Brett Lobwein

For Brett Lobwein, a camera is more than a tool—it’s a powerful voice for nature. Raised on the shores of Sydney's Port Hacking River, Brett traded a local dive shop gig in the early 2000s for a DSLR housing in 2010. But it was a life-changing encounter with humpback whales in Tonga that officially set his trajectory into the deep end of professional underwater photography.

Today, Brett’s photography takes him to the furthest corners of the planet. From the icy realms of the Arctic and Antarctica to the vibrant, the waters of Cuba, he has captured some of the Earth's most magnificent creatures. What sets Brett’s work apart is his commitment to truth; he purposefully aims to dismantle the "monster narrative," choosing to highlight the grace of marine life rather than demonizing animals for cheap clicks.

When he isn't submerged, Brett is equally at home capturing terrestrial wildlife or working on major broadcast sets, including natural history productions for the BBC (Deadly 60). As a Sony Digital Imaging Advocate, Member of the Explorers Club, and owner of the specialized equipment supplier UW Images, Brett is deeply embedded in the global diving and photography communities, using his international award-winning imagery to advocate for the wild places he loves.

What is in your camera bag?

My ultimate camera for shooting stills is the Sony Alpha 1ii and Alpha 1 (but also pulls incredible videos as well) and when my main goal is video I use the Sony Alpha 7S III. 

If we are talking about my "dry" camera bag it will normally have my 70-200mm GMII, 100-400mm and some wide lens. For my "wet" camera bag I will have a 14mm, 16-35mm and the 90mm Macro.

What is your go to in your Alpha kit and why?

My go to Alpha is the Alpha1, every time I shoot with this camera I am blown away with it. The auto focus is crazy fast and on point. 50 megapixels of goodness, with great dynamic range (really important for underwater photos). Lastly is the ergonomics and the customisations that you can do with buttons etc.