Underwater Wedding Photography | Water Photoshoot | Unique Water Photoshoot
Offering beautifully unique underwater wedding photos in the USA and internationally | Underwater wedding photographer
Article and photos by underwater wedding photographer Kathryn Cooper Weddings
Welcome to the unique world of underwater wedding photography and underwater portraits!
To answer your first question: Yes, this is a real thing. And also yes—it’s not not crazy.
Also yes—it is completely beautiful, wild, and one-of-a-kind.
I’m Kathryn Cooper, an underwater portrait photographer and SCUBA certified underwater wedding photographer. I’m one of just a few handfuls of trained underwater photographers offering private portrait + wedding sessions in New York, Florida, Hawaii, and other destinations.
The first thing to note is that this is NOT AI. These are real photos of real people, in real places, who have quickly learned how to model underwater.
The Who, What, Where, When, and How of Underwater Wedding Photography
Who Does This? Olympic Swimmers, or Everyday People Like Me?
If you can swim and follow directions, you can do this. Ready to dig in? Let’s go!
First, you do not need to be a professional swimmer to model underwater, though the ability to learn, stay calm, and have good breath support is a great start.
Underwater photography is exciting, while simultaneously an exercise in slow, controlled movement and breath support. It can all be done in just a few hours, from learning and practicing to photos like these.
When posing underwater, it helps to have good breath control and body control. I’ll teach you both. That said, people who are excellent at modeling underwater tend to be former/current dancers, freedivers, yoga followers, musicians, and athletes.
So who does this?
–Couples—married or engaged, or celebrating
–Expecting mothers—underwater maternity photos are quite popular!
–Solo people (typically women, but also men) who want one-of-a-kind portraits and experiences
–Models who want an edge or specialty
–Mermaids looking to show their craft or work in the industry
–Everyday folks who want a challenge
Because underwater portraits are not easy nor cheap, clients also have to have the funds to book such a luxury session. A typical portrait shoot involves travel, an extra safety diver, an experienced underwater photographer (that’s me!), training, incredibly expensive gear, immense planning, a private pool or public freshwater spring access, a special wardrobe, special makeup and hair, and more. My portrait/wedding photoshoots underwater run anywhere from $1400 – $3200+, with people often ordering custom prints or artwork in addition.
This is not a cheap hobby nor customer base, but the cost is justified when all of the training, insurance, and planning is added up.
Throughout the U.S. and abroad, very few people are underwater portrait photographers / underwater wedding photographers. You may have landed on this page after just learning this exists, or by chance, or by mermaid modeling (or for a different reason altogether!).
So, why are there so few underwater photographers for couples? First, it’s quite difficult. Both modeling under water and photographing under water are extremely challenging, requiring body control, breath control, buoyance control, and years of photography experience. Second, it’s extremely expensive to get all the gear and supplies needed. Third, it’s challenging to set everything up, find the right opportunities, have access to pools and springs, and more.
All this said, it’s an intense endeavor for both the client and the photographer—and the results are unmistakably incredible.
What Are Underwater Portraits, Exactly?
Underwater portraits may not be exactly what you think. If you’re thinking of a tank and tube, diving many feet below the surface, you’re likely thinking of freediving or SCUBA diving. And there is nothing wrong with that! I’m SCUBA certified, and have done over 100 dives in more than a dozen countries around the world—so if you’re doing a SCUBA diving wedding and want SCUBA wedding photography, I’m your gal.
That said, SCUBA weddings are not quite as photogenic (unless there are hammerhead sharks around, and you’re in the Bahamas or Asia!), because you have a huge tank on, mask, regulator (your breathing apparatus), and tons of gear all over, so it’s not exactly…model-worthy. Because of the safety and circumstances, it’s not the type of photoshoot where you can get creative, whimsical portraits. I’ll still be your SCUBA wedding photographer, but in this article, I’m really talking about gear-less underwater portrait photography.
Doing underwater shoots can, in fact, be done in just a few short hours. They’re done in fairly shallow water, with most photos taking place in 4 feet – 8 feet of water depth. It’s NOT done super deep, with tanks on your back.
Anyone who can swim can learn how to pose underwater—it just takes a little training (which I do in just an hour, during your session—it’s all part of the experience).
