Underwater Photographer Highlight: Milada Copeland

My identify is Milada Copeland and I’ve been a diver since 2014. I picked up an underwater camera inside a 12 months of getting licensed as a diver and I feel I broke all the foundations about diving and pictures – after they let you know to first develop into a very good diver after which try pictures. I discovered that pictures made me a a lot better diver, forcing me to take buoyancy courses and persevering with into extra superior diving certifications all as a result of I wished to be secure within the water and never harm the reef. Underwater pictures additionally allowed me to renew my pictures passion – which started after I was a baby utilizing movie cameras however fizzled by the point grainy digital images had been solely spectacular on my mobile phone however horrible when printed or seen on a bigger display screen. My husband and I’ve been diving with Bluewater Travel since 2021, and now we have liked each journey now we have gone on.

In my picture equipment I’ve a Canon R5 with a Nauticam housing, and I completely love each the digital camera and the housing. I at all times wrestle with the selection of lenses to carry on any journey, as a result of most journeys supply some potentialities for each macro and large angle pictures. My largest frustration with underwater pictures is the lack to vary lenses underwater.

Typically, I lean in the direction of wide-angle preferences, and whereas I get the crispest images with my Canon 8-15 mm fisheye, my all-time favourite lens is the Canon 14-35 mm lens. I really feel that it permits for one of the best selection in topics whereas nonetheless providing a pointy sufficient completed end result. On many journeys I additionally carry my Canon 100 mm lens for macro topics.

My dive gear appears to undergo transformations regularly – I’m a little bit of a gearhead, at all times on the lookout for some enhancements. I dive with a wing as a result of I discover it extra secure and comfy within the water, and my newest favourite addition is the Supernova fins I bought final 12 months – they’re very gentle, straightforward to pack and work properly for any model of kicking.

My favourite dive vacation spot that I’ve traveled to with Bluewater must be Fiji – the colours are completely wonderful, and having the ability to see the clown fish was a dream come true. I did surprise what the boat captain was pondering when the entire boat of (very a lot grownup divers) was requesting to “see Nemo!”