Grant Thomas
Landscape, Marine & Underwater | Last Updated: October 8, 2021
Originally from the UK, I have always had a fascination with the natural world and in particular the ocean. After finishing a degree in engineering I took the opportunity to travel. This was the best decision I have ever made, as it was traveling that really developed my passion for photography. I was, and still very much am, dedicated to capturing the real beauty of the places I visit.
Soon after leaving the UK I began working as a PADI Dive Instructor and purchased my first underwater housing. Photography was no longer just a part of my life, it had become my life.
I now work as a freelance photographer and expedition guide, leading a variety of tours and workshops to encounter and photograph animals such as humpback whales and orca.
My work has taken me around the world from the warm tropical waters of Indonesia to the glacier-covered landscape of the Arctic – therefore my equipment must be durable and reliable enough to handle these extreme conditions. I choose my range of gear based on quality, reliability and manufacturer service.
Camera Gear:
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
(x2)
Superbly durable workhorse of a camera which has incredible low light performance.
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 Lens
My favorite lens for landscape photography and also the majority of my underwater video work. Also perfect for shooting sharks and pelagic creatures, which can be difficult to get close to.
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens
Perfect for shooting those miniature critters we find so often underwater and also a great portrait lens.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM Lens
An extremely diverse lens that comes in very handy for shooting breaching whales from the boat.
Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 Fisheye Lens
This is my favorite lens for shooting underwater! Its 180-degree field of view allows me to get super close to my subject which helps increase clarity and color (often lost when shooting through water).
GoPro Hero 4 silver edition
Compact and powerful action camera for mounting on my underwater DSLR rig.
DJI Mavic Air drone
Incredibly small and great for travelling, this drone is one of the best pieces of camera equipment I own. The quality of photo and video footage it produces in such a small package is mind-blowing!
Ikelite 200DL Underwater Housing for Canon 5d Mark IV
Amazingly lightweight and durable, this housing is perfect for all underwater environments.
Ikelite DS 161 strobe lights
(x2)
One of the most powerful underwater strobes on the market, these are perfect for shooting large wide-angle underwater scenes.
Ikelite DL Macro Flat Port
This glass port doesn’t reduce quality when shooting underwater and has a threaded front ring to allow diopters to be screwed on, which is perfect for super macro shooting.
Ikelite DL 8 inch Dome Port
A lightweight and effective bit of kit for shooting wide-angle images and especially useful for shooting under over (half in the water and half out) style images.
Bigblue VL9000P
, 9000 Lumens LED Video Lights (x2)
Powerful waterproof video lights that can light up any underwater environment.
Additional Equipment:
13” Macbook Pro
Countless LaCie external hard drives
Samsung EO 1TB SSD
LowePro Pro Runner BP 350 AW II backpack
Sandisk CF and SD cards
Dive Gear
ScubaPro BCD
and regulators
Elios, Cressi and Mares Wetsuits
Cressi big eyes evolution Mask
Mares folding snorkel
Mares volo race fins
Suunto D4i Novo dive computer
www.grantthomasphotography.com | @grantthomasphotography
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