Underwater Photography Tips
Anyone who has gone snorkeling or scuba diving in really clear water knows that a whole universe exists beneath the surface of the ocean, a lake or even just your backyard pool. The lighting, colors, and depth perception don’t follow the same rules as they do on dry land. So photographing underwater requires a different technique and tool set (aside from a waterproof camera of course), to capture spectacular images.
Here are a few ways to get the most out of your underwater photography:
Get up close and personal
Providing your subject doesn’t have a particularly nasty set of teeth, the closer you can get to you underwater subject the better. Water can mess with the color, sharpness and contrast of your image. Getting close doesn’t just mean extending your zoom! Get within a few feet of your subject for the best possible outcome.
Shoot from below
If you have the gear or the lung capacity, shooting from beneath your subject can create a really dynamic image. Shooting from below allows the subject to stand out better from the background and can help prevent backscatter.
Open up the aperture
There is never as much light below the water as there is above. Even in shallow reefs, the amount of light is cut down dramatically. Keep your aperture wide open to allow the most light into the camera.
Shoot at high-noon
Unlike shooting on land, where dawn and dusk provide some of the best lighting conditions, you should aim to shoot during the middle of the day if you’re going under water. Your best bet is between 11 and 2, when the sun is at its highest.
Look around
One of the best things about shooting underwater is that you can position yourself however you need to get shot. You can be completely inverted if need be! Keep looking all around you, just because there is nothing in front of you worth shooting, that doesn’t mean that something isn’t going on right below, above or behind you.
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