Kimber Greenwood of Water Bear Photography

A passion for water

Throughout her life, Kimber has had two deep passions: water and art. Growing up Kimber worked as a lifeguard and eventually became Open Water SCUBA certified. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at Texas A&M University after sailing around the world with the Texas Maritime Academy. During her time at A&M, Kimber became an AAUS Scientific Diver and a Cavern Diver through the school’s diving programs. In her last year, Kimber spent 2 weeks in North Florida completing her training as a Full Cave Diver and an Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Diver. Upon graduation, she moved to Florida to continue pursuing her passion for diving while helping her partner conduct research in Florida’s submerged cave systems. Kimber ended up in North Florida shortly after where she attended the University of Florida to research microbial films in underwater caves, but ultimately ended up pursuing a degree in the medical field as a Registered Nurse.

Professional Photography career

Photography entered Kimber’s universe after her son was born, and became a passion fueled by the desire to visualize the images trapped in her mind. Her entry into underwater portraiture was solidified after a friend asked for maternity photos at a local Florida Spring. Since that time, the water has been a staple in Kimber’s work. As she continued to capture underwater images and grow in her craft, Kimber found the industry was lagging behind other photography specialties and there was a minimal amount of educational opportunities available for an aspiring underwater portrait photographer. As a former lifeguard and nurse, Kimber was shocked by the lack of emphasis on safety. In 2019 Kimber began piecing together an outline for an underwater portraiture workshop and held the first 3-day event at her studio for 10 photographers in 2020. The Water Workshop(TM) is currently in it’s 4th year.

Additionally, Kimber mentors numerous experienced and aspiring underwater portrait photographers every year and in 2024 successfully hosted her first underwater portrait photography retreat at the cenotes of Riviera Maya in Mexico.

Kimber’s passion for underwater portraiture has rewarded her through numerous awards and features worldwide, as well as the opportunity to shoot underwater ad campaigns for several clients, brands, and non-profits. Kimber’s underwater work has been featured by Meta, Elle, CNN, Insider, and several others. Kimber is also the resident underwater instructor for the Summerana Academy.

Outex is the perfect solution for underwater portrait photographers

Kimber loves the Outex waterproof camera system because of the glass optics, the compact, travel friendly design, the universal camera & lens compatibility, and the modular support for accessories light lighting, tethering, triggers, mounting, and more.

"Bringing a housing to shoot in challenging locations, including underwater, isn’t always feasible and that’s where Outex comes in. Having the ability to pack down a skin and some glass has been a huge advantage, especially on some of my remote excursions. It's super convenient for trips abroad, such as my workshops in Mexico and Costa Rica, specially when dealing with carrying cases and customs. Even at the pool at my Florida studio, I use Outex to reconfigure lighting setups and alternative imaging."

"Compared to hard case housings, Outex is also considerably more affordable, and lowers the barriers to entry for my students, interested in exploring underwater photography work. I can increase my target audience and attract many more students with Outex."

As an educator, Kimber keeps a supply of Outex covers and optics for her students and mentees. Having a supply on-hand allows her to inform and educate students. Many go on to purchase an Outex kit as they become enamored with underwater photography.

"There's such magic in underwater photography. It's a feeling of being weightless, graceful, and powerful, both for the model, and the photographer."