Justin Gilligan is an Australian photographer based south of Sydney. He first caught the attention of Scuba Diving editors last year when he took home an honorable mention for his image (pictured below) of two Australian cuttlefish mating in Whyalla, South Australia that was entered in the 2016 Through Your Lens photo contest.

Jump to Q & A with Justin Gilligan.

Behind-the-Shot

Throughout Australia, pelicans are a common occurrence around boat ramps and fish cleaning tables. Fishers often throw their scraps into the water and the pelicans score a feed. I decided to kneel in the water in the hope of capturing the spectacle in a single frame. During one particular moment, the pelicans forgot I was there and lunged at a tasty morsel and became a tangled mess of blacks and feathers. My heart skipped a beat with excitement and I quickly tried to capture the fleeting moment. It was really quirky, but lasted less than a second - I was pleased to make a record of the encounter.

Q: How long have you been a scuba diver/what’s your certification level?
A: I started scuba diving at age 14, and hold a PADI Rescue and commercial dive certification.

Q: How long have you been an underwater photographer, and how did you get started?
A: I started at age 15 shortly after receiving my open water dive certification. My dad and I went halves on a used Nikonos V film camera. We would shoot half a roll each in the early days. Then as time ticked along, I started to take more and more of that ratio… I’m still really sorry about that dad!

Tell us about your camera rig(s).
Camera: Nikon D810
Housing: Nauticam
Lens(es): 15mm, 16-35mm, 60mm, 105mm
Lights/Strobes: Ikelite DS161

Q: Do you prefer to shoot on scuba or freediving?
A: I do a little bit of both depending on the situation, but I’m a terrible freediver. I prefer scuba because I can spend more time in one spot concentrating the image, rather than being distracted by other minor concerns such as breathing and shallow water blackout.

Q: What is your favorite photo-sharing platform?
A: Instagram and then Facebook
Follo Justin on Instagram @justingilligan

Q: What are three of your favorite social media accounts to follow?
A: @natgeo @saveourseasfoundation @seasquirts

Q: What hashtag best describes your underwater photography style?
A: #onemore #allthegear&noidea

Q: What or who inspires you?
A: Digital cameras really inspire me these days, through their amazing resolution and ability to shoot in low light. They have really opened up some amazing opportunities – functional housings are also most inspiring!

In terms of photographers - David Doubilet for sure.

Q: What do you love most about your work?
A: I love the preparation and the anticipation leading up to a new image. I also love shooting in my own backyard. There is also the educational aspect, which I really enjoy - it’s great to show people the bizarre underwater world just offshore.

Q: Please tell us more about your process, including post-production?
A: I do a fair bit of research and planning leading up to a photo shoot and return to the same location several times to increase my chances of scoring nice conditions and a descent frame. Once I think I’ve got a shot I ‘chimp’ through the images on the back of the camera and usually get excited by the prospect of an image. Then I download the image and become disappointed because it never looks as good on a computer screen compared to the back of the camera. I then use Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom to post-processing the image to try and make it look as good as I originally thought it was. Finally, I look at the image on the computer screen until my eyes get sore, calling on passers-by to take a look and tell me what they think in a needy selfish way - it’s a pretty streamlined workflow that I’ve really mastered.

Q: What’s been the biggest challenge and/or your most rewarding moment?
A: The biggest challenge is always doing a moment justice. We get to see some amazing things underwater, and the best moments are fleeting. It’s hard to be ready and predict what is going to happen. Nailing these moments is the biggest challenge, but also results in the greatest reward.

Q: What was your favorite trip and why?
A: My favorite trip was my most recent one to Tasmania. I dived off the southern tip, in the few remaining giant kelp forests left in Australian waters. They are dying off due to the warming water. The sites are only visited by commercial abalone divers and there was snow on the surrounding mountains. It felt like a real adventure, conditions were challenging, but some of the moments were magical.

Q: Where do you most want to go?
A: Antarctica. My girlfriend took my camera there last summer - it was unfair!

Q: Any advice for budding photographers?
A: Focus on a single subject that interests you and return to that same place over and over at different times of the day and different water conditions - really try to work an image.

Justin Gilligan is a photographer and journalist, specializing in nature and underwater photography. He currently resides south of Sydney, Australia. See more of Justin Gilligan's photography:

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