Daniela Dirscherl

Daniela Dirscherl has been diving since 1992 and started her diving career as a diving instructor in the Maldives. Since 1998 she has worked with her husband Reinhard as his under-water model and in 2005, she started her own photo agency, WaterFrame.

Interview with Deep Elite Ambassador and Photographer Daniela Dirscherl:

What got you started in diving? During a holiday in Kenya I had the chance to try out diving. To be honest it was just diving in circles in a tiny pool. Although I only saw a few blue tiles I didn’t want to get out. In those days there was no internet, for my generation Jacques Cousteau was one of the great adventurers of our time. I didn’t know that anyone can learn to dive.  For me, diving (especially in the sea) was exotic as becoming an astronaut …..I knew immediately; I want to be a diving instructor! Young and naive as I was, I told everybody that my next job would be a diving instructor. Of course, nobody took it seriously, but I didn’t care. As soon as I got home I searched for a diving school and signed up for the next course. 5 years later I was a qualified dive instructor.

How has diving changed your life? Diving took over my life right from the start, I spent a lot of time in the pool and in the mountainous lakes of Bavaria and Austria. I saved all my money for diving trips and took on various second jobs to finance my dive training. My goal was to work as an instructor abroad! As soon as I qualified, I had a job offer from a diving school in the Maldives. Since then, my hobby has become my career and my life. I also met my husband through diving.

What kind of diving do you like to do? I like warm water dives with light and simple equipment. I haven’t been in the water without my camera for a long time, often it is my diving buddy. When I dive alone without any group pressure, I feel free and undisturbed  to enjoy the fascination of the maritime world.

What are some of your favorite underwater memories? The most impressive moments are always when sea creatures unexpectedly come to me and want to interact. Mantas that float through my air bubbles, a humpback whale that danced right in front of me for more than an hour, a curious eagle ray that wanted a closer look, turtles that want to chew on my equipment and not to forget, all the sharks that I have seen in various hotspots.

Of your list of accomplishments in your diving career, what are you most proud of? Seeing the enthusiasm of my students as a dive instructor. It gave me a sense of fulfillment to see guests come up to the surface with sparkling eyes. These days my photos make me happy; the beauty and fragility that they capture.

Where are some of your favorite places underwater? I am lucky enough to have thousands of dives all over the world. There is so much to see and every place is beautiful. I find the variety in Mexico, the colourful reefs in Raja Ampat and Papua Neu Guinea und Fiji special. Indonesia has so much to offer: Komodo, Lembeh, Bali, West Papua….. French Polynesia is a favourite of mine too.

What is your advice to someone considering diving? Don’t just think about it: Do it! And stick to it: Only those who continue to learn and improve their diving skills can experience and protect the true beauty of our seas.

What would you tell people about the oceans? Our seas and their inhabitants are critically endangered mainly because of humans; the negative effects of over fishing, pollution and climate change. Earth is a blue planet and water our greatest asset. Not just the oceans but our lakes and rivers provide a habitat to many forms of life. I am proud to be able to show this fascinating under water world  with my photographs.

What is the favorite thing in your dive bag? As well as my camera, the right wetsuit is very important to me. I love my Scubapro Definition wetsuit because it is very stretchy, comfy and most of all because it always keeps me warm.

Why is SCUBAPRO your choice for dive equipment?  "Deep Down You Want the Best“ sums up my answer perfectly. As I often dive alone, I can only rely on the best. Ever since I started diving, I have always been impressed by the quality, reliability and durability of SCUBAPRO products.

Follow Daniela on Instagram: @daniela.dirscherl