I'm Onika, a photographer from the Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia. I was fortunate to grow up here in a commercial fishing family, and later worked on the family cray boat. My passion for underwater photography started with a GoPro when I was younger, and I have slowly upgraded my gear and improved my skills as I've gotten older.
I love shooting at the Abrolhos because of the abundant healthy coral reefs - they are by far the best in Western Australia. The Abrolhos is a relatively difficult place to photograph, as the weather makes the 30 NM crossing from town difficult in small vessels, and the water is not consistently clear. Interactions with larger marine life are also not super common, but I enjoy it as it has made me think outside the box.
I recently purchased a dual RC165 strobe set up, and have been enjoying the challenge of learning strobes whilst freediving!
'Reeflections' - A rare day where there is not a breath of wind. This photo shows some of the diversity of corals we are lucky to encounter at the Abrolhos. © Onika Basile
'Bombastic Side Eye' - I was approached by an inquisitive sea lion, who appeared to give me a thorough check over! © Onika Basile
'Blue Cruising' - We visited the FADs to spearfish some Mahi Mahi in 180m of water, and were visited by this whaler shark. I'm always impressed by the way light disappears into the depths out here! © Onika Basile
'Calm Day' - another beautiful day at the Abrolhos inside the Half Moon Reef. © Onika Basile
'The Honey Hole' - The Abrolhos is home to the Western Rock Lobster, who hide out in holes like this one. © Onika Basile
'Juvenile Pacific Gull' - one of the sea birds local to the area is the Pacific Gull, which nest on most of the islands. © Onika Basile
'Life Below the Reef' - looking up from a swim through cave in the reef. I'm enjoying learning with my strobes and watching the colours that come from artificial light! © Onika Basile
'Sun and Salt for Sea Lion' - a sea lion lounging in the shallows. © Onika Basile
'The Coral Patches' - More of the beautiful branching corals. The purple is my favourite colour to see underwater! © Onika Basile
Onika's Gear
- Sony a7 IV
- Sony 20mm Lens
- 200DL Underwater Housing for Sony a7 IV Mirrorless Digital Cameras
- DL 8 inch Dome Port
- RC165 TTL Underwater Strobe [Fiber Optic]
Additional Viewing
Featured Customers | Jason Milligan Underwater in Australia
Sony a7 IV Underwater in Socorro [VIDEO]
Split Shot Editing // Balancing Exposure Underwater and Above in the Lightroom [VIDEO]
Tips for Shooting Split Shots with Your Underwater Housing [VIDEO]
RC165 Strobe Features // Smaller, Wider, Fiber Optic
Onika Basile is an underwater photographer from the Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia. Onika grew up on the water in a family of commercial fishers which instilled a deep connection to the ocean. Her favorite region to photograph is her home - the Abrolhos. And while it's not the easiest underwater landscape to photograph it is the most rewarding for Onika. Onika shoots the Sony a7 IV and dual RC165 Strobes. You can learn more about Onika on her website www.onikasocean.com.au and follow on Instagram @onikas_ocean.
