The catcher of submarine dreams

The wonders of the underwater world are a dream come true for many of those who dive for fun, but for those who dive for a living, it can be a little more mundane.

Early on a recent Sunday morning, Ma Qirui, an underwater photographer in Chengdu, Sichuan province, goes to check the water quality and temperature in her specially designed backyard pool, as well as the camera equipment she will be using that day. Two newly-married couples will soon be arriving for a photo shoot.

The profession of underwater photographer is relatively new in China. As if the responsibility of getting once-in-a-lifetime wedding photos right is not enough, these photographers go into the shoot with the lives of their subjects in their hands.

The hardest part is preparing customers for the shoot, Ma says.

"It takes a good while to get them used to the water - from ensuring they do not choke, to keeping their eyes open, and then looking relaxed as they pose."

The subjects dress in various costumes, and it usually takes between one and two hours of shooting for one particular costume. Ma says that each day she can shoot photos that include six costumes.

After five hours working underwater she wraps herself in a bath towel, shuddering, and calls for an assistant to bring her a heater.

Ma started her studio three years ago in a townhouse. She spent nearly 1 million yuan ($157,000; 146,300 euros) to decorate the house and build a thermal pool, she says, adding that the business has gone exceptionally well.

"Your hands become wrinkled after hours in the water, but I enjoy it because I'm creating and recording beauty. That's what I live for."

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/13/2015 page4)