Underwater Photographer Brent Durand

There’s one thing you want to avoid throughout your entire life. Monotony. For 32-year-old Brent Durand (@brentdurand), monotony is non-existent. Brent avoids the mundane by spending his days diving hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface to capture marine life with his camera.

Brent's camera gear

• Canon 5D Mark IV
• Sea & Sea MDX-5DMKIV Water Housing
• Canon 16-35mm f/4 Lens in a Sea & Sea 8" Dome Port (Used for wide-angle scenes)
• Canon 100mm f/2.8L in the Sea & Sea DX Macro Port (Used for close up shots)
• Sea & Sea YS-D2 Strobes (Used for stills)
• Light & Motion Sola Video PRO LE lights (Used for video)

Brent's 5 favorite dive spots

• Point Dume State Beach, California
• Old Marineland - Palos Verdes, California
• Tyler Bight  -San Miguel Island - Channel Islands National Park
• Los Islotes - La Paz, Mexico
• The Passage - Raja Ampat, Indonesia

"My favorite dive site is Point Dume State Beach in California. I’ve had some of the craziest and some of the most beautiful dives of my life there. It’s been a Marine Protected Area since early 2012 and the reef is full of fish as a result." - Brent Durand

Shooting photos on a paddle board

Bringing your camera with you on your paddle board can be a rewarding experience. The reward is amazing photos. Your paddle board will act as your mode of transportation to untouched (and unseen) photo ops. With a paddle board you will be able to capture unique perspectives you otherwise couldn't capture on land ex. beautiful landscapes, marine life and your friends paddle boarding next to you. Before you set off with your camera, you need to be cautious of your camera equipment on your SUP because there is a good chance that it could fall in and be damaged. To be sure your camera stays dry, we recommend using a dry bag, or a waterproof camera bag when you're paddling to avoid contact with water. Be mindful that no matter what type of protection you're using, there is always a a chance of water damage.  Inflatable paddle boards are the best board to shoot photos from because they sit around 4 inches above the surface of the water. This will help keep your camera gear dry and also give you a better platform for shooting awesome photos.

Recommended SUPs for photography

• Megalodon
• Explorer
• All Around

Quick Q&A with Brent

What is your favorite photo you have ever taken underwater? 

If you could describe yourself in one photo that you've taken, which one would it be?

Check out more of Brent's work

Website: https://www.brentdurand.com/ Underwater photo tutorials: https://tutorials.brentdurand.com/ Instagram: @brentdurand