Oceanographic Magazine (OM): How did you get into underwater photography?

Kin Soon Cheong (KC): I got my first scuba diving certification in December 2013 when I moved to the Philippines on an expat assignment with an US engineering company. Most of my expat colleagues dive and the Philippines are one of the best places to do so. Because of the proximity and the ease of travelling to those amazing dive sites, it quickly became my weekend activity. For the first time in my life, I was immersed in the underwater world in person. I was awestruck by the riot of colours from the corals and the rich marine life. It felt so peaceful in the shades of blue and turquoise, observing nature’s greatest gifts. I wanted to capture what I saw so I bought an underwater housing for my iPhone. After six months, flooding of two iPhones and lots of green and blue colour photos (I am sure all underwater photographers can relate to this), I decided to buy a compact camera complete with housing. Later, I progressed to a mirrorless camera and now I’m using a full-frame DSLR to photograph some of the most amazing scenes underwater.

OM: You take some epic coral photos. What do you love about them?

KC: I simply love corals. I love them for their variety of colours, shapes and sizes. The sight of healthy thriving corals is a good indication of a healthy ecosystem underwater. Corals are vital as they are essential in regulating CO2 levels in the ocean. A healthy ecosystem will help manage the effects of global warming. Some of the most amazing corals can be found in the Philippines and throughout South East Asia. My favourite location to see corals is Balicasag Island in the Philippines. With usually good underwater visibility of 20m to 30m, this place is one of the must go to places for divers who love wide angle scenes. I also take lots of coral photos in Anilao, Philippines. Although it is most famous for being the Mecca for macro underwater photographers, it has some of the most amazing corals and wide angle scenes to offer photographers.