Sport Diver: How long have you been diving?

Mike Veitch: I’ve been diving since 1996. I did my Open Water in Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand.

Sport Diver: When did you start shooting underwater? 

MV: I started shooting in 1999 with a Nikonos V, 15mm lens, and SB 105 strobe.

Sport Diver: What camera system do you use now?

MV: I use a Nikon D90 with an Aquatica housing and Sea and Sea strobes.

Sport Diver: You've been shooting underwater a long time—what is your most memorable moment underwater?

MV: Having 30-plus male manta rays chasing a lone female during mating season in Yap, Micronesia.  We were able to witness this behaviour for about 45 minutes before they disappeared. 

Sport Diver: Do you prefer wide-angle photography?

MV: I most definitely favour wide-angle over macro. The challenge of balancing the different lighting elements and the opportunity to capture the “big picture” is more challenging and therefore more rewarding to me.

Sport Diver: Have you had any scary or funny moments underwater?

MV: One of the people I used to work with in French Polynesia was bitten in the ankle by a grey reef shark. Luckily, we had the late Ron Taylor and his wife Valerie on the boat at the time, so they jumped right in to film the sequence and interview him while we bandaged his ankle!  That was more funny than scary.

Sport Diver: What are you proudest of?

MV: In 2013, I will be opening a School of Underwater Photography in Indonesia, the first of its kind in the region dedicated to teaching underwater photography. 

Sport Diver: Are there any underwater photographers you admire?

MV: My favourite photographer is definitely Doug Perrine. Doug has a knack of finding the most amazing new marine life behaviours and events throughout the world — and the professionalism to capture stunning photographs of these events

Sport Diver: What advice do you have for beginning photographers? 

MV: I definitely suggest taking a class or workshop with a professional underwater photographer who can teach them the basics and get them started out on the right path.

Sport Diver: Where are you going next?

MV: I will be spending a lot of time discovering new and undiscovered spots in Bali, as well as a return to my favourite spot in Indonesia: Komodo National Park. 

Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Mike Veitch specialises in leading photographic workshops around the world. After spending many years working on boats and resorts in the Indo-Pacific region, Mike has settled in Bali, Indonesia, where he is the co-founder of the “Underwater Tribe”, which specialises in customised diving tours around Bali and the entire Indonesian archipelago. He is also the co-founder and head instructor of the “Bali School of Underwater Photography” where he has the opportunity to teach his passion for underwater photography. For more information, please visit underwatertribe.com.