Capturing fish underwater is no easy task. I have found myself hiking to the highest mountain lakes in Idaho, standing face to face with moose in Montana, and tiptoeing around bison in the backcountry of Yellowstone, all for the opportunity to photograph in the clearest watersheds each region has to offer. It’s no secret that I have a strong connection to fish, and I am not alone in my admiration towards these marvelous vertebrates. Clear water allows for less modifications when it comes to the final editing of my photography. The refraction of light underneath the water dulls the most brilliant colors in the red and yellow spectrums. These colors make up the most dazzling parts of the fish, and they fade away within inches from the camera. Bringing those colors of the fish back to life in an underwater photograph pays homage to the natural beauty of the fish that is well known by fellow admirers of the organism and its habitat. Every photographed fish has been cared for with the proper instruction for catch and release provided by Idaho Fish and Game.
My current occupation is a stay home dad with two young boys, Mason(5) and Cruz(3). On the weekends I teach or guide fly fishing on the local Boise River. My passion for underwater photography started when I received a waterproof point-and-shoot camera, and questioned if looking at a trout underwater would be more stunning that seeing it in my hands. Attempting this was more difficult that I had first imagined, but with a stroke of luck one shot of a rainbow trout was victorious. From then I was hooked.
Underwater photography is one of the most challenging paths of photography due to the loss of color and contrast, difficulty shooting through liquid, and inability to manually focus. Not to mention the inconvenience of working with a fast-moving subject. I love seeing fish captured underwater, so it didn’t matter if I had all the cards of photography stacked against me, I was going to do it.
