It is now possible to capture your favorite pastimes underwater through the use of underwater photography. Photo: Courtesy of Howmov Jingzhe Underwater Filming & Photography Studio

"I felt like a mermaid," said Wang Yi, just after she finished her first underwater photography shoot. In her photos, the 24-year-old movie producer looks free and graceful with her white dress flowing in the water and her face lit up by the glistening rays of light beneath the waves.

"I posted them on WeChat's Moments, and almost all my friends hit 'likes.' Many of them commented saying 'you look so beautiful' and 'I want to do it too,'" said Wang, feeling proud to be a pioneer in Beijing's emerging new trend in photography.

Wang had her concerns before the shooting since she couldn't swim, but those concerns were relieved by the fact that there were two assistants who pulled her up as soon as she posed underwater.

"The moments in water are unreplicable,' said Jia Hao, a movie director and photographer. Jia founded the Howmov Jingzhe Underwater Filming & Photography Studio back in 2010.

Jia explains that the unique features of underwater photos present an array of possibilities for the photographer. "With the client feeling weightless in water, the photographers can have all kinds of possibilities from 360-degree angles."

Jia told Metropolitan that many people found underwater photography not only beautiful and romantic, but also amusing and playful. "In the water, you can copy anything you do on the ground, including doing office work, barbecuing, and playing soccer. A couple even cycled a bicycle underwater holding balloons."

Besides the most popular portraits of women wearing beautiful dresses, other common categories of underwater photos include newlywed couples, children, and pregnant women, according to Jia. Short videos are also well received among clients.

Jia was among the first to develop a professionally built pool for underwater photography in the Chinese mainland. A facility that has special viewing windows, advanced lighting equipment and a makeup room that provides water-proof makeup, it is regularly used for both professional film making projects as well the general public.

"At first, underground photography studios were scarce in China, but now a search on the Internet would yield many results of such studios," said Jia.

Underwater shooting is comparatively more expensive. At Jia's studio, a two-hour shoot for one client cost 3,888 yuan ($629), with fees for makeup and props included. Li Liguo, a stylist with Beijing Wanmei Underwater Photography Studio, told Metropolitan that the average cost at their studio is around 2,000 to 3,000 yuan.

With more than a dozen studios in Beijing now providing underwater photography, a large number of professional and amateur photographers have started diving into this new trend. Besides purchasing the water-proof camera cases and other professional underwater equipment, Jia advises such enthusiasts to learn from the professionals. Practicing one's swimming and diving skills is required before they can capture quality photos underwater, since buoyancy poses great challenges.

Li said many clients are worried about whether they can keep their eyes open underwater. "It will be uncomfortable but it's bearable. Sometimes eye drops are needed after shooting," she said. A few clients even wear colored contact lenses to make their eyes more attractive.

Compared to shooting on the ground, underwater photography has its limits. "Because of the buoyancy, there are some poses one cannot do as easily as they would on the ground. For example, many clients want to try floating in the water facing upward, but they cannot maintain that pose," she added.

Wang's first experience of underwater photography will not be her last, but she plans to learn how to swim for her next shoot so she can "try all the different poses that only a swimmer can achieve."