Underwater photographer: Laurent Miroult

Who doesn’t know Laurent Miroult? A talented underwater photographer, Laurent Miroult signs with his very particular style incredible photos flowing on social networks and ending up on his website.

Although I admired his work for a long time, I had never had the chance to meet him. So when we found a date that suited both of us, I didn’t hesitate for a moment to meet this amazing artist.

Portrait of a photographer diver like no other

Who is underwater photographer Laurent Miroult?

A sensitive, calm and serene character, Laurent Miroult is one of those talented photographers.

Deeply human, he invites discussion with gentleness and serenity. A MD radiologist by profession, he smiles and tells me that finally, he’s just continuing to dive and photograph people… Otherwise.

And that’s his specialty.

A scuba diving enthusiast in all forms, Laurent Miroult photographs especially the divers who accompany him during his dives.

He particularly appreciates beautiful atmospheres. Also, he offers us through his pictures all the intensity of an aquatic world. He will also take a wonderful series of photos of our dive. It’s almost like an underwater game

But Laurent was not always a photographer..

In his youth, he tried to get into it but was held back by his parents. At the age of 21, he still passed a first PADI certification to be able to dive on vacation. At the same time, he continues to do a lot of sports. It is only since 2013 that Laurent has really started to dive.

Indeed, that year he was asked by friends to dive with them. Although he already has a first level, Laurent resumes his training.

In Florida, he dives on a spot named the Morrisson Spring. As he makes his immersion, he sees divers coming out of a hole. He comes forward to look and is stunned. He rushes to question the divers at the exit. They are instructors and offer to dive with them the next day.

And that is the revelation.

Laurent tells me how fabulous this world is. Of a rather contemplative nature, he falls in awe of the games of light and the implausible atmosphere that he discovers in caves or in cenotes.

He then follows up training with various certification agencies:  LIFRAS, PADI, IANTD, NSS, NACD and GUE. But above all he wants a certification allowing him to dive in caves.

Laurent starts Sidemount diving and then learns to dive with a twin. He takes some souvenir shots with his Gopro. It must be said that he likes to take pictures on earth too.

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When Laurent Miroult starts underwater photography

It is a meeting with professional photographers in Norway that will convince him to get into underwater photography.

He said to himself, “what if I try ?” The rest will show us that he was right to dare to start.

Then he began underwater photography with basic materials and learned as a self-taught artist by reading books and practicing out of the water. He tells me that you have to force yourself to understand the technical side (exactly what I hate, I admit).

But, very quickly, it feels limited because in cave, it needs to go up in ISO and have a wide angle. For him, there is no secret. If you have good equipment, you’ll have better pictures. So he equips himself accordingly.

Photos that pursue a goal

Laurent has this talent to be able to share his vision of diving by highlighting the atmospheres and divers that are with him. His work is amazing.

But, if he likes above all the pleasure of photographing. Laurent Miroult also hopes that his photographs can reveal the beauty of what lies underwater to give value to what we do on the surface. In other words, by becoming aware of the underwater life we may be more ready to protect the surface. No doubt, Laurent is an optimistic idealist, I love this.

Of course, he also hopes to reach the public of divers. if people see beautiful pictures with beautiful visibility… They will most certainly be more aware of being careful themselves during their immersions. To work their trim in water for example. To evolve calmly without sudden movements. Or to adopt a kicking technique suitable for the environment in which they operate so as not to stir and damage the font and flora.

[ Ed.Editor’s note: In quarries and other lakes, it is clearly better to ban academic kicking in favour of Frog Kick-type]

Far from blaming those who make mistakes, Laurent prefers to encourage them to progress and learn from their mistakes. He himself tells me one of his last mistakes and we smile. Of course, everyone makes mistakes even when we have more experience.

Underwater photography: the biggest challenges

• Stay aware of what’s going on around us (especially in cave diving!)
• Don’t overwork your buddy
• Limit our footprint on aquatic life: focus on photos in natural light and stay alert to our movements.
• Don’t pay attention to everything around around that you don’t need, stay focused on the object of the photo.
• Don’t judge other people’s work too quickly. Sometimes may tend to incriminate certain pictures without understanding how they were made. It is important to keep a critical mind and … Learn.
• …

Underwater Photography: The Best Profits

• Participate in the conservation of environments by showing their beauty
• Pleasure of the aesthetics of photos, memories
• Opportunity to contemplate the beauty of the aquatic environment
• Traces, memories of lived experiences
• Personal satisfaction: it’s nice when others like your pictures
• …

Amateur photographer: a choice

Laurent Miroult is an amateur photographer and this suits him.

While he recognizes that scuba diving relax him and has allowed him to improve his photography skills, he enjoys his freedom to photograph “for fun” and without putting pressure on himself.

Where some choose to become professionals, he decides that he is happy to simply take advantage of the many opportunities to live experiences that he might not have without his photos.

His equipment

Laurent gradually purchased equipment that was best suited to the shots he wanted to take.
Its camera is a Sony A7RII equipped with a Sony 28mm F/2.8 lens and the WWL-1 from Nauticam.
The Flashes are INON Z240 and S2000.
The housing and floats are signed Nauticam.
Finally, the pilot lamp is a Big Blue.

Photo tips from underwater photographer Laurent Miroult

You may want to start the adventure of underwater photography. Here are some tips that can help you get started:

• Don’t limit yourself too much in choosing the equipment at the beginning
• Get advice from underwater photo professionals
• Read on the subject and train on the surface
• Challenging yourself: learning from mistakes
• Work in RAW mode and manual
• Don’t hesitate to use Ligthroom-type software to rework your shots.

This meeting with Laurent Miroult was for me the occasion of a rich and exciting exchange. But it would not have been possible without the warm welcome of Thierry who opened his great quarry of Rochefontaine to allow, in addition to the meeting, to share a moment of diving.

Did you know underwater photographer Laurent Miroult? Are you inspired by this kind of passion ?

Tell me this in a comment directly below… I’d be happy to talk to you

And above all … remember to be happy 🤗

Hélène

More about Laurent Miroult directly on his website.