Now booking for Sydney's Northern Beaches - 13th to 26th April, 2024 - 3 SPACES REMAINING
BYRON BAY + Northern beaches fine art UNDERWATER portrait photographer
fine art underwater portrait PHOTOGRAPHY
CAPTURING THE ART OF YOU
on an underwater canvas
BYRON BAY REGION, NSW
NORTHERN BEACHES, SYDNEY
underwater portrait PHOTOGRAPHY
Next travel dates: 13th - 26th April '24
welcome to the
UNDERWATER
EXPERIENCE
For those who value quality, artistry and choose self love. The underwater experience offers a point of difference to other traditional photography styles. A chance to see yourself like never before. Offered from a private pool location, you will be expertly guided every step of the way; from creating a vision through to posing and image selection. Get ready to walk away with gallery worthy images you will cherish for always.
Celebrating femininity, strength and grace on an underwater canvas.
THIS EXPERIENCE IS PERFECT FOR YOU If you are seeking
WHO THIS IS FOR
1.
To Celebrate. You are looking to embrace self-love and unapologetically celebrate YOU.
2.
To Reclaim. You have given your energy to everyone and everything - except yourself - and now you're ready to embark on a journey of reclamation.
3.
To Cherish. You are here to celebrate a milestone - and here to give it the recognition it deserves.
4.
The Exceptional. You are sensitive to art and beauty and seek what is unique and one-of-a-kind.
A GIRL SHOULD BE
who & what
— COCO CHANEL
SHE WANTS
TWO THINGS,
capturing the art of you
Underwater Portrait Sessions
Self-love
for the courageous
An exploration of femininity, strength and beauty. A self-love session is all about celebrating you. Treat yourself or gift to someone special. Beautiful imagery showcasing you from a new perspective.
Couples
for the lovers
Celebrate your connection with your significant other. An elevated alternative to the 'trash the dress' trend for the newlyweds - and a beautiful way to showcase your love as a couple.
Maternity
for the mothers
Embrace the beauty of this precious moment. An underwater maternity session is a precious gift, one that will be cherished for lifetimes. With a value only increasing with time - you don't want to miss the opportunity to capture this fleeting moment in a timeless and artistic way.
HOW IT WORKS
THE PLANNING
THE EXPERIENCE
THE ARTWORK
Focus is on preparing for your session, finding your style and creating your vision. We will discuss your experience and comfort level, wardrobe and styling, and concept and creativity.
It's time to create! Your session unfolds at your pace, you will never feel rushed. I will guide you through different poses and looks until we have the imagery we want.
Following your session I will lightly edit a selection of images for you to choose your favourites from. These will then be fully edited and retouched. The editing process is where the art truly starts to unfold.
the art is in the edit
... we're not just capturing - we're creating ...
I WILL MY PHOTOS FOR TO COME
treasure
years
— INGRID
MEET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
Hi, i'm HOLLY
My objective is twofold: to craft beautiful bespoke imagery inline with your vision, and ensure you have an incredible experience
As your photographer I approach each session with artistic intent to create images that are both unique and meaningful to you. My aim is not just to produce beautiful images though - this experience is all about YOU and I want everyone who steps (or swims) in front of my lens to feel special, celebrated and empowered. I am here to hold space for you so you may fully embrace and immerse yourself in this experience.
Your session unfolds at your pace, everything will be tailored to your experience and comfort level. We have already discussed styling and done all the prep work before you arrive so this is the time to just be present and see where the water takes us.
What to expect on your session day
Before entering the water we will take our time to breathe, stretch and go over underwater posing and buoyancy control.
We begin the session, often starting out in waist deep water. We will explore different poses and wardrobe items inline with your vision. We will capture, review and capture again, until we have something truly special.
It may feel challenging and less-than-graceful at times, but rest assured you are doing great! We will take as many breaks as needed along the way and the session will just fly by!
HOLLY MADE ME FEEL
confident and comfortable
— JACQUELINE
THROUGHOUT THE EXPERIENCE
HERE'S THE THING...
It's no secret professional photography is a luxury service akin to visiting a spa or having your hair and nails done. It is an expression of self love. However, unlike your hair and nails - it does not chip or fade away after a couple of weeks. This kind of investment only increases in value with time.
celebrate yourself as art
This is a testament to your self-worth, a reminder to you that this is who you are. You will never be this version of you again, so why not celebrate her?
