About me

My name is Sean and I like to take pictures. That's the short version.

My name is Sean Arrowsmith, and I have come to really enjoy taking pictures, both above and under the water, although I much prefer to take them while diving.
I spent the past 3 seasons working as a dive guide and instructor for Manta Diving, in Lanzarote. It was here I got my first underwater camera, and felt that taking pictures had brought another dimension to my diving.

I tried diving in 2000, in a pool, while on holiday, and enjoyed it so much I did the course. I then used to dive on every holiday I took. As I went, I picked up a few more certifications, and after 6 weeks of diving in Thailand, I decided to do my Divemaster course.
For some bizarre reason, I did most of this in the UK, and very quickly came to love UK diving, which, although quite hard, offers some exciting opportunities. I spent most weekends assisting instructors, and eventually went on and took my PADI Instructor Development Course.

After a year of teaching in the UK, I decided to make the most of my qualification and go and teach abroad, hot climate, warm clear water, it made sense. I only planned on doing the summer, 4 or 5 months, which turned into 2.5 years. I learned there is a huge amount more to being an instructor than just passing the course.

I bought a digital camera with a housing, because it was cheap, and I thought it would be fun. I was right, it was fun, but in the long run it was expensive. Once you get an underwater camera, you enjoy it as it is for a while, then you add extras, like lenses, and strobes, then you will feel the need to upgrade to a better camera - it's like a drug. Taking pictures underwater gave me a buzz, it let me show people what was there, and could encourage some to try diving as well.

Eventually though, the teaching became a bit stale, I no longer had the same enjoyment from it and much preferred to go in with my camera rather than other divers, so I came back to the UK, planning for a big trip, where I could dive for myself. 10 weeks in some of the best dive destinations in South East Asia, if not the planet, certainly fit the bill.

I am still a fully qualified and up to date instructor, and I will certainly teach again. But, for the moment, I am just enjoying my diving, both on the wrecks of the UK, and the blue waters found abroad.