Antarctica and Beyond: Top Tips For Successful Cold Water Photography

I recently completed a dive trip to Antarctica, a place where the water can’t get any colder without becoming ice. For me, this trip was second nature; my home dive site sits at 35°F (2°C) all year round, and I dive it week in, week out. But when I met some of the other guests on the trip, it became apparent how nervous they were about the cold, and how much it was affecting their image-making. I tried to help out with a few tips, and many told me they wished they knew a few of these secrets before the trip so they could prepare. So, for those of you interested in improving your cold water diving, or for those beginning their journey, here are a few of my top tips for successful cold water photography… Oh, and when I say "cold" here, I’m not talking about California… I mean water temperatures of 40°F (4°C) and below.

State of Mind

The number one tip for success is state of mind. If you’re sat in your house in Florida deciding that you’re going to freeze to death in Antarctica, then guess what… you’re going to struggle. This is because you’ve already decided you will. So wake up and realize you’re not the first person to dive in ice-cold waters, and all the other people before you managed just fine. Nobody died of hypothermia or frostbite just from getting in the water.

Equipment has come so far, and it’s never been easier to dive in cold water than it is today. Stop deciding something is hard before you try it; embrace the cold water with warmth and positivity. At the end of the day, when push comes to shove, even if you do get a bit cold after 20 or 30 minutes of diving, guess what… you can just come to the surface.

Drysuits, Hoods, and Gloves

Drysuits have gotten better and better over recent years; this is not the part of the budget to skimp on. Turning up with a leaking drysuit that you got from your dad in 1986 is a surefire way to ensure you have a torrid time in cold water. Invest in a high-quality, custom-fitted drysuit from top manufacturers. My personal current favorites are Bare, Waterproof, Santi, and my suit of choice, Fourth Element. The reason for all of these is that they are high quality and all offer silicone wrist and neck seal systems, meaning you can quickly replace your seals in the field in a matter of seconds. Also, choose a front-zip trilaminate suit, preferably with a plastic zip, as it is much more comfortable.

As for gloves, take dry gloves, not wet… don’t debate this and don’t listen to people who tell you wet gloves are warmer underwater. While that might be true—it can be close between wet and dry during the dive—keeping your hands dry ensures that even if they do get cold, they instantly get warm again on the surface. Wet gloves cause evaporative cooling after the dive once they are exposed to the air; air temperatures can even cause the water on them to freeze on contact, causing a whole plethora of problems. Also, the next time you put the gloves on, they will be very cold and miserable, causing issues before the dive even starts. My favorite glove system at the moment is the Waterproof Ultima system; it’s excellent, easy to fit to your suit, and works incredibly well. For the under-glove, I use the new Fourth Element Halo AR gloves; they are excellent.

As for hoods, the best hood I have found is the Waterproof H2 10/5mm; it’s truly great. Be sure to try hoods on, as the fit is very important. It should be tight enough to keep the majority of the water out, but not so tight as to give you jaw lock.

Undersuits and Heating Systems

I own a full heated suit, heated gloves—the full works. However, I did not take this to Antarctica. For me, these types of systems are only needed for tech/deco dive times in colder waters. They add so many layers of complexity and are the items I see cause the most stress for inexperienced divers. I have seen many people have issues with batteries, cables, and valves, so I personally recommend avoiding them. The current non-heated undersuits and gloves on the market offer more than enough protection for 30-minute cold water dives.

If you do decide you can’t do it any other way, then only buy a Santi full heated suit and glove system. Do not waste time and money on any other solution, and absolutely categorically do not get any system where the battery is inside the suit. It is imperative that all batteries can be disconnected from outside the drysuit for safety reasons. Otherwise, you are at risk of burns due to battery failures and electric shocks from flooding.

I recommend the Santi BZ420 undersuit system; I have not found a system that comes close to matching its performance. This, paired with the Fourth Element Halo AR gloves and a pair of woolen socks, is the best setup I have found after 10 years of trying every product on the market. I am not a fan of using many layers, because layers cause friction and cause you to lose flexibility in the suit, hindering photography.

BCD and Weighting

I like to have a simple life when diving in such cold conditions; therefore, I use a backplate and wing with an integrated weight system so I do not need a separate weight belt. I see many people using harnesses and weight belts. Harnesses don’t fall off, but they get in the way; they make your sides bulky and, combined with a standard BCD, add huge mass around your sides. Weight belts fall off, and that’s a dangerous situation in a drysuit. As you descend and the drysuit becomes compressed, they become loose and often slip off; I see it time and time again. Get a great backplate and wing with integrated weights and you remove all of the issues. This same backplate and wing can also be used equally well for your tropical diving and is modular, so if you break any one component, you can replace the individual part.

Have a Routine for Everything and Never Break It

Repeatability and routine in cold water diving are paramount to making it easy and your dives successful. All of the things I have told you above help make your routine successful.

1. Drysuit on: Always do it the same way. Each leg individually, pull up the suit, secure braces, and then one arm at a time (the arm you choose first will be dependent on the direction of your zip). Next arm, then neck, align neck seal, then zip the suit. Check to make sure it is fully zipped, then secure the second zip. Open the valve, squat, and release air through the valve. Dive computer on wrist, hood on, and secure the hood around the neck.

2. BCD next: First, turn on the air, check gauges and the inflator. Left arm in, right arm in, then stand up. Fasten the waist belt, ensuring all hoses are outside it. Secure hoses: short hose, drysuit hose, long hose, and SPG in that order. Check that the drysuit and inflator are working.

3. Dry gloves: Left glove first as I am right-handed. Under-glove, dry glove, secure, and repeat on the right hand.

4. Mask: Spit (better than any chemicals in the cold), wash, place on head, and secure by pulling the hood over the top. I always do this after the gloves so my hands remain dry.

5. Fins on: Ready to go.

The Camera

Notice the camera is the last thing to discuss. That is because by taking the measures above, you should have ensured you are ready and prepared to use a camera in cold water. You have eliminated many of the equipment and preparation issues that will cause you to fail or become overwhelmed. Here are the top tips for the camera:

1. Test the camera with the gloves repeatedly at home, even if this means wearing them at your coffee table in Florida to get used to it.

2. Ensure that you are very familiar with your camera and that you prepare it for the type of shooting you are doing before you get in. Have the right autofocus set up, the rough correct settings, and have done some test shots beforehand.

3. Make sure you can turn the buttons on your strobes. This is the most fiddly thing on your whole camera, and many people make 3D-printed knob extensions for the strobe dials… buy them, and use them!

4. Don’t overcomplicate things. Have a plan of what you’re shooting and only take the things needed. Taking snoots and diopters and trying to manipulate them underwater is going to be tough. If you want to use them, set them up on land first and stick with them for the dive.

5. Have a method to tether the camera to you. If things go wrong or you feel out of your comfort zone, you want the ability to just drop your camera and forget about it.

6. Focus on telling the story of the cold water environment. Ice, cold water animals—express the joy and excitement of cold water diving in your photography.

Now, for my final and most important tip… if you are not having a good time and feel uncomfortable for any reason, then abort your dive and come to the surface. Make this agreement and pact with your buddy—a non-judgmental pact. The hobby is supposed to be relaxing and fun. There is always another dive to do, so come to the surface and reassess what went wrong. Address the core issue and you’ll find your cold water shooting will get better and better.