Underwater photography is a fascinating hobby. First, because it involves diving, which is fascinating to begin with. It also requires diving skill, which is always fun and rewarding to achieve. And you are working with very interesting and diverse subjects in unlimited poses and settings. The results are images to frame and memories to share, and for a lifetime.
This Photo Gallery – Photo Tips section will evolve to provide encouragement and tips for what you too can easily accomplish with a little time, patience and practice.
Go out and have fun.
| Keep in mind that your frame is a rectangle, not a square. Use a vertical orientation with your camera as you compose a frame when that option is likely to produce a more pleasing image than you will get if using a horizontal orientation. |
| The upward shooting angle used to capture this photograph of a manatee adds dramatic appeal. |
| Capturing animal behavior such as this goatfish being cleaned by a Hawaiian cleaner wrasse requires mastering basic diving skills such as the ability to achieve neutral buoyancy. |
| This shot of a turtle swimming under a school of jacks in Malaysia provides an example of a balanced exposure. Two light sources were used to create this shot. A strobe was used to bring out the colors and detail in the turtle while the sun illuminates all of the elements in the background. It is important to understand that strobes can only provide light for exposure and add color to foreground subjects. |
| This shot of a gray reef shark provides a strong example of the value of getting close, getting low and shooting up. |
| The suggestion to fill a pleasing percentage of your frame applies to subjects that range in size from this tint pygmy seahorse to blue whales. |
| The diver in this picture could be you! |
| The only light source used when capturing this shot of a feeding whale shark in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez was the sun. As opposed to a silhouette, this is an example of a natural light shot that reveals color and detail in the subject. |
| This silhouette of California sea lions is an example of one of the four exposure scenarios. The only light source is the sun, but the photograph does not reveal color or details in the sea lions. This image is a classic example of a silhouette. |
| The only way to get the vivid colors displayed by this mantis shrimp is by shooting the animal right at the surface, or by using a strobe(s). A strobe provides light for exposure and “paints” colors into your underwater images. |
The following companies manufacture underwater photo/video equipment...
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