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Featured Underwater Photographer – Penn De Los Santos

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 Penn De Los Santos!

About Penn

I have been shooting topside photos since I was a teenager when my father allowed me to use his cameras that he uses for his job as a scale model maker. I started diving in 2004 when I received an open water diver course as a gift for my birthday. Soon after I got certified I bought a film camera and automatically fell in love with underwater photography. Then in 2005 I switched to a compact digital camera when underwater housings became available in the Philippines. Diving in Anilao has helped me hone my style of underwater macro shooting. I first experimented shooting with a hand held torch and made DIY snoot attachments to get the lighting effects that I wanted. It was when I had my first time to use a strobe that I realized how much easier it is to get good underwater shots. I maintained using different compact camera brands and models and also gained confidence to join underwater photography competitions. I lost most of the time, but I won some awards and began to make my own name known in the diving community. Some of my photos have been featured on print and e-magazines already. I have also sold a batch of my self-published coffee table book with photos taken using an Olympus TG4. Today I still continue shooting with a compact camera but slowly switching to a mirrorless camera.

Penn‘s Gear

  • Olympus TG6 in Nauticam housing
  • Olympus OM-D EM5 III IN AOI housing 
  • Olympus 14-42mm kit lens
  • AOI Q1 strobes 
  • Inon focus light
  • Wet lenses (Inon, Fit Pro, SubSea, iDas) 

Penn’s Work

Yawning clown. I patiently waited to get this shot while I was in Bohol, Philippines. The shot was taken while I was doing my safety stop and I noticed a few clownfish swimming about in their anemone home.

Photographer at work. This beautiful coral mound was in Jagna, Bohol. I was shooting with other photographers when I took this wonderful chance of having another shooter in the background with his video lights turned on.

Lava walk. This nudibranch looks like it was crawling on a lava heated rock. I like the color contrast of the nudibranch against yellow and red foreground and the black background.

Coiled. I used a focused beam from my strobes to get this effect that highlighted the parasites on the back of this whip coral goby.

Samurai Mask. The face of this Cyerce nigra looks like a Samurai wearing a mask and full battle gear. This photo of this beautiful nudibranch was taken in Romblon, Philippines.

I asked my dive buddy to pose for me with his torch turned on at the entrance of this cave. The photo was taken while we were in the Maldives last May 2023.

The sun rays coming from above made for a dramatic background for this small school of jacks. Photo was taken while I was on a liveaboard trip in Tubbataha last June 2023.

Line ‘em up! During a Bonfire dive I was following these three squids when they perfectly lined up for this once in a lifetime shot that I took from Anilao.

Blue Kiss. This is sleeping parrotfish mouth. I was actually looking to shoot a sleeping parrotfish with a bubble wrapped around its body when I noticed this one that looked like it was smilingly for my camera. I slowly approached and took a few shots.

Follow Penn

Instagram : @penndls

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penn.dls

Karla
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