Swim Photography

What makes swimming a unique sport?

Swimming is a unique sport where most of the athlete's efforts occur beneath the waterline out of view to the spectator.  We see the individuals advancing in the lane cheering them on to beat the clock.  Every few strokes the spectators get the athlete's face for a fleeting moment as they breathe to refill their lungs with air.  The true competition is the clock, not the swimmers in the other lanes.

To truly appreciate swimming and see where the real work occurs requires diving into the water to join them under the surface.  Under the surface is a whole different world.  It's peaceful and quiet.  All the sounds from above the water disappear.  You can see the athlete moving their arms, legs, and body in a coordinated dance to leverage the water resistance to propel their body forward. They do this while exhaling air from their lungs.  At some point, they need to refill their lungs with air so that must get worked into the coordinated dance as well. 

The Value of the Underwater Swimming Session

The sessions are in a closed environment and 1:1.  This setting allows the athlete to relax and work distraction-free.  We focus on dynamic portraits that capture the individual's personality and swim movements above and below the water's surface.  Using this approach, we provide the athlete and their family with a holistic representation of the sport not typically experienced.  There are multiple views of starts, underwater glides, strokes, and turns. These sessions are a great way to celebrate whether building a college recruiting webpage or preserving the memories of a unique sport. 

What is the best media to showcase these types of photos?

If you are looking to add photos to a recruiting page or share social media photos with family and friends, digital is a great medium.  If you are looking to preserve the memories for the future the better paths are print media.

An album with different spreads of strokes from different angles and views is a great way to see the diversity and athleticism of the activity.  To see a stroke from below and above the surface side-by-side is a fantastic communication vehicle.  

If you are looking for showcase wall art, a large metal print is second to none.  These prints can be of a single stroke or a multi-image composition.  Metal shows the clarity of a photo.  It also has the benefit of dusting off with a damp soft cloth using water to help preserve this for a lifetime.

How to get started?

If you are interested in seeing more examples or would like to book a session please visit the gallery by clicking the button below.