At some point, many divers find themselves drawn to underwater photography. Whether you're seeking a new challenge or want to share your ocean adventures with family and friends, capturing stunning images is a great way to spread the love for the ocean!
If you're new to underwater photography, your initial shots might not turn out as expected, and you might feel unsure about where to begin. To help you get started, here are some tips to kick off your underwater photography journey.
1. Perfect your Buoyancy
Good buoyancy control is essential for underwater photography. Even the priciest camera gear won’t make you a great photographer if you can’t manage your buoyancy. You need to move smoothly and stay still for a few seconds to take a shot, without bumping into the reef or the bottom; obviously, you don’t want to damage the reef or the marine life! Focus on perfecting your trim, practicing various finning techniques, and maintaining controlled, steady breathing. To excel in underwater photography, mastering buoyancy and dive skills is a must.
So, invest time in perfecting your buoyancy - it's key!
Always stick to basic dive safety rules: monitor your depth, air consumption, and stay connected with your buddy. If you plan to stop for a photo, make sure to communicate with your buddy to avoid getting separated.
2. Essential Basics to Master
As a beginner underwater photographer, it's tempting to swim around capturing everything in sight. But hold up! Instead of going wild and taking a million shots, slow down a bit. Focus on quality over quantity. Here are some tips and basics to help you start taking awesome underwater photos:
Strobify Your Camera
In underwater photography, light and color vanish quickly as you dive deeper. Water filters out light, making reds, oranges, and yellows disappear first, followed by greens and purples. Blue is the last color to go, but without proper lighting, your photos can still end up dull and monochromatic.
To bring back vibrant colors and make your pictures pop, strobes are essential. Even with the best camera, good lighting is key for avoiding dull, fuzzy shots and capturing the full spectrum of underwater beauty.
Get up close and personal with your subject!
Water is denser than air and absorbs light quickly, so the farther away you are, the more likely your images will look dull, blurry, and blue-grey. Reducing the distance between your camera and your subject will make your shots clearer, sharper, and more colorful. Plus, it helps cut down on backscatter :the tiny particles in the water that can light up with your flash or strobe. Just remember to respect marine life and get close without causing any disturbance.
Use natural light in shallow water for the best results.
If you’re shooting without an external strobe and want to capture wide-angle reef shots, shallow water is your go-to. Stick to depths of 5-10 meters, where sunlight still reaches the entire water column. Aim to shoot on a sunny day between 10 am and 2 pm when the sun is at its highest. Position yourself with the sun at your back to avoid unwanted backlighting. Turn off your camera’s built-in flash for clearer results if you notice backscatter in your photos.
Think about image composition to make your photos fishtastic!
There aren’t any rules but some tips can make a big difference, especially when you're starting out. One great trick is the “Rule of Thirds.” Picture your frame divided into 9 equal parts with two vertical and two horizontal lines. Many cameras even have a grid feature - check your manual to turn it on! Position the main elements of your shot where the lines intersect for a more dynamic and eye-catching image. Give it a try and watch your photos come to life!
Perspective is a must in underwater photography.
The most striking photos come from getting eye level with your subject. When possible, shoot from below and look up. This angle separates your subject from the background, making the image cleaner and more focused.
For animals, shooting from low allows you to highlight their eyes, adding more impact to your shot. If you're photographing underwater landscapes, this perspective helps capture natural light, giving your photos added depth and dimension.
White balance adjustment for vibrant underwater shots.
By setting your camera's white balance, you’re telling it what the color temperature should be. If you're using a strobe or internal flash to light up a close subject, Auto white balance will adjust to the light your flash emits. But if you’re shooting with natural light, go manual!
Here’s how:
- Access your camera menu,
- find the manual white balance setting,
- and snap a photo of a white dive slate.
This trick will bring back many of the colors, especially in shallow water. Just remember, below 13 meters the magic of manual white balance fades a bit. Give it a try and watch your underwater world come to life in color!
Take Control of Your Underwater Photography!
Using auto mode is a great way to start underwater photography, but it can only take you so far. To really take control of your shots, you’ll need to experiment with manual settings.
Start by understanding the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. This knowledge will give you a better grasp of how your camera works and how to adjust settings for the desired creative effect.
It might sound obvious, but a great place to start learning about these settings is your camera manual. Read it cover to cover, as it often contains a treasure trove of useful information, not just about the camera but also about general photography principles.
Post-Editing
Most underwater photos need a bit of editing to shine, so picking up some basic image editing skills is a great idea. You can add filters, tweak colors and exposure, adjust brightness or darkness, and remove backscatter. There are plenty of free editing programs out there! These tweaks can make a big difference, just be careful not to overdo it, or your photos might end up looking unnatural.
3. Respect the Environment
When you spot an amazing underwater subject, it's easy to get carried away, but remember that you are a guest in their underwater world. Respect for marine life must be a top priority in every dive. Never harass or manipulate animals for a better shot- this is not only unethical but also potentially harmful to the creatures and their habitat.
Approach marine life with the utmost care. Move slowly and calmly, ensuring you don’t disturb or stress the animals. Take your photos without causing disruption, and always give them ample space to swim away naturally. This consideration helps maintain the delicate balance of the underwater environment and ensures that marine life remains unharmed.
Additionally, be vigilant with your gear. Make sure all hoses and equipment are securely tucked away and nothing is dangling that could accidentally damage the reef. By being mindful of both your impact on marine life and the physical environment, you contribute to the preservation of these incredible underwater ecosystems. Respecting these guidelines will not only enhance your own photographic experience but also help protect the underwater world for future generations.
4. Take The PADI Underwater Photographer Course
Enroll in the PADI Underwater Photographer Specialty Course to skip common beginner mistakes and quickly elevate your skills with expert tips and tricks! Over the course of two dives, you'll gain hands-on experience using a compact or action camera (or your own gear) to capture stunning underwater images. The course utilizes the SEA (Shoot, Examine, Adjust) method, allowing you to learn by doing and refining your technique in real-time.
You'll receive personalized guidance on composition, lighting, and camera settings to help you achieve professional-quality photos. Additionally, the course covers essential tips for handling your equipment and maintaining buoyancy, ensuring you get the best shots while protecting the underwater environment.
Underwater photography is an awesome adventure, and this guide is just the tip of the iceberg. No matter how experienced you are or how fancy your gear is, there’s always new tricks and tips to pick up. So, dive deep, savor every moment underwater, and keep capturing those incredible shots. Happy shooting!
