Beneath the Surface: Diving into Creative Risk with Henley Spiers
Diving in the open ocean has taught photographer, writer and expedition leader Henley Spiers as much about himself as it has about the marine life he captures with his camera.
In this episode he shares tips for marketing work on Instagram, lessons the ocean can teach us about life on land, advice on taking criticism, and the dangers of becoming too creatively comfortable.
‘We are creatures of comfort, so the biggest thing holding us back is that we do things we already know how to do. This gives us a certain degree of satisfaction, but we fail to take creative risks. I try not to allow myself to become creatively comfortable.’– Henley Spiers
For Episode 7 of We Need to Make Things I chat with Henley Spiers @henleyspiers about finding work/life balance, defining success, how to take criticism and the moment an M&S sandwich changed the course of his life, among many other things.
Henley is one of the most highly decorated wildlife image-makers in the world. Whether he’s swimming alongside orcas or observing the behaviour of blue sea dragons, he creates pictures that do justice to the wonder and threats faced by our planet. In 2023 he became the first Storyteller in Residence for Oceanographic Magazine. A solo exhibition of his work is on display at Stadtmuseum Schleswig, Germany, until 14 September 2025.
This episode is full of Henley’s wonderful wisdom including:
👉 Tips for marketing your work in a saturated market
👉 Lessons the ocean can teach us about life on land
👉 How the only competition we have is with ourselves
👉 Why we should never become creatively comfortable
Enjoy!
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