Caroline Lantrès is an underwater photographer based out of France. She's been a photographer since 2009 and an aquatic photographer since 2018. She primarily shoots her underwater portraits in a pool, since she's so far from the shore but in the summer she takes time to visit the waters of Corsica or the Mediterranean and always brings her camera and housing along.
Since the age of nine, when Caroline visited the Atlantic coast, she's been obsessed with the oceans, protecting marine life, and keeping our seabeds clean. Topside she focuses on waste reduction and other means to help protect the planet and the health of the oceans.
The majority of Caroline's photography clients are future mothers, married couples, and children. She takes all of her underwater portraits exclusively freediving and has recently invested in freediving courses with a professional in Villefranche sur Mer and is currently training for licensure.
"What I like above all is the portraits, the bodies, the strength of a man or the curves of a woman in the immensity of the water telling me that everything is possible, even under water," says Caroline.
These clients have been with me for over 10 years, from wedding photos to pregnancy photos, and photos of their children. Through it all we've formed a bond. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
One of my four daughters loves the water and is a great model. She's so comfortable in the water. This picture symbolizes for me the peace she feels when she is underwater. Photo taken in Corsican waters in Santa Giulia, France. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
Mother-to-be shot in the pool in a cozy atmosphere, dressed in pearls for a hypnotizing rendering. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
In Corsican waters. We are between land and sea, around 4pm when the light is strong. I ask my daughter to start from the bottom and allow herself to drift up between the aquatic world and the terrestrial one. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
To symbolize eight years of marriage, shooting in the Big Blue at La Ciotat off Ile Verte, France. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
This photo was taken during an aquatic training in Chateauroux. My muse for this day, who's known as "Claire the Mermaid," is a professional mermaid in France. I chose her as a model, but without her mermaid tail to show the curves of a woman and not a fish. Her ability to manage apnea and poses underwater was a pleasure to witness. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès // Photo taken at Ikelite Ambassador Alison Bounce's Underwater Photography Workshop. Learn more here.
A mother-to-be who is expecting her fourth child. Shooting in a swimming pool, the mixture of colors and movements of the water bring grace to this photo. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
I wanted this photo to have an aquatic waltz, filled with grace and elegance. I love the rendering of wedding dresses under the water. It gives a magical note thanks to the movement of the water. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
Another one of my daughters whom I often ask to pose. She practices dance and performs beautiful dance poses. She is at ease underwater, and a muse for me. Slicing through the blue of the sea with a red dress brings a contrast that I like. Photo taken in Corsica at Porticcio. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
I asked the skipper of the boat to pose underwater pulling his catamaran, mimicking the considerable effort of towing his ship. Photo taken in the waters of the Lavezzi Islands in Corsica, France. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
We are a group of three friends and aquatic photographers: one of us poses, one of us takes photos, and one of us is there for safety. A real team effort. Photo taken in the Mediterranean waters at La Ciotat at Ile Verte. © 2022 Caroline Lantrès
Caroline Lantrès is an underwater portrait photographer from France. She harnesses the beauty of water to emphasize her models figures and important life moments. She uses the Canon 5DS R with a 17-40mm lens, and strobes, although she tends to shoot a lot of natural light. Follow more of her work on her Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and her website.
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Additional Reading
5 Tips for a Successful Freediving Photoshoot
Behind the Scenes of Alison Bounce's Underwater Portraiture Workshop 2019
Jenna Martin's TEDx on Becoming an Underwater Portrait Photographer [VIDEO]
How Underwater Maternity is Different From Topside
Getting into the Underwater Photography Business with Karen Bagley
