Pictures that capture underwater dogs at play

Published on 25/10/2012 02:01

IT was a lucky shot, captured when photographer Seth Casteel’s pet spaniel leapt into the water during a photo-shoot, which inspired him to experiment further.

The result is Underwater Dogs, a collection of more than 80 striking portraits, which was two years in the making and saw him photograph 300 dogs in cities all across America.

To capture his unique canine snaps, professional dog snapper Casteel has to strap on a weighty 8 kg diving belt while also donning goggles and a wetsuit.

His Canon camera, protected by a water-resistant housing, is fitted with a special fish-eye lens to give his pictures wider scope.

The American explained how he first uncovered this unique brand of photography.

He said: “This spaniel couldn’t stay out of the pool.

“He’d knock the ball in and jump after it, over and over. So I left the shoot and went to buy an underwater camera. I didn’t know what the results would be like, but once I saw them, that was the start of my project, ‘Underwater Dogs’.”

Casteel says that every shot is different and that he never knows what result he is going to get.

He said: “You never know what the results will be.

“Will the dog look silly or will it look primal? It’s hard to say. I’ve seen some of the silliest dogs on land look terrifying underwater, and some really serious dogs on land look hysterical underwater.”