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Diving and photography are passions for Peht "Tour" Ekkul, 24. "I've never thought of taking underwater photos as my job - I just call it my 'serious hobby'. If I think of it as my work I feel I'm lacking the passion I need. That's important in whatever you do."

Born into a family that loves to dive and collect vintage cameras, Tour took his first plunge at age 12 as part of an after-school activity in the sunny US state of Florida.

He got into diving seriously as an instructor making some money while he was a sound-engineering undergraduate at Middlesex University in Australia. He fell in love with underwater photography while diving with a British friend he met in Sipadan, Malaysia.

"Since then it's always been a part of my life. My camera is like a part of my body when I'm diving.

"Taking marine photos is similar to taking wildlife photos," Tour says. "You have to be patient and calm. When you find the angle you want, you have to spend time waiting for the right shot to come along. It takes a lot of time."

Tour's life - something like his nickname - is now all about adventures and exploration. He's never in Bangkok for longer than a week.

And his photos have been exhibited in Indonesia and published in Thai magazines and a Japanese diving magazine. Look for a local show within the year, while Tour arranges to teach underwater photography at a Thai university.

Taking shots, Tour says, is like shopping for clothes or painting. One person might think a photo is beautiful, and 10 others won't like it at all. When you show your works to other people, you have to be ready for their comments, good or bad.

For Tour, there's no such thing as "the most beautiful photo" or "the worst. He has only one guiding perspective.

"Being underwater with a camera is the happiest time for me."

 

By Suwicha Chanitnun

The Nation