If your friend, boyfriend or dive buddy takes underwater photos and videos of you that look like these:

But you want them to look more like these, with longer-looking legs and more flattering body proportions:

Then this iPhone underwater photography guide is for you, and especially for the person holding your phone underwater!

I have been freediving and creating underwater content for a couple of years, and these are the tips and tricks I have learned throughout my underwater journey. I’ll show you how to choose flattering angles, how to frame the body so the proportions look better, how to take clearer and sharper underwater photos and videos, and which equipment and lenses I personally recommend. I’ll also explain what to discuss with your buddy before you start, how to hold and move the phone steadily, and how to get footage that is easier to edit afterwards.

I’m using an iPhone with my DIVEVOLK setup, but most of the framing, angles and camera-handling tips also work with Android phones and other smartphones. So if you want your buddy to understand how you would like to be photographed or filmed, you can send them this guide or go through the examples together before your next dive.

My Underwater iPhone Photography Setup

For the past years, these are the pieces of equipment I have used the most for underwater photos and videos:

• iPhone 16 Pro 
• DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus housing
• DIVEVOLK wide-angle lens

What I like about the DIVEVOLK housing is that I can still use my iPhone’s touchscreen underwater. I can tap to focus, adjust the exposure manually, open my saved photos and videos, and review what I just filmed while still in the water.

The external wide-angle lens is also part of the setup I use for this style of content. A wide view helps me fit the person and their long fins into the picture while staying close enough to get clearer photos and videos. I also like having some of the surrounding water in the frame, because that is part of what makes the scene look so beautiful.

If you are wondering what the differences are between using an action camera and an iPhone underwater, I explained them in more detail in this article:

👉 iPhone vs Action Camera Underwater: Which Is Better?

Before the Dive: Turn On the Grid and Choose Your Settings

The first setting I would turn on is the camera grid. On your iPhone, go to Settings → Camera → Grid. This divides the screen into nine boxes, and I use the middle box as a reference when framing the model’s head.

When photographing or filming people for this type of content, I usually use 0.5×. With the right framing, it can help the model’s legs look longer and make the overall body proportions more flattering. The 0.5× setting comes from the iPhone’s Ultra Wide camera, while the DIVEVOLK wide-angle lens is a separate attachment for the housing.

For underwater video, these are my normal settings:

These are my shooting preferences, rather than requirements from the platforms. I like 1080p for quick social-media editing because the files are smaller, while 4K gives me more room for cropping or taking a detailed still frame later. If I already know I will need that extra flexibility, I would also consider 4K for a Reel.

Shooting at 60 fps lets me slow a clip to half speed on a 30 fps timeline, which works nicely for fins, hair and gentle body movement. In darker water, I may use 30 fps instead. These video settings do not apply to normal Photo mode, although the grid and framing tips below work for both.

For Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts, vertical usually makes sense; for a regular horizontal YouTube video, turn the phone sideways. If you want both, filming separate versions is usually easier than trying to recover the missing body parts with a crop later.

I cover the rest of my camera settings, including focus, exposure and HDR, in this guide:

👉 How to Film Underwater With an iPhone: Best Video Settings & Tips

How to Take a Full-Body Underwater Shot

For a full-body shot, try to stay around 1–1.5 m from your model. When the camera is too far away, the person becomes small and there is more water between the camera and the subject. You lose contrast and detail, and cropping the image afterwards makes those problems more obvious. 

You don’t need to dive deep to get a very cool freediving shot. For this type of natural-light shoot, I usually prefer to stay within about 5 m of the surface. Shallow water normally gives the camera more light and makes it easier to capture detail and color.

For a vertical shot where the model is upright, place the model’s head in the upper half of the center grid box and bring the fin tips close to the bottom edge of the frame. If the model is not wearing fins, use her feet as the same reference. This is the composition I like to use because it helps the model look taller and makes her legs look longer in underwater photos and videos.

