REPLAY: Making a Career in Underwater Photography, with Mekan
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Making a living from underwater photography is challenging —but not impossible.
Álvaro Herrero, aka Mekan and 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year, is one of the few who managed to turn his passion into a full-time career. In this webinar, he’ll share his personal journey and shed light on the few income streams that still work in this niche field—from workshops to fine art, client work and beyond.
Join this live event for an inspiring talk—and a visual treat featuring some of Mekan’s most stunning underwater imagery. You’ll also get the chance to ask your questions during the live Q&A.
Meet your speaker
Álvaro Herrero aka Mekan, originally from Spain, has had a deep connection with the ocean since his grandfather gifted him a mask at the age of 5. By age 8, he began experimenting with photography using his father’s old camera.
With over nineteen years and more than 5,000 dives, he has worked as a diving instructor, commercial diver, repair technician, boat skipper, and underwater photographer, teaching courses and masterclasses worldwide.
His spirit of exploration has led him to gain extensive experience in outdoor sports, including climbing and spelunking. His technical training includes the JJ-CCR rebreather for depths of over 100m, as well as the Kiss Sidewinder and DPV for cave diving.
Álvaro has worked as an underwater photographer in locations such as Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Maldives, the Red Sea, Polynesia, Jordan, Canada, Galápagos, Taiwan, Spain and Mexico.
He has received awards in high-profile contests, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Red Bull Photo Illume, and Siena International Photo Awards. In 2025, he was awarded the title of Underwater Photographer of the Year, in the prestigious UPY competition. He captured his deepest photograph at 110m in the Lombok Strait, Indonesia, and currently explores the caves of Mexico.
In addition to photography, Álvaro leads his own ocean expeditions, guiding people to experience marine wildlife encounters while coaching them in underwater photography. With more than 40,000 followers on Instagram, he is a recognised figure in the underwater photography scene worldwide.
To see more of Mekan’s work, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.
Topics Covered
Here is what was covered during our 2h20 long webinar:
- From Hobby to Career – Mekan shares his personal journey—from his first dives as a child in Spain to becoming a full-time underwater photographer.
- How to Make a Living in UW Photography – Mekan discussed the few income streams which remain viable in our niche.
- Boosting Your Career – Mekan discussed how photography competitions and social media have helped him reach new clients.
- The Realities of Life as a Full-Time UW Photographer – The ups, the challenges, and Mekan’s advice for those dreaming of going pro.
- Live Q&A – the webinar concluded with a 40 minutes long Q&A session with our speaker.
What attendees said about the webinar
Participants had a great time! But don’t take our word for it, here are some of the comments typed in the meeting chat:
- 🎉 “It was fun – thank you, great presentation!” – Elena
- 🌟 “Thanks Mekan, very inspiring!” – Chris
- 🙏 “Great presentation! Thank you very much!” – Dawn
- 👏 “Terrific, thank you!!” – John
- 👍 “Great presentation, thank you!” – Dave
- 📸 “Álvaro, thank you so much for sharing, I enjoyed your talk!” – Sam
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40 lessons
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16 hours of video
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Private Club Forums
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Live Q&A Calls
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Monthly webinar invitation
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Replay all webinar recordings
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