For many photographers, exploring what’s beneath the sea is a natural progression in a desire to expand their skills and experiment with new subjects. It’s important to understand what kind of aquatic photography is appealing to you so that the proper training is completed in advance. For example, there will be different challenges in shooting at 60 feet versus shooting just a few feet below the surface. The following advice refers to underwater photography while scuba-diving (as opposed to snorkeling). Here are a few basic considerations and concepts to help you get started in aquatic photography once you’ve received your scuba certification:
Neutral Buoyancy is Best: There’s never been a better time to be neutrally buoyant than when you’re trying to capture that ideal underwater moment. It’s best to hover without using your fins because, if you’re negatively buoyant, you’ll end up kicking up sand and related debris. Neutral buoyancy will also help you get closer to those shy fish and other nervous sea life. A calm diver in control is far more likely to experience success than one who is constantly adjusting and moving about.
Use Strobes to Compensate for Color Loss: As you dive deeper into the water, the sunlight wavelengths of red, orange, and yellow are the first to disappear, rendering images with a cool, flat appearance. In order to compensate for color loss, photographers find a flash or strobe critical to bringing back rich hues and textures in their images.
Get Close Whenever Possible: When it comes to shooting underwater subjects, fill the frame whenever possible. Shooting close and wide will allow you to capture your subject in a more intimate manner and having less water between the subject and camera. Many professional photographers recommend no more than three feet of water between the subject and the lens. This technique will also help your colors remain more vivid and textures more defined.
Patience over the Chase: Patience is a necessity when it comes to doing anything underwater, and it’s even more critical when you’re on the hunt for close-up shots of clownfish. Many novice photographers make the mistake of chasing after fish in an effort to grab a shot before returning to the surface. This method is highly ineffective as the fish are always faster. Patiently waiting for sea life to return may be a challenge but it is the best way to get the image you’ve imagined. There’s a difference between swimming towards a shot and hunting down your subject.
You’ll also need to make sure your dive buddy understands and is willing to be patient as well; the last thing you need is a frustrated dive partner swimming about and kicking up sand when you’re in the mode to wait it out for the shot. Make sure you’re on the same page when working on your initial dive plan so there are no misunderstandings.
Know Your Controls: Experienced divers realize that many of their actions must be instinctive as visibility is limited; they must be able to complete several tasks intuitively. This concept also extends to your camera controls. Make sure that you know where key controls are without having to hunt and double-check as you may end up missing a shot when fiddling with your camera. When shooting underwater, you’ll only need to adjust focus, exposure and your strobe settings. Don’t worry about anything else as you’ll also be managing maintaining neutral buoyancy and composing your shot. Everything else is just a distraction at this point.
If there’s one thing that is similar with both land and aquatic photography, it’s the importance of mastering the basics. You’ll find that your aquatic photography skills improve quickly if you’ve paid ample attention to your foundation.
Straps for Safety: Your camera strap is the first line of defense between your expensive gear and the pavement. Make sure your current strap is in good order and free from fraying and malfunction. We’ve got several high quality straps to help your camera stay secure and in your control.
Keeping it All Together: Professional photographers know that the ability to keep all their gear together and quickly accessible is critical to executing a successful event. One of the most useful tools for working photographers is also one of the most overlooked—the photojournalist vest. The PROMASTER Photographers Shooting Vest has 21 pockets, ranging in size from pen-sized to oversize. The vented back and mesh liner allow free movement of air around the body. The snap epaulets will keep your camera, binoculars, or tote bag straps on your shoulder. The vest includes a heavy-duty zipper that will close the entire front or any portion you wish. It also has a single snap closure for the front and two snap adjustments for the sides. And, our PROMASTER Photographers Shooting Vest is built oversized to accommodate fully-filled pockets.
What is Fast Glass? You may hear photographers tossing around the term ‘fast glass’ but aren’t sure what it means. The term ‘fast’ refers to a wider aperture, which lets in more light and because less light is needed, the shutter doesn’t need to be open as long.
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