Jim & Lynn are a couple well known in Taiwan's underwater photography community. It might be hard to imagine, but Jim originally came from a science and engineering background — from chemical R&D to factory management — a career path that seemed to have nothing to do with underwater photography. Lynn, meanwhile, spent 12 years dutifully working in banking, a job that most people would consider an iron rice bowl. The two met in university and eventually married. So how exactly did diving set off a whole chain of changes in their lives?
Sharing a passion for underwater photography has added so much joy to their life together.
How It All Started with Underwater Photography
Before discovering diving, the couple lived much like any other office workers — long hours from nine to nine, weekend dinners at restaurants, and the occasional long holiday to a nearby country. But all of that ordinary routine changed for the first time in 2006, with a trip to Palau. There, they were utterly awestruck by the underwater scenery: crystal-clear visibility and fish in every color imaginable made it feel like an entirely different world beneath the surface. Since they hadn't yet earned their scuba certification, they could only snorkel, and they watched with envy as certified divers strapped on scuba tanks and descended for long, leisurely explorations. By the time they returned to Taiwan, they had already signed up for a dive course — and earned their entry-level certifications in Kenting, in water that was just 17°C.
In those early days of underwater photography, online information was nowhere near as abundant as it is now. Jim poured a great deal of effort into trial and error, and more than a few mistaken gear purchases. As each other's dive buddy, they gradually discovered what made diving truly fun. At first, Lynn — who didn't know much about photography but had a knack for spotting things — took on the role of observer, finding marine life for Jim to photograph. But as the quality of the photos improved, Lynn started projecting her own ideas onto the images, suggesting that Jim adjust the strobe position or tweak the settings to achieve the composition she had in mind. Eventually, she decided to pick up a camera herself. She still remembers the moment she did: she quickly realized that shooting underwater required managing buoyancy, controlling her breathing, and fine-tuning countless camera parameters all at once — and suddenly understood that what Jim had been doing was a genuine skill. Lynn recalls that in those early days, beyond mastering the basics of camera settings, the most important thing was to absorb and read as much as possible. They bought a large collection of photography books — both local and international — because, as she puts it, you need to appreciate others' work before you can internalize it and develop your own perspective.
Each other's dive buddy, they frequently appear in one another's work.
Beyond giving their lives an unexpected breadth of experience, underwater photography has also deepened their relationship. Where most couples at a restaurant might chat about daily life — or these days, scroll through their phones in silence — Jim and Lynn discuss composition, or how to approach their next shoot differently. Having a shared passion also means they see eye to eye when it comes to investing in underwater photography gear.
A lot of spouses question why so much money needs to go into underwater photography equipment — some even have to stash away secret savings to make a purchase. But because we both love shooting underwater, we share the same values, and that has made the whole journey so much happier.
Beyond encouraging each other, the two also compete with one another. When preparing to enter a competition, they hold an internal showdown first — picking the strongest image — which means challenging each other's perspective and making the case for their own shot. There are sparks, but those sparks are exactly what drives their rapid growth. Friends on Facebook won't tell you the truth, but a spouse will give you their honest opinion without pulling any punches.
Every photo shoot is a journey of exploring life.
Speaking of competitions — some people jokingly call this couple the photographers (plural) who have won more awards than anyone else in Taiwan. Their own take on competitions, however, is a nuanced one. They see entering contests as a form of self-affirmation, but behind every win are far more submissions that sank without a trace. Competitions require you to select photos, and the process of sorting through thousands of images to find the one to submit is really a kind of dialogue with yourself — asking why you love a particular shot, and thinking about how you would approach the same subject differently if you had the chance to shoot it again. In what might seem like a tedious process, those reflections are gradually internalized and become experience for the next shoot.
At the time of writing, Lynn had just received the honor of the Sony World Photography Awards Taiwan National Award; in 2017, it was Jim who received the same recognition. After attending this international stage of photography, the art form took on an entirely new meaning for them both. Jim recalls that in the 2017 Still Life category, one photographer entered images of square pieces of human skin, each bearing various tattoo symbols. At first glance the images were startling, but behind them lay a silent, heartbreaking story. That year, conflict and turmoil had engulfed several countries in the Middle East, claiming countless lives — and with no scientific means of identification, tattoos on skin had become the only way to help families bring their loved ones home. Through those two experiences as participants, they both came to understand afresh that a true photographer must use images to convey meaning and intention.
Camera equipment is becoming more and more accessible, and anyone can become an underwater photographer. But if you can use a photo to express your own story and perspective, the image will be far more moving.
In the second half of life, they chose to live for themselves.
How Underwater Photography Changed Their Lives
The year 2017 brought another life-altering turn driven by diving. They had always longed for a life by the sea — its sunshine and sandy shores a constant dream. In Taiwan, they had even gone so far as to rent a shipping container on the Northeast Coast, dashing to the seaside every Friday after work for night dives and photography, and sleeping in the container when they were spent, waiting for the next day's dawn. On one trip to Mactan Island in the Philippines to dive, they observed a Japanese owner of a local dive shop who spent his days guiding guests and his evenings cooking and chatting with them back at the shop. The couple thought to themselves: this is exactly the retirement life they had always dreamed of. Then, in 2017, Lynn began experiencing some health issues after years in the banking industry. It made them reflect: if they didn't pursue their dream now, perhaps ten years later, when they finally retired, the opportunity would be gone forever. So they made the decision to leave their jobs behind and head to Romblon Province in the Philippines, where they began their second-act resort life.
Every photograph has a story that belongs to it alone.
Some people may envy this decision; others may see it as enormously courageous. But Jim and Lynn firmly caution others not to try it lightly — because this dream had been taking root in their hearts for ten years. During those ten years, they even paid out of pocket to attend entrepreneurship courses. But Jim, analytical by nature with his engineering background, and Lynn, running the numbers with her banking instincts, eventually came to realize that a dream alone cannot make a business work. So they returned to the factory and the bank, knuckling down as office workers once more. Their message to fellow dreamers: just plant the seed, keep discussing ideas with others and letting them spark off each other, and opportunities will naturally begin to surface and fall into place. When you've spent a long time developing deep expertise in a field, unexpected benefactors will appear.
A dream built on nothing but air can't put food on the table. You have to wait for the right opportunity and realize it one step at a time.
Finally, they remind everyone: when a hobby becomes a job, your enthusiasm can take a hit. In the thick of building the resort, many tasks were not ones they had wanted to do, and burnout was inevitable. But if it is truly your choice, you have to grit your teeth and push through — and try to find a new balance between your interest and your work, so that the job itself can become a passion again.
Underwater photography is the thread that connects them — and a part of everyday life.
The macro world through the lens is full of surprises that defy imagination.
Wide-angle underwater photography puts a photographer's compositional skills to the test.
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