Keigo Kawamura

Hi, I’m Keigo, a scuba instructor in Izu Peninsula, Japan. I started underwater photography 20 years ago with a compact digital camera, changing to a digital SLR in 2015 it became more and more fun to shoot. Now I’m teaching how to take underwater photos.

I was awarded runner up in the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2020 (Macro) and DPG/Wetpixel Masters 2020, Macro Unrestricted category winner.

When I bought a digital SLR, I was at a loss of whether to buy a high-sensitivity camera or a high-pixel camera. Housing was costly and I had to choose one or the other.

I chose the Canon 5DsR, so I was surprised at the beauty of the photos I took for the first time.
With a high-pixel camera, I could give a delicately beautiful picture of fish scales in detail, which is not understood with the naked eye.

Cameras

Canon EOS 5DS R – High-pixel camera allows for a delicate depiction.

Lenses

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM – Suitable for photographing underwater landscapes, herds and large creatures.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM – This lens is suitable for macro photography and for behavior.

Strobe/Lights

SEA & SEA YS-D1 – High power and quick charge. I use it for wide photography.

SEA & SEA YS110 + RETRA Light Shaping Device – I use it for macro photography. The light source is too large for small organisms, so the light needs to be thinner.

In the water, natural light alone does not show beautiful colors, lighting techniques are important.

It’s my style to reproduce the same thing in the water as shooting in the studio. Using the best camera will make shooting fun. I’ve lost a lot of cameras by being submerged. But don’t be afraid of it. Set it up carefully and take out insurance (see guide).

www.toranchi.com | @toranchi_kawana