OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHY
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERWATER & WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PROFESSIONALS
Photograph the wild places you love, and build a career behind the lens.
This eBook is the complete journey. From your first entry into the wild with a camera in hand, through every technical skill you need to consistently get the shot onto finding your creative voice. And then to the part most guides skip entirely: how to actually build a career and an income around your creative work. 190 pages, written to meet you where you are and take you further into a career behind the lens.
Everything in these pages has been written from my first hand experience as a photographer in the field. I taught myself the hard way: through failed attempts, time in the water, and years obsession, with no formal training. That self-taught approach won me an international photography award just one year into shooting professionally. This is the guide I wish I had when I first started and I hope it can give you a head start into the field of photography.
Who it's for?
Maybe you've never taken a camera underwater before, and the whole world beneath the surface still feels like something other people get to capture. Or maybe you've already got hundreds of dives logged and a hard drive full of images, and what's missing isn't skill, it's a way to turn that skill into a career. This book was written for both of you and covers everything from camera settings, equipment, underwater and wildlife photography, visual story telling, video basics to making and income from your work.
What's inside?
Foundations
Where to Begin: building ocean confidence
Planning & Safety: dive planning and safety
Physics of Light: how light and colour behave underwater
Camera Craft
Camera Settings: aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, ISO, the exposure triangle
Manual Shooting: choosing your settings, white balance, shooting RAW, metering modes
Perfecting Exposure: correct exposure, histograms, exposure compensation
Focusing: manual vs auto, continuous vs single, back-button focus, AF point selection
Composition: rule of thirds, classical composition, worked examples
Gear
Camera Bodies: choosing a camera, action cams, compact and full-frame
Lenses: choosing the right lens, focal lengths, full-frame vs cropped
Underwater Equipment: housings, ports and accessories
Underwater & Wildlife Technique
Ambient Light Photography: shooting with natural light
Positioning & Approach: lining up and approaching your subject
Wide vs Macro: capturing vast scenes and tiny subjects
Wildlife Photography: approach, settings, lighting and exposure examples
Split Shots: mastering over/unders and dome prep
Using Strobes: TTL vs manual, strobe power, setting examples
Strobe Positioning: even lighting, common mistakes, preventing backscatter
Painting With Light: creative long exposures, light trails, curtain sync
File Management & Video
Files & RAWs: file types, backups, file management
Videography: frame rates, LOG formats, resolution basics
Equipment Care & Maintenance: servicing, O-rings, insurance, travelling with gear
Creative Vision & Storytelling
My Creative Approach: shooting with feeling and purpose
Visual Storytelling: the art of photojournalism, telling a story through imagery
Business & Career
A Career in Photography: building your brand, professionalism, networking, portfolio, web
Social media: Building your online presence and following
Selling Your Work: pricing, income streams, ethics, copyright, agreements
Bonus
Your Creative Assignment: a self-directed 3-month photo essay project, with the option to submit your work for personal written feedback from Brooke (optional paid add-on)
Terminology Glossary and full index
Note: this guide does not teach photo editing or post-production. That's covered in a separate ebook, coming soon.
File format: PDF Download with full colour diagrams and an abundance of inspiring photo examples by Brooke Pyke.
By purchasing this ebook, you agree to the following terms: This ebook is for strictly personal use only. Purchase or download does not grant any rights to share or redistribute this material, in part or in full, whether for free or for commercial purposes. All advice, techniques, and information provided are based on personal experience and are intended as general guidance only. Readers are responsible for applying their own judgment and discretion when acting on any information contained within. The author accepts no liability for injury, loss, damage, or any other consequences resulting from the use or misuse of information provided. This ebook and all content within, including text and photographs except where credited, are the intellectual property of Brooke Pyke and are protected under international copyright law. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, shared, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior written permission from the author.
© 2026 Brooke Pyke Photography. All rights reserved.
