jake mason
“There’s always an abundance of marine life there, from dolphins and sealions to weedy sea dragons and octopus.”
Jake Mason (@jakemasondiving) loves the abundance and variety of life that can be found just offshore his local waters near Perth and the Busselton area. Point Peron off Perth is one of Jake’s favourites sites.
He enjoys showcasing the beauty and unique personalities of the marine life he encounters - from the quirky cartoon-like wobble and grin of a porcupine fish, alienish gaze of a cuttlefish, or the graceful dance of a weedy seadragon amongst the golden kelp.
It was a volunteer trip in Ecuador, which sparked his love for the underwater world. He then became a scuba instructor and continued to develop his skills as a photographer/videographer, and has continued to practice this passion along the Great Southern Reef.
“Practice is what counts.”
Jake Mason has been shooting underwater footage for 8 years. Like a lot of our feature creators, it all started with a GoPro.
His biggest tip is “don’t just hit the record button, actually take a second to think about the shot you want to take.”
He also recommends taking inspiration from others and make sure to learn your camera in and out, there many settings that can improve your result, even on a GoPro.
While Jake no longer exclusively shoots on GoPro and now shoots with a Sony A7siii, he recommends “for anyone looking to start and follow the same footsteps as me, a GoPro is one of the most affordable ways to do so, and I’d highly recommend grabbing one and jumping in the water with it, after all practice is what counts.”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough to protect it”
As a scuba diving instructor, Jake spends most days in the ocean, and has a desire to generate awareness and create impact. His new project - Return to the Ocean is his way of doing more.
Teaming up with local artist @hollyoliviaart, he will be promoting individual species, illustrated by local artists. The first, is one of Jake’s favourite’s - the weedy sea dragon.
Check out @returntotheocean.com_ to learn more.
Learn about more passionate photographers and artists inspired by the Great Southern Reef.
