Young Ocean Photographer, Aaron Sanders

Aaron Sanders is a 25-year-old diving fanatic, underwater photographer, and filmmaker who – when he’s not working as an in-house underwater cameraman on a live-aboard in Indonesia – spends his time exploring the sweetness and biodiversity that the waters right here within the UK maintain. 

Passionate about diving British waters, Aaron caught the eye of competitors judges this yr for his {photograph} of two bobtail squid caught within the act of copy round his native dive spot, off the coast of Devon right here within the UK. 

Oceanographic Magazine: Aaron, huge congratulations in your success within the Young Ocean Photographer of the Year. Let’s begin proper in the beginning. How did you first get into underwater images and when did you first join with the ocean on this method? 

Aaron Sanders: Well, each my dad and mom dived. They met via diving, my complete household dives; me and my brother. My dad and mom used to run a dive centre; my dad was a industrial diver and so they had been each instructors. So, I didn’t have a lot alternative. I really didn’t begin diving till somewhat bit in a while, however as quickly as we did begin diving, that was it. We had been hooked. 

But I’ve at all times been within the water, whether or not that’s kayaking, crusing, swimming, snorkelling, or free-diving. I’ve at all times spent plenty of time on or within the sea. And then in the future, I began taking a GoPro, as most individuals do. I did images anyway on the aspect and a bit at school. 

I began desirous to get higher photos so I finally discovered a extremely funds housing – a bag that goes over your digicam to begin taking pictures, not diving, however snorkelling. This was since you couldn’t take it to depth. One day, it flooded and I misplaced the lens. 

But it was once I was really doing a boating course the teacher advised me his daughter was learning a level in wildlife images, panorama images, and documentary making. It simply sounded wonderful and the whole lot that I needed to do.

So, I started learning for a level in Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, and as a part of this diploma there was an underwater module, coached by underwater photographers with entry to prime tools and package. I needed to get into this world of wildlife documentary making and images, so I used to be simply bought.

OM: Your dad and mom each have this background in diving. Was this across the UK or did you journey lots as a baby? 

Aaron Sanders: So they primarily dived earlier than my brother and I had been born; my dad largely within the UK the place he did plenty of tech diving and Trimix industrial diving. He’s a dive teacher and from 16 he was working in a dive centre native to him. My mum, she travelled the world so she went to Australia, grew to become an teacher after which – finally – moved again to England and joined the membership that my dad ran. So that’s how they met. Then when my brother and I got here alongside, they stopped doing as a lot. But, as quickly as we began moving into it, they received again into it. Now, we go on little holidays within the UK, take little household journeys – all diving collectively.