Simon Lorenz wears many hats. He’s an award-winning underwater photographer, an Isotta ambassador, photography coach, PADI instructor and tour guide. His company, Insider Divers, creates group trips for like-minded divers and snorkelers who are keen to learn about the nuances of the underwater world, and how best to capture extraordinary moments. We head behind the lens to find out more about Simon’s world beneath the waves.

Oceanographic Magazine (OM): When and how did you first connect with the ocean?

Simon Lorenz (SL): I have always been a water boy and my childhood memories are filled with swimming in lakes and the ocean. My first underwater experience was snorkelling and stalking pike in an Austrian Lake at the age of seven. At 18 I did my first scuba dive on the island of Elba and I was totally hooked. I remember feeling empowered by the feeling of buoyancy and the instructor having to pull me out of some overhead swim-throughs that I foolishly felt comfortable diving through.

OM: How does it feel for you to be able to create underwater photography?

SL: When I could finally afford to get certified years later in Central America, I felt an immediate desire to continue my “topside” hobby of underwater photography. My first ever steps with a point-and-shoot where with the manta rays of Nusa Lembongan, Bali, and I realised that taking a camera seriously impaired buoyancy and dive time. But I was stoked to be able to create underwater photography and it quickly replaced topside photography entirely for me.

OM: You were recently in Sri Lanka – what did you experience?

SL: In Sri Lanka I ran a group trip exploring both the wrecks of Colombo and the whales off the coast of this amazing island. There are so many wrecks in really good condition with tons of wildlife living there. The water is warm and clear, and they have recent wrecks as well as historic ones that are more than 100 years old. Sri Lanka has more than 25 different types of cetaceans, but the main draw is the blue whales. While there are many places where blue whales can be seen only a few places give permits to snorkel with them. The 2020 season hadn’t started well and the groups before us had not seen any whales. We travelled out far and got lucky right away with sperm whales for the first two days. And then on day three and four we saw the blues, including a mother and calf. We topped it off with a day of pilot whales. Our last day got cancelled when Sri Lanka closed down all wildlife activities due to the coronavirus, so we felt extra lucky to have had those amazing interactions.