Pool and spa service professionals, in particular, can relate to Danny Clark's story. A photographer in Houston, Clark was noticing a lot of photographers entering the market amidst the still-sluggish economy. "It's kind of an easy entry," says Clark.
He needed to distinguish himself from the other players in the field. Going underwater made sense because of his natural interest in the work, and he found that the underwater niche is a good spot in a competitive market.>
"We set up the underwater photography shoots as if they were in a studio with softboxes and all that stuff," says Clark. "In contrast to when we photograph kids and families in our studio where parents have a lot of influence over the behavior of the child, when you're underwater, the kids can't hear or see their parents, so you get a real child's expression."
Clark says he does not use oxygen equipment because it creates bubbles in front of the camera. "Me and my staff are really good at holding our breath."