Chloé Breheret’s photo ‘20 Unforgettable Minutes‘ of a freediver swimming beneath dolphins, taken on a university expedition to the Red Sea, Egypt, has been seen by millions around the UK as part of Falmouth University’s national advertising campaign. Marine and Natural History Photography graduate Chloé shares more about the photograph, her journey into underwater and coastal photography and more…
Our emerging photographer series aims to shed a light on up-and-coming talent. Photographers are offered a platform to share their work with a wider audience through the AP channels, with the scope of furthering their careers. We also get an insight into their inspirations, the camera gear used and future aspirations, as well as the journey taken into photography – which doesn’t have to be the most traditional route!
We’ll be sharing the work of photographers on our website and social media and even in the magazine. If you have recently started your photography journey or are a student / graduate, share your work with us at [email protected]
When and why did you start taking photographs?
I started taking photographs as soon as I got my first iPod Touch. My parents had a boat, and we would head out on day trips and spend weeks at sea during the summer, which I loved documenting on that tiny screen. A little later I was given a Nikon Coolpix and became obsessed with filming underwater, playing mermaids with my sister and then replaying the footage over and over. That’s really where my love for the ocean began to deepen.
With parents who love diving and being in the sea, it felt natural to follow them underwater; I got into scuba diving with my dad, swam twice a week after school, and spent as much time as possible in the water. Growing up on the shores of the Mediterranean in the South of France was a pretty ideal place to discover that photography and the sea were the two things I never wanted to be far from.
Which genre do you tend to work mostly in?
Over the past three years I’ve really taken the time to explore different directions. I travelled through Peru shooting exclusively on film, learnt to use a “proper” underwater rig with Nauticam housing and strobes, and discovered how much I enjoy video and editing. But at the core of all that experimentation, my work keeps coming back to the sea so my main focus is underwater photography and coastal imagery.
What draws you towards your favoured genre?
It’s a mix of how I feel when I’m in or near the sea and the sheer variety it offers. Underwater there are endless species, behaviours and small moments unfolding all the time, and visually there are infinite angles, colours and textures to work with. It feels like a place where I’ll never run out of stories to tell with a camera.
Tell us a little bit more about your photographic training?
I’ve just completed a BA (Hons) Marine and Natural History Photography degree at Falmouth University in Cornwall. The course starts with the fundamentals of photography and gradually pushes you towards working at a professional, award‑winning level. Alongside stills, we also learn to make nature films and documentaries, which really broadened my understanding of visual storytelling.
A big turning point for me was choosing the underwater module. To even apply, you need to have your PADI qualifications up to at least Rescue Diver, and from there you’re trained in underwater photography in the cold but wildlife‑rich waters around Cornwall.
I chose this particular course because it was the only one I could find that wasn’t “just” photography. We study wildlife issues and conservation, and explore how to communicate those stories through images and narrative. Combining photography with nature activism felt like the most meaningful direction I could take, and the course gave me the tools to do exactly that.
Tell us more about your work?
During my time at Falmouth I’ve worked on several different projects, As I move back home to the south of France in the coming months, I’m planning a new body of work focusing on the protected waters around Cap Roux, near Théoule-sur-Mer. My aim is to document, through underwater photography, the species and ecosystems that thrive in this marine reserve and to highlight why they matter.
Recently, one of my photographs ’20 Unforgettable Minutes in Marsa Shagra’ taken at sunrise in the Red Sea, during a two-week university diving expedition to Marsa Shagra, Egypt, was selected for a nationwide campaign and displayed on billboards across the UK, which has been a huge opportunity and a real confidence boost.
During our trip, most of my mornings began at 5:50am with a sunrise snorkel before the heat set in. After visiting Dolphin House (popular dive site for Dolphins in Egypt) and leaving without the encounter I had hoped for, I kept returning to the water each dawn, determined and hopeful. Then one morning, while quietly photographing a turtle, I caught a flicker of grey in the corner of my eye. A family of dolphins appeared, gliding gracefully through the morning light, and for 20 unforgettable minutes, they swam right beside me.
The defining moment came when freediver Marie entered the water and joined them, giving me the composition I needed to capture the image that would go on to define the trip and, as it turned out, reach the entire country.
It’s encouraged me to start entering more photography competitions and to actively push my work out into the world. Between the projects I’ve already begun and the ones waiting for me back home, I’m excited to see where the wind (or the seas) takes me.
What has been your biggest photographic obstacle to date?
Underwater photography, especially with strobes, is still my biggest technical challenge. Getting the light to feel natural while compensating for how quickly colour is lost underwater is a delicate balance, and I’m constantly learning and tweaking my approach.
Who are your biggest influences?
Laurent Ballesta has always been one of my biggest influences. He’s a French scientist and underwater photographer who has won multiple major awards and is constantly pushing himself to photograph the seemingly impossible. His work shows just how deep storytelling can go below the surface.
What equipment do you use?
During my degree, our campus stores at Falmouth offered an amazing range of gear we could borrow at no extra cost, which allowed me to experiment a lot. Now that I’ve finished, I’ve bought my first own underwater setup: a Nikon D7000 in a Nauticam housing with a Sea & Sea strobe. At the moment I’m working mainly with a fisheye lens, but I’d love to add a macro lens to explore smaller subjects more closely.
What would be your dream equipment to work with?
My dream setup would be a Nikon Z8 in a Nauticam housing. Underwater camera systems are incredibly expensive, but the Z8 is worth the hype, it’s what I used on my university dive trip to Egypt, and it was outstanding for both stills and video.
What has been the highlight of your photography career so far?
My trip to Egypt and an unforgettable encounter with a pod of dolphins is still the standout moment. They were playful and stayed with me long enough for me to create a whole series of images, including the one that was used on billboards around the UK.
They say luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Every one of those early starts, every sunrise in the water led to that moment. I still well up when I think about it.
What are your hopes for your photography career in the future?
I hope to become an award-winning photographer, with underwater photography at the heart of my practice. I’d also love to work with young people, teaching them both why our seas matter and how to document them. Using photography to spread hope and awareness about the ocean feels like a natural extension of my work.
Do you have a dream assignment?
Working on a research vessel with scientists, documenting their work and the wildlife they study, would be a dream assignment for me. Combining science, exploration and visual storytelling in that way is exactly where I’d like my career to head.
What piece of advice would you give to other aspiring photographers?
Just get in the water – or into whatever environment inspires you most. It doesn’t matter what gear you have at the beginning. Use your eyes first, pay attention to the places you love, and that’s where your creativity really starts to grow. Be prepared, because when preparation meets opportunity you won’t have time to think twice.
Instagram: @chloebreheret_photo
Website: chloebreheretphoto.myportfolio.com
Success stories
At the 2026 AP Awards, Nick Teo was announced as our Emerging Talent winner for this documentary-fashion work. Previous emerging photographer award winners include Ethan Parker, Aliz Kovacs-Zoldi and Tariq Sadu. Si Jubb and Ethan Parker recently spoke at our Festival of Photography: Documentary event.
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Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.
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