Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an underwater photographer?

How do they capture the amazing scenes in the depths of water? What are the challenges and joys of exploring the deep blue sea? If you are curious about these questions, you are in for a treat.

In this blog, we had the privilege of interviewing Kimber Greenwood, the best underwater photographer fascinated by water. She will share with us her journey, her inspiration, and her tips.

Keep reading to find out how creative Kimber Greenwood is—the expert in capturing underwater beauty.

Q.1 Can you share the story behind the founding of Kimber Greenwood Media and how your journey as a female underwater photographer and entrepreneur began?

Ans. As a photographer, I started as most do, shooting sessions for friends and steadily growing a studio business. In time, underwater photography became a significant part of my work.

When I started getting interest from clients and brands for underwater sessions, I began to see KGM (in the form it is today) come to life. The thing that solidified my desire to push commercial underwater work was when we started doing work alongside other companies that were trying to do underwater photo and video work but didn’t have the knowledge or skills to do it as safely and effectively as my studio was.

The purpose behind KGM is not only to provide underwater content, but to do so with the safety and conservation mindset we built over several years to shoot underwater photography sessions.

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Q.2 As a licensed, registered nurse, technical cave diver, and former lifeguard, how do these diverse skills contribute to your approach to photography?

Ans. The top priority of KGM is safety. Nothing matters more. We have a saying that I’ve adapted from my cave diving training, and that’s “Anyone can call any shoot at any time, for any reason.” What we do is dangerous.

Clothing underwater is a hazard. We don’t just do underwater photoshoot in pools. We shoot in springs, caves, and open water. All these places have varying safety considerations, and people do get hurt. As a nurse, lifeguard, and diver, I’ve worked to hone the photography skills of my team and our procedures to be as prepared as possible for any situation we may run into.

We’ve prepared for medical emergencies, and more than once we’ve had to jump in and help someone, not with our group, in a situation that happened on a day we were shooting.

Q3. What sparked your interest in underwater photography, and how did you develop your expertise in this unique niche?

Ans. a) Water has always been a significant part of my life. I knew from a young age that I would do something that involved water.

I didn’t know it would be this, but definitely something. Underwater photography started when a client at my studio had the thought of doing some underwater maternity shoots at a local spring.

I loved every minute of it and knew immediately that this was the direction I was going to take my business. Since then, I’ve looked for every way possible to spend as much time underwater as I can.

b) I started by researching who was doing this type of work in the photography industry, but what I found was that there were very few people, and of those that were, none were doing it full-time or had really developed a program around it.

I’ve been mentored by some people in different aspects of the photography business. But when it came to underwater photography, particularly the safety aspects, I’ve had to do a lot of research, use a lot of common sense, and develop my own program and underwater photography equipment.

When I started mentoring and teaching other photographers, I knew I had to take it a step further, and I am constantly working to learn new skills and grow not only my personal knowledge but also equip and educate others to expand and grow a safe underwater photographer community.

Q.4 How do you ensure the safety and comfort of your clients, especially the pregnant and boudoir ones, when you photograph them underwater?

Ans. My team has a whole program developed around client safety. It is the top priority. The key item is that I have one in-water safety swimmer for each client at all times. The number of people in the water I am photographing will never exceed the number of trained safety personnel.

This is critical to ensuring client safety. My job is to focus on capturing beautiful underwater photos, and it’s my safety swimmers’ job to make sure the client is safe and comfortable. With pregnant people, we take a lot of extra precautions.

Through conversations before we ever meet at the water, I assess their levels of comfort and skill around the water, and even as we begin the sessions, we start shallow and gradually work deeper. This not only lets them grow in their comfort, but also lets my team assess them in the water and how they act and react.

We’ve actually taken several clients into the water who can’t swim and had a successful session with them. The key is to be thorough in our assessment of them, let them become comfortable with the water and with us, and make sure they know the safety swimmer is there solely to make sure they are safe and have a great time.

Check out: Easy Ways To Get Studio-Quality Portraits Using Only Natural Light

Q.5 What are some of the most memorable places that you have travelled to and photographed?

Ans. I absolutely love traveling to different places. The local Florida springs will always have a special place in my heart, but nothing is more breathtaking than the cenotes of Mexico.

