English
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.
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:
His award-winning work and underwater images have been published in magazines, dive media and photography platforms worldwide.
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:
Marco truly turned his hobby into his profession.
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:
He also publishes educational content and equipment reviews online for underwater photographers and videographers worldwide.
On this page you can find underwater photography articles, equipment reviews, camera setup guides and underwater imaging tips written by 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.
Many new underwater housings have recently been released! Renowned brands such as Nauticam and Ikelite have developed underwater housings for the Canon EOS R5 II camera, for example. The Ikelite waterproof housing has a maximum depth of 60 meters, while the Nauticam underwater housing can even go as deep as 100 meters.
What is the best underwater camera? That completely depends on what your requirements are! You can simply take your smartphone into the water and capture beautiful underwater shots with your own smartphone using a Divevolk underwater housing. Alternatively, you can choose the most popular compact underwater camera: the OM System Tough TG- 7, which
We are so excited to introduce one of the most time-saving and efficient products for underwater photographers: the new Ikelite USB Charging & Data Transfer Bulkhead for Underwater Housings. Imagine this: You're heading out on a dive trip, you put your camera into its housing at the start and you don’t need to remove it again until you're packing up to head home.
AOI underwater housings are compact, lightweight, and ergonomic. Depending on the lens you want to use with your camera, you'll need a matching AOI port, gear and AOI extension ring. AOI has created port charts where you can look up exactly which items you need to start underwater photography with your lens in the underwater housing.
Neu! Die beliebten praktischen Anleitungen speziell für die Unterwasserfotografie mit dem Om System TG-7 sind jetzt auch auf Deutsch erhältlich. Es gibt eine normale Anleitung und eine ausführliche Anleitung.
For anyone passionate about underwater photography, the Backscatter Hybrid Flash HF-1 is a game-changer. It's not just a strobe; it's a versatile accessory that simplifies capturing stunning images and videos beneath the waves. Here's why it's worth your attention:
The Hybrid Flash HF-1 packs a punch with a guide number of ƒ40 for stills and a robust 5,000-lumen video light for capturing the underwater world in motion. It doesn't stop there! It also features a 1,500-lumen spot light and a red light mode, giving you options for every situation, whether you're shooting macro or wide-angle scenes.
With Smart Control Automatic TTL Flash power, this strobe takes the guesswork out of exposure adjustments. Compatible with Sony, Olympus, and OM System cameras, it ensures consistent and accurate lighting with minimal effort, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro.
Despite its impressive capabilities, the
Nauticam housings are renowned for their quality, durability, and innovative features, making them a top choice for underwater photographers and videographers. If you are still deciding which housing system is suitable for your camera, see our guide on how to choose the right underwater housing. Several reasons why choosing a Nauticam housing might be a great decision.
Nauticam is one of several manufacturers producing underwater housings for modern camera systems. For an overview of different housing manufacturers, see our article about underwater housing brands.
Nauticam housings are crafted from high-grade aluminum, ensuring robustness and resistance to corrosion, even in harsh underwater environments. Nauticam housings are typically designed to withstand depths of up to 100 meters. This depth rating ensures that they can be used confidently for diving and underwater photography in a wide range of underwater environments without compromising on performance or durability.
The Backscatter hybrid flash HF-1: is a new wide angle strobe, combining the exceptional features of the MF-2 strobe with added RC, HSS and remote capabilities. With a maximum guide number of 40 and a powerful 5000 lumen video light, this wide-angle strobe promises unparalleled performance. Available by the end of May 2024!
INON has introduced two new macro lenses for the GoPro. Due to the short focusing distance, you can now also capture small subjects in full frame. Normally, the focusing distance of your GoPro is about 60 centimeters. By attaching a macro lens (on an adapter) to your GoPro, you can reduce that distance to 4.8 cm.
We have tested the Nauticam MWL-1 lens: it is a really unique lens! The conclusion is that it's fantastic to switch between macro and 150-degree ultra-wide angle. Unsure of what to expect in terms of visibility and subjects during your dive? Or simply can't decide and want to capture everything? Then the Nauticam MWL-1 is a definite recommendation.
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