How to Photograph Surf Without Spending $2,000 Dollars On a Camera Housing
Jun 10, 2026
Expand Your Camera Capabilities In Any Environmental Condition Without Spending A Fortune
Surf photography has a way of stopping people in their tracks. A surfer dropping into a glassy barrel. A perfectly timed duck dive beneath a breaking wave. The golden light of sunrise reflecting off the face of an overhead swell.
@photo by Matt Paul Catalano
These are the images that inspire photographers and content creators to get in the water. But for many aspiring surf photographers, there are a few major obstacles standing in the way
1. The cost of underwater camera housings. Professional hard-shell housings from major brands often cost between $1,500 and $3,000 before adding ports, accessories, and upgrades. For many creators, that's more than the camera itself.
2. Experience. Without access to waterproof gear, it's impossible to build your know-how, expand your capabilities, learn from experience, or develop a portfolio.
These related forces create a vicious cycle that's difficult to break. Fortunately, there's another way.
The Reality of Traditional Underwater Housings
If you've researched surf photography gear, you've probably encountered professional underwater housings made from aluminum or polycarbonate. These systems are excellent for surfing work. Beyond the initial cost, traditional hard case housings have some limitations most people don't understand at the point of purchase. They are:
Camera Specific: They can only be used with specific camera models. Upgrading from a Canon R5 to an R5II? Or switching to a Sony A7? You'll need a new hard case housing. And all of the ports and accessories that go with it. Exemplified in the photo below.
Heavy, Bulky, Difficult for Travel: If most of your work is local, hard cases are a good solution. But unless you have expenses paid, traveling with hard case housings can pose a significant expense, because not only do they require their own travel case, but you often have to check them during flights, and incur expensive duties and taxes fees in many countries at customs.
Limited Settings Control: Hard cases also limit your functional control access, because not all of your buttons and settings dials, menus, and knobs have corresponding external hard case controls. In other words, not only do you have to develop new muscle-memory for where the controls are, but not all of them are accessible. As locations, shooting conditions, or circumstances change on the fly, you may be stuck with predetermined settings, or having to exits the water to make necessary changes.
And they're often overkill for:
- Travel photographers
- Adventure photographers
- Surf enthusiasts
- Content creators
- Social media creators
- YouTubers
- Outdoor storytellers
For someone looking to expand their creative capabilities, spending thousands of dollars before even entering the water can be difficult to justify.
A Smarter Alternative for Surf Photography
The good news is that capturing professional-looking surf images no longer requires a massive investment. Outex provides a waterproof camera housing system designed specifically for photographers who want the freedom to shoot in and around water without carrying bulky underwater equipment. Instead of a hard-shell housing built for deep technical diving, Outex uses a flexible waterproof enclosure that protects your camera while maintaining access to controls and functionality.
The result is a lightweight, portable system that costs a fraction of traditional underwater housings. Professional photographer Michael Clark can be seen below using Outex during a surf session for a commercial photoshoot.
Why Outex Is Ideal for Aspiring Surf Photographers
1. Better Imaging Performance
Outex lens ports are made of optical glass - not acrylic or plastic, as most hard case housings. The same reason lenses use glass instead of acrylic means Outex delivers superior photographic results compared to hard case acrylic ports. Optical glass is also more durable and less scratch prone. This is a perfect example where superior design can yield superior results.
Some of the best surf photographers in the world use Outex, as well as hard case housings for their award winning work. Below is a photo example from renowned Brazilian photographer Fred Pompermeyer at Jaws in Hawaii. Fred has even custom fitted one of his hard case housings with Outex optical glass ports to take advantage of the superior imaging quality for his shots.
2. Dramatically Lower Cost Multiple Ways
The most obvious advantage is affordability. Rather than spending $2,000 or more on a traditional housing setup, photographers can start creating surf and water imagery with Outex for a small fraction of the cost. That means more budget available for travel, lenses, drones, or other gear to complement your work.
Affordability also means easier and cheaper to travel, since the Outex system can fit in your existing camera bag, and won't cause a "scene" at customs.
Because Outex is modular, you can upgrade the system for tripod mounts, lights, flash, triggers, tethering, and more. So your gear grows with your needs in an affordable way as they expand. And you can have the system always available in your bag when needed - not just for surf, but other water sports above water, rain, dirt, mud, sand, etc. Many Outex customers also own a dedicated hard case housing for scuba, or specific needs. But they love the flexibility it affords them - pun intended. The photo below shows commercial photographer Marc Weiler during a professional wakeboarding shoot in Germany.
3. Works With Multiple Camera Systems
Hard case housings have to conform to a specific camera body. Upgrade your camera and you need an entirely new housing. And that's limiting in multiple ways.
Outex offers compatibility across a wide range of cameras and lenses so it works with your entire arsenal; film, DSLR, Mirrorless, medium-format, and cinema cameras can all work with the same Outex malleable cover and waterproof system. Same with lenses. You can use long zoom lenses for beach shoots or jet ski toe-in surfing, as well as wide angle and fisheye lens for close up action shots. And because Outex adds no bulk or weight to your gear, multiple photographers will carry two systems on them while shooting, so they can adapt to changing needs as needed. The photo below shows Austrian photographer Jürg Kaufmann on a jet ski as they go out for a Big-Wave Surf Workshop in Nazaré, Portugal, home of one of the largest breaks in the world.
4. Shoot Above and Below the Waterline
Some of the most compelling surf images aren't taken deep underwater. They're captured right at the surface. Outex allows photographers to create:
- Split-level images
- Water-level perspectives
- Duck dive shots
- Shore break photography
- Swimming portraits
- Surf lifestyle content
- Ocean travel imagery
These perspectives instantly separate your work from standard beach photography. Below are some photo examples from various Outex users from around the world, including Svetlana Romantsova and Pasha Meleshkin.
5. Expand Your Creative Portfolio
Adding surf and water photography to your skill set opens new opportunities. Many content creators discover that water-based imagery performs exceptionally well because it feels immersive and unique.
Whether you're building a social media audience, growing a photography business, or creating travel content, surf photography can dramatically expand your visual storytelling capabilities.
Tips for Better Surf Photography
Shoot During Golden Hour: Early morning and late afternoon provide softer light, richer colors, and better contrast on the water.
Use Continuous Autofocus: Surfers move quickly and unpredictably. Continuous autofocus modes help maintain sharpness during fast action sequences.
Get Close, Safely: The difference between a good surf photo and a great surf photo is often proximity. Water photography allows viewers to feel like they're part of the action.
Prioritize Safety: Always be aware of:
- Wave conditions
- Rip currents
- Reef hazards
- Local surf etiquette
No photograph is worth risking your safety.
Practice in Calm Conditions First
If you're new to water photography, start in smaller surf or calm water before progressing into larger, more challenging conditions.
Confidence in the water translates directly into stronger images.
The Best Investment Isn't the Most Expensive One
Many photographers assume they need the same equipment used by full-time professional surf photographers to create compelling images.
That's simply not true.
What matters most is getting into the water, learning the craft, and developing your eye for storytelling.
For aspiring content creators, travel photographers, outdoor adventurers, and surf enthusiasts, Outex offers one of the most accessible paths into water photography available today.
Instead of spending $2,000 or more on a traditional housing system, you can invest in a solution that is lightweight, portable, affordable, and capable of producing stunning images in the environments that inspire you most.
The ocean is waiting.
You don't need a $2,000 housing to start photographing it. Click on the link below to start exploring.
