At Ultralight, we believe our gear is only as good as the underwater photographer, cinematographer, or camera assistant it supports and no one showcases that better than our Brand Ambassadors. To give you a closer look at their images, stories, and the passion behind their work, we asked each Ambassador a series of thoughtful questions about their backgrounds, favorite rigs, and what inspires their photography and filmmaking. It’s our way of sharing not just how Ultralight gear is used, but also the creativity and spirit of the people who bring it to life.
Could you please share a little about yourself and the journey that brought you to where you are today?
My name is Gabe Hearnshaw. I grew up in and still live in Cambridgeshire, UK. Growing up, I
spent a great deal of time down on the Cornish coast of the UK, this is where my love of the
ocean was born. For now, this was limited to rock-pooling. It was many years before I started my
snorkelling journey and later my photography too.
What things in life helped you get where you are today?
It was on a backpacking trip, that I ended up in Tonga alongside my sister and her friend. We were
lucky enough to end up staying at a location that was situated on a beach with a house reef.
This was the beginning of my snorkelling journey. Despite not being a confident swimmer, the
underwater world captivated me from the start, even helping me to overcome my fear of deep
water!
A few years later, on a trip to the Maldives with my now wife, I learned to scuba dive. I had
previously done a sample dive in a pool back home and hated it! Thankfully, going into the trip, I
was determined to give it another go, and this was the perfect place to do it! I also was given my
first underwater camera for this trip, a Canon underwater film camera. I didn’t have a clue about
photography at this point, but I was obsessed with capturing what I was seeing below the surface!
What level diver are you and where do you like to dive?
A few months after the Maldives trip, I decided to take on my advanced open water PADI
qualification, having already completed my open water and Nitrox courses in the Maldives. What
made this particularly interesting was undertaking this course in February at my local dive centre,
in a lake! Here I had my first taste of drysuit diving as well as cold water and night diving! I
have since dived in the UK, Hawaii, and Egypt most recently.
What inspired you to specialize in underwater photography?
Having found my passion for underwater photography, I eventually moved on to a digital compact.
Unfortunately, at this point, my understanding of photography in general was lacking, and it would
be a few years before I would truly start to understand what I was doing and why! Eventually, I
invested in a DSLR and housing, alongside this, I started my journey using Ultralight equipment, a
kit that I still use to this day.
Can you share a memorable moment or experience from your underwater adventures?
One of my favourite moments underwater happened before I had started to understand the
intricacies of photography, especially in the water. Whilst on my honeymoon in Hawaii, I had the
chance to complete a dream to snorkel with a huge number of sharks in open water. Yet, this isn’t
even my personal greatest underwater encounter! For this, it was a trip to the UK that gave me a
life-changing experience!
It was on a trip to Cornwall with my wife, when I had a bit of an epiphany regarding my
underwater photography, and as a result, my photography overall. Moreover, this came at a time
when I had been struggling with my mental health. Not only did I start to understand what I was
doing, but this trip was the beginning of my professional career, and I ended up starting my
own website.
On this trip, we also visited Devon, where I had the single best wildlife encounter of my life! I had
booked a trip to Lundy Island to see the seals. It was on a second snorkel, the seals had
seemingly disappeared, I was just floating around photographing jellyfish, when a huge bull seal
approached me, he then proceeded to put his nose in the water and blow bubbles right in front of
me! I decided to join in the fun. It was during this encounter that I took my first ever internationally
recognised photo! I named it after a charity I am now an Ambassador for: Seaful.
What camera setup do you currently use for underwater photography?
I had invested in my first-ever mirrorless camera for this trip. A Canon R5. I also added a second
Ikelite housing, plus a pair of Inon Z330 strobes. All of this of course, alongside my Ultralight
Camera Solutions kit that I had bought when I first brought my DSLR underwater.
Do you prefer macro or wide-angle photography and why?
Generally speaking, I mostly shoot wide-angle underwater. This is mostly due to that most of my
photography is done whilst free diving, so the luxury of time is not available for macro
photography. I have, however, acquired a vintage Helios lens, which I like to use on occasion
underwater.
Do you prefer artificial or natural light and why?
I tend to shoot with strobes, which allows me to capture movement in interesting ways. I am a big fan
of ICM (intentional camera movement) in my underwater photography, and my strobes allow me to
push boundaries here.
Do you have any favorite techniques that you can share?
My favourite settings, due to my love of shooting slow shutter speed images, tend to be small
apertures with slow shutter speeds, usually starting around 1/8 sec. One of the huge benefits of a
mirrorless camera is that it allows me to see exposures in advance, so that I can understand the
image I am creating in advance. It is also possible to turn this off as well, and so have the best of
both worlds!
I am on a constant journey of learning with my photography. Probably my biggest leaps of
understanding have come from my many years of competing in various photography
competitions. I have found this invaluable in both assessing my own work, but also to take
inspiration from a great deal of other photographers. For me, this is a never-ending pursuit.
What’s your favorite piece of gear from Ultralight and why?
