Triathlete Photo Shoot: Underwater Lifestyle Portraits

In between dive expeditions, I jump at any opportunity to expand my underwater photography skills into genres other than wildlife and science.

Photographing people is a whole lot different than photographing fish and corals. Fish are busy doing their own thing, they don’t give a toss what you’re trying to achieve. Clients, on the other hand, are involved in the process and have a vested interest their final photos; this always makes the photo shoots enjoyably collaborative.

So when the opportunity came up to photograph triathlete “power couple” Jaimie and Pete Jacobs, right here on the Sunshine Coast, we couldn’t gather up the underwater studio fast enough.

We did two morning shoots, one at a lovely private swimming pool in Noosaville and the other at the beautiful RACV resort in Noosa Heads. Our brief was to shoot a combination of lifestyle swimming shots and artistic underwater portraits.

These athletes were such fun to work with, their infectious enthusiasm and unlimited energy made our job easy.

—Liz

Underwater lifestyle portrait of a male triathlete swimming hard

A female athlete runs underwater though darkness, with her reflection showing in the water's surface above.

Underwater photo of a swimming couple gliding through a resort s

Artistic photo of an female athletic swimmer diving backwards underwater, against a black background, with bubbles.

Portrait of a pro swimming athlete, standing underwater with arms crossed, wearing swim goggles and cap; his reflection shows in the water's surface above.

Underwater portait of athlete woman: triptych photograph composite showing three phases of slipping into the black water

Underwater portrait of a swimming couple embracing and looking into each other's eyes

Underwater Lifestyle Portrait of Athlete Swimming hard through black water.

Underwater photo of a male swimming athlete gliding overhead with arms stretched forward, swimming through blue tropical water.

A female swimmer rolls and turns under the water's surface against a black water background.

Artistic underwater portrait of a female swimmer diving into pool

Underwater Conceptual Portrait of Muscular Swimming Athlete Moving Water With his hands to create bubbles, showing strength from a pro triathlete

Underwater portrait of male swimming athlete surrounded by bubbl

Underwater photograph of a female swimming freestyle through bla

Underwater portrait of a male and female pair of triathletes gliding underwater, face down, passing overhead, in blue tropical water.

We both had such a blast during the shoot and are so thankful to have these images forever. It is not only the end product that we appreciate, we also made friends in Liz and Josh and hope we can collaborate with them many more times in the future.
—Pete & Jaimie Jacobs