{"id":17137,"date":"2023-10-18T14:53:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T14:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.housingcamera.com\/blog\/?p=17137"},"modified":"2023-10-18T14:58:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T14:58:35","slug":"featured-underwater-photographer-jan-leya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.housingcamera.com\/blog\/featured-photographers\/featured-underwater-photographer-jan-leya","title":{"rendered":"Featured Underwater Photographer – Jan Leya"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the best ways to learn photography is to see other photographers\u2019 work. Mozaik<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

This week we will feature the talented Jan Leya!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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About Jan<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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At 33 years of age, I still count myself among the younger underwater photographers within the industry and yet I am gradually trying to move up into the professional field.<\/p>\n

Living in the north of Germany, I work full-time as a professional firefighter and paramedic. I invest my free time in photography, mainly in the water. Here I find the balance to the often stressful and hectic job. Whether in the cold lakes at home with mostly miserable visibility or in the tropical seas with almost infinite visibility – no body of water is safe from me and my camera.<\/p>\n

In 2015, a spontaneous holiday idea ended in my first certification as a scuba diver. Since then, I have steadily optimised my diving skills and gradually exchanged the then still hobby action camera for more professional equipment. Now I have been photographing more purposefully underwater for about five years. After National Geographic Germany named me “Newcomer Underwater Photographer 2022” last year, I took another step towards professionalism this year by working as a freelance photographer for Greenpeace.<\/p>\n

It has become a matter of the heart to show my fellow men the beauty, uniqueness, and fragility of our oceans. To show them why exactly these ecosystems are so worth protecting and what special features lie right on our doorstep.<\/p>\n

Although sharks are my absolute favourites motifs, every other motif appeals to me to a greater or lesser extent. Little by little, my hard drive filled up with countless pictures of nudibranchs, reef fish, sharks, rays, seahorses, corals, shrimps, turtles and other sea creatures. Even the local fish are not neglected in my portfolio, so the pictures of pike, perch and catfish are constantly piling up.<\/p>\n

While I celebrated my first successes in underwater photography a few years ago with an Olympus TG5 and only one external flash, my setup has now grown considerably. Currently I use a SONY Alpha 6400 in a Fantasea housing with several different lenses (SONY 30mm f\/3.5 macro, SONY 90mm f\/2.8 macro and SIGMA 16mm f\/1.4 wide angle) in different dome ports. Two INON z330s and two Weefine Smart Focus 3000s are used for targeted illumination of my subjects. The setup is rounded off by various brackets, clamps and floats.<\/p>\n

Although I am already very satisfied with this combination, hopefully the upgrade to the SONY A7IV will follow soon, so I hope for better results especially in areas with less ambient light. Results. Now it still fails because of the non-existent housing.<\/p>\n

Would you like to get to know me and learn more about me or are you looking for perfect, individual images for your company, please feel free to contact me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ja<\/strong>‘s Gear<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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