Underwater photography provides us access to the beauty of the submerged part of the world; even for those who are not able to see it with their own eyes. Independent of it being oceanic waters, lakes or rivers, the submerged world provides breathtaking views. But true as it is above water, also underwater great photography requires both suitable equipment and particular skills.
1. What Equipment Do You Need?
Waterproof Camera and Underwater Housing
You have two options for underwater photography: select a waterproof camera or purchase a underwater housing that fits your standard camera. The underwater housing functions as a protective camera case which enables button control while keeping your equipment dry during underwater use. Selecting a suitable camera that matches you skills as a photographer as well as your demands as an underwater photographer, needs careful considerations, specifically as this might lead to significant costs.
Diving Light Equipment
As light will be absorbed underwater, colors underwater are fading and there is less light the deeper you go. The human eye can adapt to that to some extent, but for photography, we need to correct the changes in colors and compensate the diminishing light. Your underwater video light functions as a dive light for your camera to compensate the fading light and to revive underwater colors. Essential therein is an evenly distribution of the light; there should not be any bright spots within the area you want to photograph.
OrcaTorch D710V MK2 Underwater Video Light Triple Color in One-White, Red, UV
Gear for Stability
Underwater movements tend to cause people to lose their balance and trying to come close to your subject might cause harm to the underwater nature. Furthermore, photography takes your mind of the diving itself and can be a potential cause for diving accidents. Sufficient dive training is therefore essential before starting with underwater photography.
Anti-Fog Tips
The glass cover of the camera housing might become foggy on the inside when exposed to water. Care needs to be taken that the air inside the housing is as dry as possible. Installing your camera in the housing in an airconditioned room will help in tropical environment. If that’s no option, adding silica-gel bags in your housing might help, but only if these have not been exposed to a humid environment before you use them.
2. Easy-to-Learn Shooting Underwater Photography Techniques
Make Colors Look Natural
Although your eyes might see it differently, for your camera the underwater environment causes all images to display more blue tones. In order to obtain natural colors, you have to adjust the white balance of your camera manually or use a suitable dive light.
Make Good Use of Light
In most situation, you have to position yourself close to your target when taking photos, even when applying wide angle photography.
Keep Your Photos Sharp
Despite the fact that modern cameras nowadays have various options to assist you in getting sharp images, it’s still the experience of the photographer to get images sharp where they need to be sharp. The eyes of your subject need to be sharp per definition, while for a nudibranche its rhinophores need to be sharp. In macro photography you should move slowly while approaching your subject. Both not to scare it, but also to protect the underwater environment it’s living in. The more relaxed and patience you are, the better results you will get.
Try Different Angles
With a low camera point, your subject will appear more prominent against the background. When photographing a diver, ensure that the diver is free from the surrounding environment. Your photos will gain depth when you place interesting objects like coral or seaweed in the foreground. What sticks really out for you? Think like a photographer and envisage the image before taking the picture. Then look at your picture and see if it is what you imagined; if not, try another angle and try it again.
3. What Are Fun Things to Underwater Photography?
Marine Creatures
The underwater world offers excellent photography opportunities with a wide range of marine creatures. Some of them easy to recognize like colorful fishes, turtles or sharks, some more difficult to find and recognize, certainly in the macro area. And apart from that, there obviously is the beauty of coral reefs when thinking about wide angle photography. Treat the underwater environment and all creatures with care by maintaining some distance that is not only safe for you, but neither disturbs them.
Beautiful Underwater Landscapes
When diving in clear water, think about wide angle photography to capture the landscape. Again, think and look around as a photographer and imagine what makes a photo interesting. Ensure that there is something in the foreground to get depth in your photo. Shipwrecks, coral reefs and underwater rock formations provide excellent underwater photography opportunities.
Creative Underwater Portraits
You can create underwater portraits by asking a friend to pose as a diver for your photos, or even dressed in fashionable clothing under the water. Make sure that your model does not exhale just at the moment you take your photo. Plan your poses and facial expressions before starting the photo session. It might help to first make a dive to know the location and the opportunities it provides together with your model, prior to the actual shoot.
Play with Creative Photography
You can create artistic underwater photos by photographing bubbles and using water surface reflections as creative elements.
4. Important Tips for Underwater Photography
Safety First
Prior to starting with photography, you should master your dive skills, amongst which your buoyancy is of utmost importance. Make sure your buddy stays close to you and will keep an eye on you while you’re busy with your camera. Monitor both your air supply and dive time as photography might distract you.
Protect the Environment
You should avoid touching coral formations, disturbing marine animals and kicking up dust with your fins. Obviously, we leave no trash under or above water. Take only pictures and leave only bubbles! Our role as underwater visitors requires us to maintain respectful behavior toward the underwater environment.
5. Start Your Underwater Photography Journey!
Underwater photography is an exciting yet demanding addition to your hobby as a diver. Accept that you will need practice, your initial results as underwater photographer will improve as you gain experience; both with the underwater environment and with your camera. Look at the work of other underwater photographers and talk with them to learn from their techniques. Each diving expedition brings unexpected discoveries; be ready for it when it happens to capture that unique moment in your photo. The key to underwater photography success lies in enjoying the exploration process while capturing special moments that touch your heart.