Raising Awareness Through Photography
“You’re connected to the sea no matter where on Earth you live.” This powerful quote from SCUBAPRO Global Deep Elite member Dr. Sylvia Earle has been cited countless times. It lays the foundation for a generation of underwater photographers who work to share photos and videos of life below the surface.
Johnson Outdoors has long supported scuba divers and other outdoor enthusiasts in pursuing their passions, which as we’ll discuss in this article, often raises awareness of these outdoor environments with new audiences.
The principal is simple: People protect what they love, and the first step in loving something is to be made aware of it. This is particularly important in the ocean, where even those who walk the tidelines do not see the complex, biodiverse ecosystems living just below the surface. The ocean generates a large percent of the oxygen on Earth and affects weather patterns far from the coasts.
Photography Starts with Fun
Underwater photography is a thrilling hobby and something that can never be fully mastered. It takes
skill, practice, excellent dive abilities, and intimate knowledge of marine life, quickly becoming the
motivation for many divers to jump in the water.
Photographer’s love sharing photos once captured and edited. Friends and family start to see what it’s
like to scuba dive with unique marine life underwater. They appreciate why photographers wake up
early, invest in new scuba gear, and travel to distant countries in search of unique marine life. But this
reach and influence doesn’t stop here.
Ocean Awareness Spreads Through Photography
Avid underwater photographers will soon start entering photo contents, sharing photos on social media, and even submit photos for magazine publication. Marine life and ocean ecosystem imagery are showcased in each of these channels, spreading beyond coasts and country borders to audiences who may have never visited the ocean.
As photos and video raise awareness, they often create the passion that might inspire someone to register for SCUBA classes, get involved in local waterway cleanup efforts, support animal conservation, or even pursue a career in science. Most notable underwater photographers can attest to receiving emails and messages from fans interested in advice on these topics and more.
Those interested in learning to scuba dive will visit their local SCUBAPRO dealer and register for classes. Even if they do their course in a local freshwater quarry, they are likely to soon travel to an exotic dive destination and bring home their own stories to share with their families, friends and beyond.
Johnson Outdoors takes pride in manufacturing premium equipment that supports these underwater photographers and all scuba divers, helping to raise awareness of the ocean environment one person at a time.