Underwater photographer and diver Justin Lewis is taking over the @suuntodive instagram for a week, starting today July 8th. Make sure to follow to see his incredible images and share his love for the ocean.
Tell us a little about yourself
Adventure and exploration are my passions. Growing up along the wild and beautiful coast of northern California, my family instilled in me strong values of conservation and respect for the natural world. I’ve been diving since I was eight and was certified at 12. On the water, in the water, beneath the water — free diving, scuba diving, surfing, ice diving, kayaking — water has been central to my life and my work. Through visual storytelling, I create rich, eye-catching content for national and international advertising agencies, editorial outlets, and conservation organizations.
Where do you dive?
I dive wherever my assignments take me, and I feel fortunate I have had the opportunity to dive in some incredible places around the world, including ice bergs in Greenland’s North Arctic, Fiji, the Maldives, Sipadan Island in Borneo, Tahiti and all over the Caribbean.
What inspires you in the underwater world?
I love working in unique underwater environments that provide a perspective rarely seen and often unexpected. For example, freshwater ecosystems and Mangrove forests. From an outside view you may not expect much is going on inside a mangrove forest, but once you get underwater the immense diversity and quantity of life is often staggering.
How would you describe your photography style?
I strive to create truthful imagery that moves the viewer and tells a powerful story.
What story do you wish to tell with your images?
Far too many stories. It seems like every day I think up a new project idea or am pitched a great potential story. Often the stories I feel motivated to work on, are the ones that require self-funding, and I can only do a handful of those each year. But if I could pick one to be funded it would be in the realm of marine conservation. Our oceans are changing at an unprecedented rate, and I am witnessing the changes first hand where I live on the Northern California coast.
Visit Justin’s website, Facebook and instagram for beautiful diving images and more information about his projects.