Michael Durr, photographer and owner of Ripple Media Productions, was contacted by Indianapolis swim school Aqua Tots to create promotional content to be featured in North Indy Magazine. Although he's been a longtime photographer and content producer, he had limited experience shooting underwater. Watch the video, or read the article below, to find out what impressed Michael and how DS230 strobes were critical to capturing cover-worthy underwater images.

Canon EOS R7 Autofocus

When photographing swimmers, you've got to be able to keep up with fast-paced movements. In these situations, fast autofocus and accurate tracking underwater are imperative. One key to capturing a strong image underwater is keeping the subject's eyes in focus. The accuracy and speed of the Canon R7 compact mirrorless camera focused in on the students' eyes helping create memorable, magazine-worthy images.

michael durr aqua tots photo taken with canon r7 inside an ikelite housing with ds230 strobes

"One of the things I was really impressed with the R7 in the housing, was its ability to track focus underwater."

DS230 Strobes Burst Shooting

Fast autofocus is nothing without fast lighting to keep up. The DS230's industry leading recycle times make action shots easy and made Michael's photoshoot a success. There was never any worry he'd miss a shot, even though he knew keeping up with swimming children wouldn't be easy. Using the R7 in high speed continuous shooting mode allows you to pull the trigger and fire a sequence of multiple frames per second. The DS230s are some of the only strobes on the market that can repeatedly shoot multiple frames per second.

michael durr aqua tots photoshoot taken with canon r7 inside an ikelite housing with DS230 strobes

"I knew it was going to be challenging to capture that moment where the kid underwater was in that right position or pose or making the right facial expression . . . And once I really got in there and started shooting, I was really impressed."

DS230 Strobes + TTL

For a new underwater photographer the ease of TTL is paramount, it means accurate exposure without having to think about it. This way, Michael could save his energy for focus, framing, and keeping up with his subjects.

"The main objective of these underwater shots was really to get a one-of-a-kind hero image that's actually going to be the cover of the publication." A magazine cover needs to be bold and eye-catching. With the DS230s and TTL, Michael was able to get colors that pop and images fit for print, like the image below.

aqua tots north indy magazine cover image photo taken with canon r7 inside an ikelite housing with DS230 strobes

"This particular image was kind of the one that I had inside my head when I originally went into this project."

In conclusion

Having the right equipment makes all the difference for a new underwater shooter. After a day in the pool with the Canon EOS R7 and TTL DS230 strobes, Michael was able to come away with a number of images ready for print. Whether you're capturing magazine covers or fast moving fish, the DS230’s incredible recycle times combined with TTL exposure control will set you up for success.

Michael Durr is a photographer and content creator. He is the owner and creative director of Ripple Media Productions and currently publishes North Indy Magazine with his wife. Currently based in Indianapolis, Michael graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in visual communications. Now you can find him photographing his way around Indianapolis with his family.