Below are a few shots of what the process looks like to an onlooker
Just above: Me in the water photographing a client, and one of the images from that moment
Where is the Best Location for Underwater Photos? Can You Do Them in My Pool?
This is where your underwater photos can get creative!
– You can do them in a pool. It’s better if it’s a saltwater pool for eye sensitivity, and 8’ deep or more to get the best photos. When I do this with clients—which is my most common type of photoshoot in the Northeast—I also bring fabric, weights, and more so that we can have a black background or custom artistic background. Even if we do it in your own pool, or a rental pool, we transform the space and give you an entirely amazing experience. Another benefit to pool? Being able to do photos at night with lights, reflections, and fiber optics
-Underwater wedding photos or engagement are often done in freshwater springs. Most of these are in Florida, Mexico, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Occasionally there are some in other places, but these four locations provide the fresh water and clarity necessary for underwater photos. To that end, Florida is the easiest place to go for underwater photoshoots in the USA. Though…if you’re okay in cold water, there are occasional beautiful freshwater springs in New York, California, Hawaii, and more
–Cenotes and caves. These all need to be checked for safety, but Mexico is rather famous for their gorgeous swimming caves, which are actually safe, collapsed caves with natural sunlight streaming in (called cenotes). Cenote photoshoots are absolutely stunning—especially when the sun hits perfectly with rays of light dancing on the water and piercing through. If you have the budget for a destination underwater photoshoot, this is what I recommend in the Yucatan/Tulum areas! Cenotes and other water caves that allow swimming (and are stunning) are also popular in the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Albania, The Bahamas, and a few more
-The ocean. This one is pretty difficult, but I’ve done it many times. Your photographer needs to find a safe, still bay with exceptional water clarity. This is not recommended for beginners, because you have less time in the water due to salt content, waves, and other impediments
I took all of the above photos in pools in Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Florida.
It just takes a special backdrop and accessories.
When Should One Do Photos Underwater?
Any time you want them! You’ll need to speak with your photographer to make sure it’s safe, but generally you’re in warm, clear water with no current.
People do underwater portraits when they:
-Want something completely different
-Want an experience, and not just a typical photo session
-Are interested in celebrating somewhere special
-Become pregnant, and are interested in underwater maternity photos
-Are getting married or celebrating a relationship
-Want to show off a new mermaid tail, their body confidence, or celebrate an achievement
-Are excited to do an underwater adventure session, pre-wedding or anniversary session
How to Do an Underwater Portrait Shoot
First, hire a professional. You do not want to entrust your photos and life to anyone inexperienced. Underwater portraits needn’t be dangerous, but a trained professional will understand the unspoken and extremely important safety guidelines. This is why you always have a safety diver and the right protocols. She/he will have safety gear, lifesaving devices, backup gear, local knowledge, a safety diver assistant, and much more. Without all these things, you should not hire a photographer. At the very least, you’re going in water in strange fabric, with no goggles. You need to trust the people around you completely.
Now that I’ve gone over that, here’s how you can learn to pose underwater, and get insanely awesome underwater portraits:
– Be ready to learn. Even if you’re the most confident competitive swimmer, swimming with no mask, in clothing, it’s a whole new ball game. Be ready to learn for an hour, and then you’ll put what you learned into practice underwater!
– Hire a photographer whose imagery you love, and whose knowledge you trust. I’ve photographed underwater portraits for over 10 years, and would love to help with ideas for your underwater wedding photos, underwater engagement photos, or underwater portrait. I also photograph non-wedding portraits for my other company, Kathryn Cooper Photography.
-Have a discussion with your photographer about what kind of underwater photoshoot you want, and discuss where and how you can get the results you want
-Go over wardrobe options and styles. This is something your photographer needs to have input on. Surprisingly, what you wear (and what it’s made of) makes a huge impact on how your photos look, as well as your safety. Most clothing is not made for swimming. It traps water in, and even Olympic swimmers will have difficulty with light-seeming fabrics pulling one under the surface.
Safety and Guidance for Underwater Photography & Portraits Underwater
If it seem like I’m writing too much about safety protocols, I don’t blame you. I thought it was mentioned too much in my last course, when I just wanted to capture amazing underwater models; yet when I encountered challenging situations, I definitely understood why. Safety needs to be front of mind for any underwater portrait photographer (and for anyone hiring one), and here’s why:
I first photographed underwater weddings over 10 years ago while shooting destination weddings and elopements in the Caribbean and Hawaii. Then, I had a destination wedding in the Bahamas—and realized that so much more goes into a photoshoot than I had even known.
