Page 7 - 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. Affordable underwater camera for diving and snorkeling

    Affordable underwater camera

    Capturing the colorful underwater world through photography or video during your vacation is a lot of fun! Are you looking for an affordable underwater camera to use while diving and snorkeling? There are two popular choices on the market today that allow you to capture stunning underwater photos without breaking the bank: the Divevolk underwater housing for smartphones and the OM System TG-7 with its dedicated underwater housing.

    Read more »
  2. Underwater lighting for your GoPro / Action cam

    GoPro with protective housing and video lights

    Just go diving with your Gopro /action cam in non-tropical waters and you will find out very quickly, that you need lighting for your GoPro to make colorful images. However also in tropical waters you will get better results by using extra light.

    Read more »
  3. Nauticam and Ikelite underwater housing for Canon EOS R5 II

    Nauticam and Ikelite underwater housing for Canon EOS R5 II

    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.

    Read more »
  4. Diving and snorkeling with your smartphone

    Scuba diving and snorkeling with your smartphone

    Nowadays, most photos are taken with your smartphone. Always at hand, quick and easy. And of good quality too! Many new phones even have multiple lenses: a standard lens, but also a telephoto or wide-angle lens. Want to go scuba diving or snorkeling with your smartphone? We offer a range of underwater housings for smartphones in our assortment.

    Read more »
  5. Best underwater camera for scuba diving and snorkeling

    Best underwater camera

    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

    Read more »
  6. Your Dive Workflow with the Ikelite USB Charging & Data Transfer Bulkhead

     Ikelite USB Charging and Data Transfer Bulkhead

    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.

    Read more »
  7. Which AOI port, gear and ring to you need for your AOI UW-housing?

    AOI port system explained

    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.

    Read more »
  8. OM system Tough TG-7 Deutsche Anleitungen

    Anleitungen OM System TG-7 auf Deutsch

    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.

    Read more »
  9. Introducing the Backscatter Hybrid Flash HF-1: Your All-in-One Underwater Lighting Solution

    Backscatter Hybrid Flash HF-1

    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:

    Power and Flexibility

    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.

    Smart Control for Hassle-Free Shooting

    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.

    Compact and Travel-Friendly

    Despite its impressive capabilities, the

    Read more »
  10. 5 Reasons why you should choose Nauticam

    Shot with nauticam

    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.

    1. Build Quality

    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.

    Read more »
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