420 Dive Log Australasia OCTOBER 2026

Underwater Photography on a Single Breath Article and photos by Vadim Belakhov Freediving, fieldcraft and what an Olympus Tough TG camera can really do underwater

An experienced land photographer when he first turned his attention underwater, Vadim Belakhov soon discovered that all the acquired knowledge meant very little without proper freediving skills. Seven years later, reaching an AIDA 4 Master Freediver level, and continuing his development from there, he explains how breath-hold ability, fieldcraft, patient observation and proximity became the foundations of his award winning underwater photography. The internet is full of extraordinary underwater photographs: intimate encounters with marine life, dramatic reef scenes and fleeting moments captured in a world that remains hidden from most people. It is easy to assume that creating such images requires a professional camera, Big-bellied seahorse photographed using ambient light.

an array of expensive lenses and, of course, scuba equipment. That is certainly one way to approach underwater photography, but it is not the path I chose. I built my photography around a compact Olympus Tough TG camera and a single breath. The sky is the limit when spending money on underwater photography equipment, and larger systems offer genuine advantages, but equipment alone does not create the encounter. Before I can think about focus, lighting or composition, I must be able to descend comfortably, reach the right position without frightening the subject and remain calm enough to use the camera properly. The camera can only record the opportunity I create.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #420 October’ 26

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