The couple was quiet well versed in swimming and underwater activities, and a popular travel blogger.
Despite the calm turquoise waters, the water was cold—and a bit rough. Troopers and experienced as they were, my couple jumped off the boat and started doing their best underwater.
Swimming in a dress and suit is incredibly difficult, and when the bride and groom yelled with me over the bits of waves, they mentioned how much harder it was to swim in the ocean with loose fabric that took in water. As I mentioned earlier, the fabric, cut, and types of outfits being worn don’t just matter a little in underwater portrait photography: They matter a lot. So, too, does the water quality, the time of day, the location, the prevalence of salt/chlorine/chemicals, and much more.
Their photos were not my first underwater, but definitely a new learning experience and lesson for me. It was over a decade ago, and I didn’t know as much about fabrics and currents as I do now.
In 2026, things are different. Just last year, I brushed up on my skills and did a course intensive in Central Florida, going over new safety protocol, new posing ideas, fabrics and cuts of clothing, locations, and more. It was my first time photographing mermaids, and photographing in freshwater springs (which are stunning, by the way). I mean, just look at these!
Below: Running in freshwater Florida springs; underwater portrait subjects; in a pool underwater set with Haley Smith, the tattooed mermaid (a.k.a. Ms. Luna Marie of Netflix fame); and me photographing underwater.
What Do You Get After Underwater Photos? What are the Deliverables?
At the end of the day, what you’ll receive is different from a normal photoshoot. Normally, you might get back a few hundred photos from a half-day session.
With photoshoots underwater, there’s a lot more practice, a lot less photo time, and a lot more exhaustion since you’re doing a lot with breath holding and concentration in a unique environment. Therefore, you’ll likely get around 30 – 50 unique photos—and perhaps 5-10 that you’ve picked especially to be fully edited and printed.
Delivering underwater photoshoot images means quality, not quantity. Sometimes you have just 2 minutes of usable photos within a 2-hour session, all dependent on a number of factors. Still, you’ll be amazed at how magical it looks! Because only I, your photographer, wears a mask, you’ll have a more limited idea of how beautiful the entire scene looks. I’ll be wearing a wetsuit, mask, fins, and heavy underwater camera gear. My safety diver will be in a mask, keeping eyes on us the entire time.
Because these are such unique photos, I advise my clients to do professional prints through either a printing lab they trust, or through me and my professionals-only printing lab. It makes a huge difference. Also offered are artwork-inspired prints, and custom framings for large-scale prints.
Whether you keep these one-of-a-kind photos to yourself, share them digitally, or print out your favorites to be printed and framed, you’ll have amazing art made in an amazing way.
Is This the Same as a Trash the Dress Photoshoot?
Well, no. It is a type of trash the dress idea, but it’s not typical. Generally, trash the dress photoshoots are done in ways that might get the dress dirty, might celebrate an event, or might be done solely by the bride. Think hiking, getting under a waterfall, skateboarding, rock climbing, and the like.
In comparison to trashing the dress, an underwater wedding photoshoot is more specialized, takes more preparation, and takes more skill. Trash the dress shoots often involve getting in the water, but not under—meaning you’re not getting the “flying underwater” feeling, flow, or images.
They’re both fun shoots, but result in very different imagery.
Here are some examples of “trash the dress” photoshoots:
Ready for Your Underwater Photoshoot?
From New York, to California, To Florida, Southeast Asia, or Mexico, underwater wedding photos are a magical, unique experience—and I have open slots set aside for these throughout the year.
I have a variety of dresses, men’s shirts, and different outfits and accessories for underwater shoots. You’re also welcome to share your own, with safety approval from me. I’ll discuss what colors and styles look best—and are most safe.
We’ll figure out where to go, what time of year, what looks you want (many people do two outfits), and how. Day-of, there’ll be two of us: Me and my safety diver, and a whole lot of gear!
I truly love doing underwater weddings and portrait shoots more than most things in the world, and my clients have told me that it shows in my images. We get to have an adventure somewhere beautiful—what could be better?
Ready to do this?