The Underwater Experience covers everything that goes into crafting beautiful bespoke imagery including:
CLICK HERE FOR PRICE GUIDE
UNDERWATER SHOOT
VISIONS CALL
CLIENT WARDROBE
POOL HIRE
REVEAL AND IMAGE SELECTION
IMAGE EDITING AND RETOUCHING
PRIVATE ONLINE VIEWING GALLERY
RETOUCHED DIGITAL PRINT READY IMAGES
with guidance and coaching on underwater modelling so you look relaxed and natural
to discuss individual project and planning prior to session
access to a beautiful selection of bespoke dresses, robes and fabrics
and use of any props specific to the vision including backdrops and fresh flowers
select your favourite photos. three fully retouched digital images are included as part of the experience with the option to add on more favourites
magazine quality editing and retouching (2 to 6 hours per image)
high and low resolution digital photos for downloading and sharing
fine art, one-of-a-kind portrait images created just for you. images to cherish for lifetimes
INCLUDED
CUSTOMISE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OPTIONAL ADD-ONS:
Fine Art Prints
Proudly display and gift your work's of art. Fine art prints are created using museum quality fine art paper and archival inks - this is not something you can
source from a retail lab.
Additional Images
Purchase only what you love. Three digital images are already included as part of the Underwater Experience with the option to add more favourites.
Drone Photography
Float above the surface of your pool or ocean based session and incorporate drone photography for a creative new perspective (weather and flight zone permitting).
I can't wait to create something truly special with you!
- holly
Frequently asked questions
WHere are you based?
Pool based sessions are arranged in the Byron Bay region of NSW. If you live in the area and have a pool that is suitable I am also happy to travel to you. Sessions are additionally periodically arranged in Sydney's Northern Beaches. Join the waitlist for the next availability.
DO I HAVE TO OPEN MY EYES UNDERWATER
Having your eyes open or closed is entirely up to you and depends on your level of comfort and the look you’re wanting to achieve. When reviewing photos it is often the ones where the client has their eyes closed that are the most loved. Closing your eyes can create a sense of relaxation as you bring your focus inward and immerse yourself in the sensation of being underwater. It can also be easier to maintain a relaxed facial expression and avoid squinting and other facial distortions.
what do i wear? do you shoot nudes?
You can wear as much or as little as you’re comfortable in. I shoot nudes, implied nudes and boudoir / lingerie. Your boundaries will always be respected and we will discuss styling and wardrobe in detail at time of your visions meeting.
HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO HOLD MY BREATH?
We will submerge for only a few seconds at a time. You set the pace and we will take as much rest as needed. It is also not essential to fully submerge if you are not comfortable with this; anonymity can be an interesting feature of a piece.
WHEN DO YOU DO UNDERWATER SESSIONS?
I run sessions in the warmer months between November and April. If you are wanting to explore an underwater session outside of these times get in touch and we can discuss further.
HOW LONG UNTIL I RECEIVE MY IMAGES?
After you have selected your favourite images it will take up to 4 weeks to receive the final edited digital images, a little longer for Northern Beaches sessions. I put a lot of love and care into crafting each image with special attention given to colour correction and touch-ups, which is why it’ll take a little more time to deliver your final images. Wall art and prints may take approximately 4 weeks to arrive once the order is placed.
HOW LONG IS A SESSION?
I don’t put a time limit on the session as everyone is different, we go at your own pace. As a guide you can expect to be in the water for up to 1.5 hours taking breaks as needed. It depends largely on your comfort in the water, the number of looks, and outfit changes.
what if it rains?
One of the things about an underwater photoshoot is that it doesn’t matter too much if it rains – we’re underwater and wet anyway. In saying that, too much rain just prior to and during the shoot can impact water clarity and make visibility difficult. I want the experience to be positive so will speak with you about rescheduling if it looks like conditions would be less than ideal.
© Holly McLean 2023
Privacy Policy
Underwater Portrait Photography for Byron Bay's Northern Rivers and Sydney's Northern Beaches
Underwater Portrait Photography for Byron Bay's Northern Rivers and Sydney's Northern Beaches
success
Your request has been sent.
You are now on the waitlist and will be notified when bookings become available. In the meantime, if you have any questions please send a note to hello@hollymclean.au.
Please fill in your details below or send a note directly to hello@hollymclean.au. I'm here to answer any questions you might have.
price + information guide
Your
GET IT NOW
looking to learn more
Thank you
Your request has been sent.
Your Price and Information Guide will be sent to your email within 24 hours. I can't wait to connect!
close
