photo won the wide angle category in an underwater competition in the Philippines for which I won my Marelux SOFT Pro snoot.

Follow Jack

Jill B
Latest posts by Jill B (see all)

1 comment

  1. kerry edwards January 3, 2023

    Your pictures are outstanding. Not only is the photographic technique excellent but how you caught the fish/invertebrates in the behaviors and positions is to be envied!!

Leave a Reply

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

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.