Marco Heesbeen

Marco Heesbeen
Marco Heesbeen - Author
Founder & underwater photography specialist

Marco Heesbeen - underwater photography specialist

Marco Heesbeen started diving in 1999. After completing his CMAS 2* certification, he quickly developed a passion for underwater photography. Within a year he purchased his very first digital underwater camera and immediately became fascinated by capturing life below the surface.

Today, Marco rarely dives without a camera. As he often says:

“If I don’t take my camera underwater, I will definitely encounter something special and regret not being able to capture it.”

Over the years Marco has developed his own recognizable style of underwater photography. He is always searching for unique perspectives, powerful compositions and creative lighting techniques. His work often moves beyond traditional underwater photography, featuring abstract details, dramatic close focus wide angle images and artistic underwater scenes that make viewers wonder how the image was created.

International underwater photography awards

Marco enjoys participating in national and international underwater photography competitions, where he exchanges ideas and experiences with fellow photographers from around the world. Throughout his career he has won the Dutch National Championship three times and represented the Netherlands during multiple CMAS World Championships.

Some of his personal highlights include:

  • Silver medal (Wide Angle) - CMAS World Championship Cuba 2013
  • Gold medal - CMAS World Championship Netherlands 2015

His award-winning work and underwater images have been published in magazines, dive media and photography platforms worldwide.

Founder of Onderwaterhuis.NL and UWCameraStore

In 2002 Marco founded Onderwaterhuis.NL, which later expanded internationally into UWCameraStore.com. What started as a small underwater camera shop has grown into one of Europe’s leading specialists in underwater photography and underwater video equipment.

Today, nearly 25 years later, a passionate team of divers, underwater photographers and videographers helps customers from all over the world with:

  • underwater camera systems
  • underwater housings
  • strobes for underwater photography
  • video lights for underwater videography
  • lenses and ports
  • snorkeling and dive travel gear

Marco truly turned his hobby into his profession.

Equipment reviews and expertise

Besides photography, Marco frequently tests and reviews the latest underwater photography equipment. He writes in-depth articles, hands-on reviews and setup guides for cameras, underwater housings, strobes, lenses and accessories.

His work has been featured in leading Dutch diving magazines such as:

  • Duiken
  • Onderwatersport

He also publishes educational content and equipment reviews online for underwater photographers and videographers worldwide.

Follow Marco’s underwater photography work

On this page you can find underwater photography articles, equipment reviews, camera setup guides and underwater imaging tips written by Marco Heesbeen.

More about Marco Heesbeen

Besides his work for UWCameraStore and Onderwaterhuis, Marco also shares his award-winning underwater photography on his personal website. Visit www.marcoheesbeen.com to view his underwater photography portfolio, international awards and published work.

  1. Nauticam moisture alarm troubleshooting

    Nauticam moisture alarm

    A properly functioning Nauticam leak detector provides an additional indication that the housing remains dry during a dive. We sometimes receive questions about the leak detector, for example when the alarm does not beep or continues to flash. In this blog, we go through the checks and steps described by Nauticam for these situations.

    Read more »
  2. How to maintain Nauticam lenses and ports

    How to Maintain Nauticam Lenses and Ports

    After use in salt water, lenses and ports should be soaked and rinsed in clean fresh water, preferably demineralised water. This helps dissolve salt crystals and prevent corrosion. If only a limited amount of fresh water is available between dives, Nauticam advises using a plastic bottle with a small hole in the cap. 

    Read more »
  3. Underwater camera setup care between boat dives

    Underwater camera set and a boat

    Between two boat dives, your complete setup will usually remain assembled. Rinse it with fresh water after the first dive, but do not leave it in the shared rinse tank where other cameras may contact it. If there is no camera table on board, wrap the fully assembled setup in a towel or another soft material and place it in a safe location. This keeps the equipment protected until the next dive.

    Read more »
  4. Can you use Nauticam wet optics with an Isotta housing?

    Nauticam wet optics on Isotta underwater housing

    Yes! Selected Isotta B120 underwater housings can be configured with Nauticam WWL, MWL, WACP and FCP wet optics by using dedicated adapter rings and the correct port chart setup.

    Read more »
  5. OM System TG-7 Summer Edition: Complete Starter Kit for Snorkelling & Diving

    OM System TG-7 Summer Edition promotion with free coiled lanyard

    Enjoy snorkelling and diving on holiday with this complete OM System TG-7 package. The TG-7 is the latest model in one of the most widely used underwater camera series of recent years. This starter package includes everything needed to get started straight away, including a memory card, external charger and extra batteries. For a limited time, the OM System TG-7 Summer Edition includes a FREE coiled lanyard. Promotion valid until 31 July 2026.

    Read more »
  6. AOI Modular Tray System Guide for Underwater Housings and Action Cameras

    Aoi Modular system

    The AOI Modular Tray System (MDS) is a configurable underwater tray platform built from separate modular components. Instead of using one fixed tray size, the system can be expanded and adjusted for different underwater housings, action cameras and accessory setups. The modular construction allows underwater photographers and videographers to build a tray configuration around their own camera setup.

    Read more »
  7. Best Underwater Strobes for Underwater Photography

    Underwater strobes and camera setup for underwater photography

    If you want better underwater photos, a strobe is essential.

    Water absorbs color quickly. Reds disappear first, followed by orange and yellow, which is why underwater images often look blue or green. A good underwater strobe brings those colors back, improves contrast, and gives your subject much more depth and detail.

    Read more »
  8. Snoot Lighting in Underwater Photography: A Practical Guide

    Underwater macro subject lit with dramatic snoot lighting against a black background

    Snoot lighting has become one of the most creative tools in modern underwater photography. It gives photographers precise control over light, allowing you to isolate subjects, remove distracting backgrounds, and create highly dramatic, sculpted images.

    Read more »
  9. Opening hours during public holidays

    Opening hours during public holidays

    During public holidays, adjusted opening hours often apply. On this page, you will find a clear overview of when we are open or closed, so you know exactly what to expect. Useful if you plan to visit our store or place an order through our webshop.

    Read more »
  10. Underwater color correction filters explained

    Blue-underwater-photos

    When you start shooting underwater, one thing becomes obvious very quickly: your photos and videos look blue. Even in clear tropical water, warm colors disappear fast. This is not a problem with your camera. It is simply how light behaves underwater. To get natural colors back, you need to correct this. 

    Read more »
Page
Copyright © Onderwaterhuis 2025 - All rights reserved