It’s our second home, and every time we go, we find new and unique places to shoot and capture amazing images. I also loved shooting in Iceland and the Exumas.

Both of these places, although wildly different in climate and geography, give you that feeling of aloneness and peace. There’s nothing better than looking around and seeing nothing but nature for as far as you can see.

Q.6 With your extensive travel experience and having photographed 24 countries, how does exposure to different cultures impact your photography style?

Ans. The biggest takeaway I’ve had from my travels is to respect and honor the cultures of the places we visit. We always hear about the “bad egg” photographers who go to places, trespass, trample over pristine areas, or take photos at exotic locations or in ways that are disrespectful to the local culture.

I can’t stress enough the importance of learning about where you’re going. We have to remember that what we do impacts not just ourselves but the industry as a whole. Many beautiful places have closed to photographers because of the negative impact they have caused.

We want to show cultures the way they want to be represented and make sure we’re leading with the best example of how an underwater photographer should act.

Q.7 What are some of the destinations that are on your bucket list, and why?

Ans. Everywhere! I mean, the world is a big and beautiful place. There is so much to see and do that I could spend the rest of my life traveling and still never see it all.

But if I had to name a few places, Jordan and Morocco are high on my list because of the culture and the architecture, as well as several areas of South America. I love the culture, the geography, and the people, and I want to see so much of it.

For underwater, I really want to dive throughout the Philippines and Thailand. We’re losing so much of our fragile underwater world. I really want to get out there and see it before it’s gone.

Check out: Effective Tips for Striking Photography Poses

Q.8 What motivated you to start a photography education group on Facebook?

Ans. Something I realized through mentoring is that there is a world of photographers who have dipped their toes into amazing underwater photography but don’t really know how to grow.

I was uniquely qualified from a safety perspective, and as I mentored people, I found out few were really taking safety into consideration as much as they should be.

I started the group to reach as many photographers as possible, to coach and educate more, and to build a community where others can come together and push the boundaries of the industry.

Q.9 How do you balance the demands of being a famous underwater photographer, entrepreneur, and mother, and do you have any tips for others trying to juggle multiple roles?

Ans. Balancing running a business, working in the business, and having a family just doesn’t happen. There’s no way to balance it well, and something will always fall behind. The best tip I have is to lean on others.

In your business and in your personal life. You have to look at what isn’t worth your time to do and find someone to do it for you. For example, I don’t like to cook.

Fortunately, my husband does, but if it wasn’t for him, I would properly hire someone to cook for me. It’s one of those things that I feel like I could better spend that time working or being with my family.

Check out: Landscape Essentials – The Nature’s Accents Collection

Q.10 What do you like to do other than photography?

Ans. Travel is the biggest thing. I try to schedule as many trips as possible every year. I think it’s important to get out into the world, visit new places, and experience new cultures.

It makes you a well-rounded person. When I can’t travel, I’m usually found in the water. Either my pool or a spring. Swimming, diving—whatever I can do to be in the water.

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Q.11 Lastly, can you share a bit about your future goals, both personally and professionally, and any upcoming projects or destinations you are excited about?

Ans. Right now, I’m working on expanding and growing my education platform. I have a whole list of courses, guides, etc. I want to put it out there, and it just takes time to get it all flushed out, made, and published.

I’m also working to push the commercial side of my businesses. There’s so much room for growth in the industry as it becomes more prevalent and people realize the importance of not just capturing the media but also providing a safe work environment.

My goal is to work as hard as possible to get to an early retirement. I want to travel and be able to go wherever I want, whenever I want.

I’m looking forward to the day I can get on my sailboat, leave the dock, and never look back.

Conclusion

As we dive deeper into Kimber’s world, it’s clear that being an underwater photographer is not just a profession for her; it’s a passion that she breathes life into with every click of her camera.

Through our conversation, we’ve unmasked the layers of creativity that make Kimber the best underwater photographer. The beauty she captures beneath the waves is more than just amazing underwater photos; it’s a glimpse into a world few get to explore.

With each shot, Kimber doesn’t just take a picture; she tells a story that invites us all to marvel at the wonders hidden beneath the surface.

To learn more about Kimber, visit her website.

If you enjoyed this interview, don’t miss out on more amazing photographer interviews here.