Billy Arthur – Lonabrak Photography

We ask Billy Arthur, an underwater photographer living on the Shetland Islands about his extraordinary images of the marine environment, below and above the sea around this remote Scottish archipelago.

Q. Can you introduce yourself and describe how you became an underwater photographer?

A. I’m Billy Arthur, an underwater photographer from Shetland. I first became interested in underwater photography while travelling in my mid-twenties, when my love for the marine environment – and all the incredible plants and animals within it – was reignited.

I always try to capture that feeling, and give a glimpse of what it’s like to slip into that world – almost like becoming a seal for a while.

After returning home to Shetland, I began freediving around the coastline and gradually built up an underwater camera system to showcase what I was seeing as best I could.

Q. How would you characterise the underwater environment in Shetland compared to other locations?

A. It’s incredibly peaceful – you almost always have the water to yourself, with no crowds. At times, the visibility can be unbelievable, and the biodiversity is remarkable, from kelp forests to rocky reefs and walls covered in invertebrate life.

It’s not the same obvious explosion of colour you’d find on a healthy coral reef, but if you know where to look, it can be just as beautiful and fascinating.

Q. What are the biggest environmental challenges you face here (e.g. visibility, currents, temperature)?

A. The biggest challenge is probably the cold. It demands a thick, well-fitting wetsuit or a good-quality drysuit to stay in the water for any decent length of time. In winter, temperatures can drop to around six degrees, numbing your face and making it hard to talk after a long dive.

Visibility can also be tricky, especially once the spring bloom kicks in. But in a way, that just helps sharpen your underwater navigation skills.

Q. How do seasonal changes affect your work?

A. The changing seasons shape the way I photograph the sea. After years of diving around Shetland, you get a feel for what to expect – male lumpsuckers appearing in spring, followed by bursts of nudibranch (family of opisthobranchs – sea slugs) life in the summer months.

Winter brings its own opportunities too. On those crisp, sunny days when the water is clear and blue, it’s a great time to turn the camera towards the waves.

Q. What species or subjects do you most enjoy photographing?

A. It’s a difficult choice because I enjoy photographing so many different things. But for macro, nudibranchs stand out – they were the spark that got me into underwater photography in the first place. Their colours and forms are just unreal.

For wide angle, nothing beats sunlit kelp forests. There’s something about those moments in the water that feels peaceful and grounding. I always try to capture that feeling, and give a glimpse of what it’s like to slip into that world – almost like becoming a seal for a while.

Q. What defines a strong or successful image in your work?

A. I think the strongest images are the ones that make the viewer feel truly immersed – like they’re right there in the moment, connected to the subject. But if an image also leaves them wondering, asking questions or imagining more, then I know I’ve done a good job.

Q. What has been your most memorable experience photographing in Shetland?

A. I was freediving through kelp on a hazy summer day when I noticed people gathering on the shore. There was only one reason for that – orca.

Every instinct told me to get out, but this was something I’d imagined for years. So I stayed, hidden in the kelp, heart racing. The way the crowd shifted told me they were getting closer.

When they finally rounded the point, everything changed. The nerves vanished, replaced by pure awe. From the water, from a seal’s perspective, they were enormous.

They passed by, then turned for a second look. I was laughing and shouting through my snorkel, completely overwhelmed. Then, just like that, they realised I wasn’t prey – and slipped away.

Q. Is there a story behind one of your favourite images you could share? Have you captured any particularly rare or unusual encounters?

A. I had another memorable encounter with two feeding basking sharks a few years ago – something I’d hoped for since I was young. My father once had his own encounter while swimming in the sea at Lerwick, and I’d always wished the same might happen to me one day.

They were circling as they fed, and at one point both swam right past me. I can only think they were as curious about me as I was about them. The images from that day aren’t technically perfect, but they always take me back to that special moment – sharing the sea with such incredible animals.

By some strange chance, my dad was there too, watching it all unfold from the shore.

Q. What do you hope people take away when they see your work?

A. I hope it shows people something unfamiliar, and inspires a deeper appreciation for the extraordinary life in the waters around Shetland. It’s a special and fragile world – one we need to protect, so others can experience that same sense of wonder.

You can see more of Billy’s extraordinary photography on his website and instagram.

By Victoria Dixon Orkney and Shetland fanatic, likes to capture life through a lens, loves creating, eclectic taste in music, enjoys being a Mum; would secretly love to be a star of the West End!

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