An Underwater Photographer’s Journey
Come along for the dive — and discover the beauty and stillness of life beneath the waves.
There’s something about the ocean that pulls you in — the colours, the calm, the quiet encounters with creatures most people will never see. I’ve spent over 25 years chasing that feeling, camera in hand, exploring reefs, wrecks, and remote drop-offs. This is where I share those moments with you — through underwater photography that captures the delicate, the rare, and the remarkable array of vivid colours.
Meet Phillip
Scuba diving has always been more than a hobby — it’s been the driving force behind everything I do. My underwater photography journey began around 2000, while working as captain of Sea Life V, Pro Dive’s modern, purpose-built dive boat on Sydney Harbour. The vessel was a hub for some of Australia’s most accomplished divers and photographers — legends like Ron and Valerie Taylor, Ben Cropp and his son Dean Cropp, as well as professionals such as Don Silcock and Jayne Jenkins. Jayne, a regular on our dives, played a key role in encouraging me to take my photography seriously.
That inspiration led me to pursue a four-year professional photography course at Sydney TAFE, while continuing to work as a dive instructor and captain. In 2004, I became a PADI Open Water Instructor, specialising in underwater photography, and in 2005, I moved to Cairns to command the Nimrod Explorer — a liveaboard dive vessel operated by Explorer Adventures.
The Nimrod Explorer operated across a spectacular stretch of the northern Great Barrier Reef — from Steve’s Bommie off Cooktown, through the Ribbon Reefs to the iconic Cod Hole near Lizard Island. From there, we’d venture 140km offshore to the remote walls of Osprey Reef, and even further north to Lockhart River, Queensland before heading northeast to the isolated and pristine Raine Island — a place few divers ever get to see firsthand.
Today, with over 25 years of experience underwater, I combine my love for diving, exploration, and storytelling through macro and wide-angle underwater photography. My goal is simple: let people see what most never do — and maybe, feel a little awe in the process.