My favourite piece of ULCS kit, I would say, just lately is my sled. I have been able to add a
monitor to my setup, which is ideal for viewing my photos, but also for occasionally shooting
video too. I have started to find new ways to innovate with this piece of kit, being able to take
advantage of having an extremely stable base to place my camera on in the water.
What inspires your underwater photography?
I am constantly inspired by the constant motion underwater and aim to capture this where I can.
This largely guides my approach and my wish to show the oceans as I see them, in constant
motion.
What’s your favorite type of marine subject to photograph, and why?
I love photographing all species underwater. Whilst seals and other large animals are probably my
favourite subjects, they rarely are there to be seen. I do have a fascination with jellyfish, which was
anchored on my trip to Cornwall, and I’m always happy to see them and photograph them. My
other favourite subject is kelp. I just love the way it looks, and I feel it truly is representative of the
underwater world in so many ways!
Have you ever encountered any unexpected or dangerous situations while underwater?
I have had my fair share of dangerous encounters in the water. Interestingly enough, it has never
been the wildlife that has given me cause for concern, unlike the expectations of many people
when you tell them you love to be in the water with sharks and the like! I have found myself in
challenging conditions on a few occasions, thankfully, many years of experience have helped me
to remain calm and work my way through such events in a controlled manner.
What challenges do you face as an underwater cinematography, and how do you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge in underwater photography, is the water itself. I really do believe that
experience is a great teacher and that the more relaxed and comfortable you are in the water, the
better this is reflected in your ability to take meaningful photos.
Do you use your photography to promote ocean conservation? If so, how?
I am an avid conservationist and believe that photography is one of the great tools for this. My
first aim is to show people the awesome sights there are to see in the underwater world, this is
especially true in the UK, where there are a huge number of awesome species living on our shores
that people don’t know about. My other aim is to show people things in a way that takes away
from the normalising of things, like ghost nets. My aim here is to create photos that show these
things in a more disturbing way, so that people see these things as being out of place and wrong.
I am working on a number of projects on conservation at the moment. My main aim at the
moment is to raise the profile of species in the UK. One of my personal favourite subjects in this
regard is kelp. It is under threat from the Climate Crisis and also has a huge number of
applications that are being studied at this point in time. Anything I can do to raise awareness of
this is a start.
What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out?
If I had to give someone starting out a piece of advice, it would be simply, get out in the water, get
comfortable being in the water. From there, the next thing is, to just take photos, a huge thing I
have learned is, failing is a critical part of the process! If you can take 1 good photo in 100 to start
with, you’re off to a great start!
I think simple things that a beginner can work on are: getting close, if this is safe and ethical to do
so. This cuts down the amount of water between you and your subject. I would start out basically
and learn to take good photos with available light before starting with strobes. Lastly, as you
progress, learn how to use your camera in manual mode, which gives you full control over the end
result.
Any recommended resources (books, courses, workshops) for learning underwater photography?
If I were to recommend any books for underwater photography, I would definitely say, to get
Underwater Photography Masterclass by Alex Mustard. Otherwise, I have found that books from
competitions that publish all of the technical details can be a treasure trove of information and
inspiration. My personal favourites are the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolios.
What’s next for you in your photography journey? Any exciting projects or goals?
I am looking to keep growing my skillset, and I always want to innovate where possible. I am currently
working on a project on chalk streams as well as other projects on kelp and limpets.
What does being an Ultralight brand ambassador mean to you?
When the opportunity came to apply to be an Ultralight Camera Solutions brand ambassador, I
was thrilled to try. I had looked up to Brent Durand, who was another brand ambassador. It was
Brent, who had inspired my decision to purchase my Ultralight kit in the first place. It's an
awesome feeling to be able to support the company.
What excites you most about being a brand ambassador for this company?
I am constantly trying to push my photography. The opportunity to test out the new kit and try to find
ways to use it to realise my visions really excites me. I have a great deal of ideas for future
projects still.
What unique features of Ultralight do you find most valuable?
The number one thing I would say about the ULCS kit I use is its sheer durability! I have been
using the same set of kit from day one, and it still works as it did then. I have a habit of working in
somewhat hostile environments in the underwater world, and my kit is constantly put through it’s
paces and yet it has never failed me!
What advice do you have for photographers who want to work with brands like Ultralight?
If I had to give a piece of advice to anyone who wanted to work with brands, I would say, when
the time is right, just apply, I did and I couldn’t believe that I was accepted. Otherwise, make the
goal of constant improvement drive you. Always seek out opportunities that will help you grow. I
am lucky enough to be an ambassador for an amazing charity called Seaful. I really feel like these
opportunities can really help to show brands the kind of person you are. So don’t just aim for
technical excellence, but also to make a difference where you can. Doors will open to you in time
this way.
Thank you, Gabe, for taking the time to share more about yourself and your work with us. We definitely picked up a few new things, and I’m sure our customers did too. It’s always great hearing how someone finds their way into a field they love—the wins, the lessons, and everything in between.”
For more information, you can find Gabe at his Gabe Hearnshaw Photography website, Facebook, or Instagram
