ART PARTY: CATH BATCHELOR
Art Party is a celebration of the art we create and the story behind it.
Each feature includes a curated list of questions to help you dig deeper into sessions you may see on Instagram and want to learn more about.
If you have a session, series, or collection you would like to celebrate, send me an email with all the details and a link to the gallery.
Meet Cath:
I like to think of myself as an easygoing, positive person who is resilient, empathetic and a bit of a goober at times.
I find joy in nature, watching a sunrise, floating in the ocean, watching sunsets, photography, travelling and exploring new destinations, spontaneity and spending time with loved ones.
That's why photography means so much to me - it's the small things, the daily moments, that bring the most peace and joy.
It started with a GoPro…
My interest in underwater photography began with wanting to capture my daughter, who was learning to surf and has always loved being in the water. So, GoPro in hand, I would jump into the water with my daughter to document those moments.
There was a time I found Sea Through the Lens Photography and was inspired by Ebb's underwater ocean maternity sessions. I was fortunate enough to attend one of her underwater workshops, and from there I was hooked and decided to invest in an underwater housing for my camera and added underwater sessions to my offerings. I also attended an underwater maternity workshop with Beccy Smith focusing on pool sessions. Both women and their work have been an inspiration to me.
It feels relaxing to be in the water…
What brings me joy in underwater photography is how relaxing it feels to be in the water. That sense of calm helps create fun, enjoyable sessions. I also love the creativity water offers as a medium; it allows me to experiment with movement, light, and ideas that aren't possible on land, and I enjoy the challenge of bringing those creative visions to life.
The most rewarding part is creating underwater maternity images that women will treasure for years to come, knowing they'll be able to look back on such a special chapter in their lives through these photographs is incredibly meaningful and I feel privileged to play a small part in telling their story.
Challenges both below and above the water…
Underwater photography brings a whole new set of challenges to sessions both below and above the water. One of the trickiest things for me has to be the change from shooting through a viewfinder to shooting with the back screen, all whilst trying to manage my buoyancy and camera settings. Ocean sessions also add another level of difficulty, requiring careful planning to account for changing tides, swell, currents, and visibility.
After the fun of the session comes the editing, which is a whole different ball game with underwater sessions, especially in ocean sessions.
Double-check everything…
When I'm shooting underwater sessions, I shoot in aperture priority. I set a minimum shutter speed and a maximum ISO before placing my camera in the underwater housing and entering the water. On one occasion, I rushed putting my camera in the housing and knocked my minimum shutter speed to a lower setting. I didn't notice the lower shutter setting until I was well into the session. It was a big wake-up call to take my time setting up my gear and to double-check everything before entering the water, as having to open your housing mid-session is risky because you don't want to get any water or moisture in your housing, which can damage your camera or cause the lens to fog.
Evolving style…
Over time, my style has evolved from creating images with lots of negative space to incorporating more intimate, detailed compositions. I wanted to bring more variety to my galleries and showcase different perspectives within a session. The simplicity and natural beauty of the pregnant body, with its gentle curves and shapes, inspired me to focus on these closer details and create images that feel both artistic and timeless.
Adding more colour…
I enjoy embracing colour in my work, and flowers are the perfect addition to add colour to a maternity session. Moving forward, I would love to explore more colour with family underwater sessions, incorporating colourful swimwear, goggles, swim caps and inflatable rings. I see colour as another way to enhance the emotion and create images that feel joyful, playful and full of life.
