After capturing the first underwater images that
please them, many underwater photographers try
to repeat exactly what they did previously,
changing only the subject in front of the lens.
In other words, all of the camera settings
remain the same and every shot looks a little
like every other shot, but on its own each image
is pleasing.
The next step in an underwater photographer's
development usually is learning to take
advantage of any photographic opportunity that
presents itself, whether the subjects be
nudibranchs, whales, shipwrecks or their diving
buddies. It is then that they truly start to
become underwater photographers.
Looking back over my career, I think I remained in this stage
of personal development for a long time. I began
to travel the world and document what I saw
underwater. But at some point along the way I
realized that for my work to stand out from the
crowded field of images, in some way or another
my body of photographic work needed to be
different from everyone else's.
Along came a good friend and underwater photographer, Jim
Watt. A decade or so ago I attended a
presentation Jim gave about his personal quest
to "photograph the same subjects in new ways."
Jim openly encouraged underwater photographers
to "push the envelope" by "thinking and shooting
outside of the box."
As examples, "shooting outside of the box that most of us are
in" means trying to shoot at a level or even
upward angle when photographing subjects such as
flatfish that live on the seafloor, shooting
down on open-sea creatures, an angle that many
of us have long been told was a "never do," and
trying to create a sense of motion in still
images by using the rear curtain synchronization
feature available in some cameras. Another idea
is to try to capture an image of an animal such
as a shark, dolphin, sea lion or turtle as well
as the animal's reflection on the surface of a
flat sea when the light and other conditions
allow. Trying ideas like these often requires
that you set up and use your camera system in a
way that is new to you.
No doubt, Jim's presentation prodded me to start a new and
very rewarding phase of my career as an
underwater photographer. I think it can be the
same for a lot of underwater photographers once
they experience some success and gain
experience. As a photography instructor I would
like to encourage experienced and inexperienced
underwater photographers alike to "think outside
the box." Like everyone else, you will likely
fail at times. But my experiences have taught me
that when you create an image you truly enjoy
because you "shot outside of your personal box,"
you will find your efforts extremely rewarding
and you will greatly expand your photographic
horizons.
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