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Underwater photography looks complex — and it is. You’re managing weather, light, breath control, outfit movement, safety, and timing all at once. Most photographers think that it requires open water and a full production crew which can be very overwhelming. In reality, it can be done inside a photo studio built specifically for underwater shoots.
That’s exactly what Detroit-based fashion photographer Jessica Kobeissi did when she collaborated with professional mermaid performer Hannah Fraser at FD Photo Studio’s Underwater Studio in Los Angeles. With controlled lighting, heated water, and a model comfortable underwater, the team was able to focus entirely on creating stunning images.
Jessica Kobeissi is a fashion and portrait photographer from Detroit, Michigan with over 1.6 million YouTube subscribers and more than 450,000 Instagram followers. She started as a graphic designer for 10 years before moving into photography full-time in 2014. Her work focuses on fashion and editorial photography, and she’s known for her warm-toned color correction style.
You can follow her work on Instagram at @jessicakobeissi.
Hannah Fraser, known as Hannah Mermaid, created the job of “freelance mermaid” back in 2003. She’s an underwater performer, model, and ocean conservation activist who can hold her breath for up to four minutes and freedive to depths over 50 feet. Hannah has swum with tiger sharks, great white sharks, whales, and manta rays without cages or scuba gear. Her work helped pass laws to protect manta rays worldwide.
Follow her adventures on Instagram at @hannahmermaid.
Underwater studio for rent in Los Angeles was designed specifically for underwater photo and video shoots. The 800-square-foot space features a 19-foot-long pool with depths ranging from 5.2 to 5.9 feet, giving photographers room to work with movement and framing.
Two clear glass viewing windows — one 2×2 feet and one 4×4 feet — are positioned on opposite sides of the pool for a photographer to get perfect shots. Above the pool, three pre-installed RGB film lights can shift colors instantly. No need to bring your own lighting unless you have something specific in mind. The water is maintained at 86 degrees for model’s comfort.
The studio includes a working shower inside the space, making wardrobe changes and post-shoot cleanup easy for a model. Just like in regular pool – you need to rinse before and after your swim. Don’t forget to grab a few towels with you from home.
In addition to the built-in RGB film lights above the pool, 3 additional strobe lights come with the studio for no extra cost if your concept requires more contrast or sharper freeze-frame moments.
Looking to shoot outside the pool as well? There’s no need to book a second studio. The Underwater Studio includes additional background options such as a jungle wall, an RGB tunnel, and a metal sheet tunnel for a variety of visuals.
There’s also enough open space to set up seamless backdrop paper if you’d like to capture portraits before or after the underwater portion of your shoot. FD Photo Studio offers a wide range of seamless backdrop colors to match your concept. See the full list of available colors.
Models can work on their hair and makeup using the vanity mirror that comes with the studio.
Underwater Studio rates start at $125 per hour, with a two-hour minimum. Underwater photography requires setup time, lighting adjustments, and multiple takes — one hour simply isn’t realistic for such a unique type of photography.
The space includes a heated underwater tank, pre-installed lighting, full filtration systems, and standard FD equipment such as C-stands, sandbags, and light modifiers at no additional cost. It’s a production-ready photo studio for rent for a fraction of the shoot in the open water.
When compared to organizing an open-water shoot — permits, safety teams, unpredictable weather, and equipment transport — a controlled in-studio setup is not only more efficient, but often significantly more cost-effective.
Jessica was taking photos from outside the pool while Hannah performed underwater in a variety of outfits including her signature mermaid tail, flowing red and romantic pink dresses. Shooting through the pool’s viewing windows Jessica captured incredible images of Hannah from different angles and perspectives. The camera and photographer did not even had to get underwater to achieve such incredible results!
The success of an underwater shoot depends a lot on how comfortable the model is in the water. Hannah has years of underwater experience. She can hold her breath calmly, keep her eyes open, and move with control. Underwater photography leaves little room for random movement — small adjustments matter. She repositioned the dress, adjusted her hair, and created smooth movements that looked clean and intentional on camera.
Hannah has trained in open waters around the world, including oceans and seas. That experience gives her confidence underwater. But professional open-water training isn’t required to create strong images in an Underwater Studio located near you in Los Angeles.
The studio pool is warm and fully controlled. It helps models relax and take their time. They can surface between takes, reset, and try different poses without pressure. The water is heated and filtered, and there are no waves, wind, or unpredictable conditions — and definitely no sharks. Just a safe, controlled environment focused on getting the shot.
Watch a full behind-the-scenes video on Jessica’s YouTube channel to learn her tips and tricks for underwater photography.
Photographers rent this studio for a wide range of projects — from fashion editorials and personal creative shoots to music videos, commercial campaigns, and fine art concepts. You can shoot products, talent, or fully styled creative ideas here.
Jessica’s camera settings show what goes into an underwater shoot. She raised her ISO to make up for the light lost from using a polarizer. The polarizer helped remove reflections from the viewing window — which makes a big difference — but it does reduce light. Increasing the ISO balanced that out. For this shoot, she preferred taking photos from higher angles to show the shape of the dress and the movement in the water.
The built-in RGB lights make creative changes easy. You can shift the mood in seconds — cooler tones for a deeper ocean feel, contrast colors for something more dramatic.
The pool depth also works in your favor. It’s deep enough for natural floating movement, but shallow enough for models to reset comfortably between takes. Hannah could touch the bottom when she needed stability, then push off again to create smooth, controlled motion.
Underwater Photo Studio Olympic 1 is located at 3316 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023 in East Los Angeles. You can rent this studio online through FD Photo Studio’s website in just a few clicks.
Standard equipment included with your rental: three strobe lights, a set of trigger and receiver, c-stands, sandbags, and light modifiers. RGB overhead lights.
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