If the model starts moving, turning or swimming diagonally, her feet or fins may shift toward the left, right or even the top edge of the frame, and that is completely fine. Keep watching the screen and follow her movement smoothly, using her head as your main framing reference. As long as her head stays within the center grid box, the composition will usually remain balanced even when the rest of her body changes direction.

Here are two examples showing how the shot looks when you are slightly above the model compared with when you are slightly below her:

Shooting slightly below the model can make the body and fins feel longer, and it may also place the bright surface behind her. Shooting from slightly above can show more of the water or seafloor below the model and create a completely different feeling. Neither angle is always better, so compare the two examples and decide which look you prefer.

One extra tip for flattering underwater shots:

When you’re filming underwater, both you and your model are constantly moving, so the framing will never stay perfect.

The most important thing: try to keep the model’s head around the center of the frame.
The fins can move up, down or sideways and that’s fine. As long as the head stays centered, the body usually looks much more flattering and balanced.

Here are some examples you can compare: head centered vs. not centered 

How to Take a Half-Body Underwater Shot

For a half-body shot, stay about 0.5–1 m away from your model. Place the model’s mask in the upper half of the center grid box, then crop the lower edge of the frame across her thighs, above the knees. Make sure to keep the hips and the bum in the frame 

If she is horizontal or diagonal instead of upright, the idea stays the same: keep her head within the center grid box, follow the direction of her lower body, and crop above the knees while still including the hips. Depending on her position, the lower-body crop may be at the side of the picture instead of the bottom.

If you can, try to include her hands in the frame too, especially when they are close to her face. It usually looks better than cutting off only part of a hand or a few fingers at the edge.

Additional Useful iPhone Underwater Photo & Video Tips 

Save some examples before your dive!

If you or your friend has no idea how to approach your iPhone underwater photography or video shoot, save a few photos or videos you like before the trip. Download them onto your phone and show them to your photographer before the dive or while you are already in the water. It helps to explain the part you like instead of only saying, “Can you make it look like this?”

You can also agree on a simple route and movement before the dive. For example, decide that the model will swim across the frame and turn once, while the photographer stays in one place. It gives both people something clear to do instead of trying to guess each other’s next move underwater.

With the DIVEVOLK touchscreen housing, you can open your saved photos or videos while you are already in the water. The larger phone screen makes it easier to see the body position and framing than a small action-camera screen. You can also have a longer discussion and review what you have filmed together at the surface.

Watch the Screen at All Times & Move Slowly

While your model is moving, keep your eyes on the screen. Your position, the model’s position and the distance between you are changing all the time, so you will need to adjust the camera accordingly.

Try to move slowly. The slower and smoother your movements are, the better the video will normally look. Avoid sudden movements, but stay aware of your model and the surroundings.

It helps to practice holding the housing steadily with one hand, because many freedivers need their other hand for equalization. Hands-free equalization is not something everybody can do, so being able to hold the housing steadily with one hand is a big plus 🙂

Start Recording Early and Keep the Whole Movement

Start recording before your duck dive and keep the camera recording until you return to the surface. Avoid stopping halfway through just because the planned pose or movement is finished, because an unexpected moment can still happen while you are underwater.

Another option that works well is for the photographer to descend 3–4 seconds before your model. This gives you time to get into position and steady the camera. If you both descend together, the photographer may spend the beginning of the clip equalizing, turning and trying to find the model on the screen. Starting a little earlier can help you film the model’s entrance more smoothly.

Review Your Takes Together!

After a few takes, review them together. You can do this while you are both still in the water using the DIVEVOLK full-touchscreen housing. Checking your videos and photos before ending the dive will give you a better idea of what you have shot so far. If anything is missing or you want to reshoot something, you can still do it. You can also look at your saved examples together and compare them with what you have shot so far.

