about
The Oosterschelde estuary in Zeeland (the Netherlands) is the place where Udo spends most of his time underwater. With a good eye for detail, composition and color he always tries to make photographs which breathe the same atmosphere as if you were underwater.
He started doing UW-photography in August 2003 with a simple point and shoot camera. Like many other underwater photographers Udo had a steep learning curve because of digital photography, which enabled him to anticipate on the result, directly on the spot.
From May 1st until July 15th 2006 he had his first exhibition in the Botanical Garden of the Delft University of Technology named: Duik eens in 'Die Zeeuwse groene soep’ (dive in the green soup of Zeeland), that showed the marine life of the Dutch Estuaries that nobody expects over there. Udo’s work was also published in several magazines and newspapers: just after the opening of this exhibition the second largest newspaper of the Netherlands used his photos for a two page article and a front cover about the Dutch marine life: 650.000 copies were spread through the country. Since 2005 he participated in several underwater photography contests where he regularly won prizes.
Besides the Dutch coastal areas Udo also dived in many other places: Brittany (F), the Cote d’ Azur (F), Red Sea (Egypt), Caribbean Sea (Mexico and Bonaire), Basque Country (ES), Galicia (ES), Lanzarote (ES) and in Portugal near Sesimbra and the Berlengas National Park and more recently in Indonesia (Wakatobi), Southwest Ireland, Cornwall (UK), Esperance (West Australia), Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. These dive trips made it possible for him to master himself more in wide-angle-photography which is rarely possible in The Netherlands. Articles about these trips were published in Duikmagazine and duiken. The articles which aren't for sale anymore in shops can be downloaded in the press section of this webpage.
Udo still keeps on learning and developing. His main interest at this moment is to get the maximum out of his Nikon D200 camera which possibilities seem to be endless. Besides that, he tries experimenting with light, liaison, different angles and specific macro-details. Underwaterphotography is in his opinion a never ending exploration of opportunities.
Udo van Dongen and Arine Maat are sponsored by OMS technical dive equipment (www.omsdive.nl)
