UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

Underwater photography is one of the most challenging techniques and I must confess upfront that I am personally only starting to explore this exciting area. Many of the tips I will share have come from my time on Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef where I spent hour upon hour trying to perfect my technique – shooting a large volume of images from different angles and camera settings. One of thing I quickly released is that the right camera equipment makes all the difference. My simple point-and-shoot camera wouldn’t allow me to get up close to the sea life, and as the light reduced in the depths of the ocean a built in flash was not even close to providing the light required to bring out the colours. None-the-less, I learnt many important lessons while experimenting with a simple point-and-shoot camera in the shallows of the Great Barrier Reef

Lenses selection is the key to underwater photography

A good macro lens is needed to get in close to your subject. One of the most important principles of underwater photography is to shoot through a minimum amount of water possible, this is because the density of the water absorbs light and degrades resolution. No matter how clear the water is you need to get in close to reduce the ‘noise’ created by the particles in the water and a macro lens of around 60mm focal length allows you to focus close with good magnification. Some of the sea life is also incredibly small. When I finally discovered ‘Nemo’ the clown fish on the reef I was surprised to find that he is not only a very shy fish but also really little and incredibly hard to photograph with out a macro lens.

I had no other option than to work out how best to take images with a point-and-shoot camera, and after much experimentation I came to realise that the best way to enhance the resolution underwater is to set the camera to wide-angle. The setting was also ideal for reef scenics and really big fish.

Use the natural light to your advantage

Mid to late afternoon is the best time to take underwater photographs as the light is bright and hits the water at a slight angle, creating greater contrast and enhancing colours. Shoot close to the surface to maximise the exposure, as the frequency of the light get absorbed quickly underwater. Finally, always be aware of the suns position. Keep the sun behind you to reduce the noise created by the particles in the water. Alternatively you an use the sun to create special effects such as sunbursts where you place the subject in the suns rays and use the water particles to create sunbeams.

Create perspective by shooting upwards or across

This one is obvious, in order to capture more than just the sea floor you need to shoot upwards to capture to isolate the subject from the ocean. This is simple when diving but requires a bit more skill when snorkelling. The best way to get low and stay low when snorkelling is to dive down at an angle so that you glide along the bottom for longer. A good set of flippers also makes all world of difference.

Use artificial light to correct exposure

Proper exposure is critical with any photography but achieving this underwater has added complexity. The various colour spectrums do not behave the same underwater as they do above the surface. You will find that your images will be bathed in this greenish, bluish light. Go deep enough and there will be no light or colour at all. It is therefore important to use artificial light to enhance your images. Use an external flash rather than a built in flash which may not provide enough light underwater. An alternative to an external flash is to use a torch (flashlight) or even an LED light.

Editing transforms underwater images

Since the density of the water reduces image clarity and colour, editing your images in Photoshop, Lightroom or even an app such as Snapped, will transform your images. By adjusting the exposure, contrast, clarity and vibrance of often dull underwater images transform into beautiful colour saturated images.