For more common problems to look out for when you are starting to take underwater photos and videos with an iPhone, I have another guide here:

👉 Underwater iPhone Video Tips: 8 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Once you have the shots you like, try to capture a few behind-the-scenes clips as well. Having different types of footage gives you more choices when putting together a Reel, which I explain here:

👉 How I Make Underwater Instagram Reels With My iPhone

Edit Underwater Photos and Videos on iPhone

Editing is a very important part of iPhone underwater photography and video creation. With the right techniques, it can dramatically improve the overall look of your underwater shots. I use CapCut to put my videos together, and Lightroom Mobile to edit photos and adjust the colors of both photos and videos. These are the best apps I have found so far for editing short-form videos and underwater photos on my phone.

You can find my step-by-step guides here:

👉 How to Edit Underwater Photos on iPhone: My Workflow as a Content Creator

👉 How to Edit Underwater Videos on iPhone: Color Grading in 5 Mins

DIVEVOLK Discount Code

If you are interested in the same touchscreen underwater phone case I am using for iPhone underwater photography, here is a full review I wrote after years of diving with it:

👉 DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Full Review

If you’re ready to order, use my DIVEVOLK discount code DIVETIAN6 at checkout to get:

• 6% off your entire order
• A free Protective Cover
• Extra gifts for orders over $500, including a Travel Case and L-shaped Handle Bracket

👉 Use code: DIVETIAN6

👉 Order through my DIVEVOLK discount link

The extra freebies usually won’t show on the checkout page, but they will be automatically added to your order by DIVEVOLK.

If you want to compare it with other underwater phone housings, I wrote a full guide here:

👉 Best Underwater Phone Case for Photography: Which One Is Worth It?

FAQ: iPhone Underwater Photography Tips 

What iPhone camera settings should I use underwater?

For underwater videos, I normally use 1080p / 60 fps for Instagram and TikTok, and 4K / 60 fps for YouTube. In darker water, I may use 30 fps instead. For photos and videos of people/ larger animals, I turn on the camera grid and usually start with 0.5×. You can find all of my settings in my complete iPhone underwater video guide.

Is 0.5× or 1× better for underwater photos and videos?

Neither one is better in every situation. Personally, I like to use 0.5× together with the additional DIVEVOLK wide-angle lens, especially when I film people or larger marine animals. With my setup, this gives me a wider view and helps reduce the stretched look around the edges. It also makes the result feel more dynamic and interesting. I may still choose 1× when I want more detail or do not need such a wide view.

Why do my underwater iPhone photos and videos look blurry?

In iPhone underwater photography, the most common reasons for blurry images are being too far from the subject, low light, poor visibility, movement, missed focus, or a dirty lens or housing port. Try getting closer, staying in shallower water when possible, tapping the subject to focus, and moving the camera more slowly. I cover this problem in more detail in Underwater iPhone Photos Blurry? Here’s How to Fix It.

Why do my legs look short in underwater photos?

It can be the angle, the body position or how different parts of the body are placed relative to the camera. Legs pointing away from the lens can look shorter, and a very wide view can exaggerate proportions near the edges. Try changing the camera position and using the head and feet or fin tips as your framing references, then compare the result before repeating the dive.

Do I need an underwater housing to take photos with an iPhone?

For freediving, yes. I would always use a proper underwater phone housing instead of relying only on the iPhone’s water resistance. A housing protects the phone at depth and gives you a practical way to control the camera underwater. I use the DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus, but you can compare several options in my guide to the best underwater phone cases for photography.

Before Your Next Underwater Shoot

For your next session, give your dive buddy one simple shot to practice first. Show them a reference, agree on the movement, and explain where you want your head and fins to sit in the frame. Once that shot is working, it becomes much easier to try a closer crop or a different angle.

When you are learning iPhone underwater photography, you do not need to solve every detail in one dive. Sometimes moving the camera a little closer or keeping the head nearer the center changes the whole result, and reviewing the footage together helps your buddy understand what looks good to you. That is how you end up with photos and videos you actually want to keep, instead of coming home with lots of clips and wondering why none of them look the way you imagined.

If you found this guide helpful, feel free to follow me on Instagram, where I share more underwater photography and filming tutorials, editing tips and behind-the-scenes content from my dives. You can also send me a message if you have any additional questions after trying these tips, I would love to hear how your next underwater shoot turns out 🙂