Brett Stanley: Underwater Photography & Cinematography with Outex
Jan 01, 2024
Brett Stanley is an Australian-born underwater photographer and cinematographer based in Los Angeles. Renowned for pushing the boundaries of underwater portrait photography, Brett is an Outex ambassador who chose the Outex system because it grows his teaching audience, maintains professional imaging performance, and simplifies setup on location.
Portrait Work
Brett has made a name for himself as one of the most innovative underwater portrait photographers working today. He specialises in designing and building unique underwater sets — stretching the imaginations of his viewers and challenging the technology available to bring those worlds to life, to the point of manufacturing his own equipment when nothing else will do. His images have appeared in magazines and on album covers worldwide, earning him international recognition and multiple awards.
Underwater Performance Coaching
As an underwater performance coach, Brett knows how to get the best out of subjects in the water — including those who have never performed below the surface before, and those who may not swim confidently. His patient, calm presence creates an environment where the work is polished rather than rushed, and where subjects feel safe enough to commit fully to the shot.
Cinematography
Whilst Brett is known for his still photography, he works equally well as a cinematographer — bringing his creative eye and smooth, sweeping movements to the moving image. Comfortable on projects of any scale, he is equally at home leading creative direction or working as part of a larger team.
Published Work & Press
Brett's landmark series Underwater Pole Dance garnered massive international attention and was featured in Cosmopolitan, Brigitte (Germany), ABC News, Yahoo (Australia), and Telemundo (Mexico). He has also been interviewed by Sueddeutsche Zeitung (Germany) and photography publications F11 Magazine (New Zealand) and Fotoflock (India).
Why Brett Chose Outex
Brett was originally drawn to Outex because of its potential to expand the reach of his workshops and teaching work. Traditional underwater camera housings create barriers for students — the complexity, cost, and bulk of dedicated rigid systems limit who can participate. Outex removes those barriers without compromising on optical quality.
"Outex grows the market for underwater portraiture, maintains my imaging performance, and facilitates my setup in the process."
— Brett Stanley
Outex Outdoor Pro Series: Full Interview
Brett sat down with Outex for the Outdoor Photo Series, discussing his approach to underwater portrait photography, how he coaches subjects, and why the Outex system fits into his professional workflow.
Take Your Camera Underwater
Whether you shoot portraits, fashion, or film — the Outex underwater camera housing lets you use the DSLR or mirrorless camera you already own. The modular system is compatible with cameras from Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and more — with interchangeable optical glass ports that deliver professional image quality at a fraction of the cost and weight of rigid alternatives.
Explore Outex underwater camera housings → | Camera compatibility FAQ | Brett Stanley workshops
More from the Outex Community
See how other photographers and filmmakers use Outex in the field: Ben Von Wong + Valentina Vee | Carl Thomson — Underwater Fashion Photography