Have you ever been on holiday, seen people taking underwater photographs, and wondered how they are managing to do so successfully? How is the camera not damaged by the water? Is there some magical way that they are using to enable them to photograph the fish and other items to produce top-notch shots? A friend of mine is currently in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt and was messaging me last night telling me all about it. One of the things he stated was that it is a great area to go diving and snorkelling. This is because the area offers optimal water conditions, incredible and accessible coral reefs, plus world-class marine reserves. He was eager to be able to take some photos underwater of the corals and beautiful fish for many reasons, including being able to show the photographs to family, work colleagues and friends on his return, to help preserve the memories for himself for the future, and to also share on his social media channels. He wanted to know if I had any tips and tricks on how to take underwater photographs.
To be able to master the art of taking high-quality photographs when underwater, there are several optical challenges that require overcoming. These include light loss, colour absorption, and marine life movement.
The first tip is to get as close as possible to what you want to photograph before taking the shot. This is important as water filters out light, contrast, and red/warm colours rapidly. Reducing the amount of water between you and the subject matter will enable you to obtain a much sharper and more colourful photo. Always respect fish, though, and certainly don't chase them, as they will only show you their tails. It is a simple case of patiently waiting for them to turn round to face you before taking the photograph.
The next tip is to use external lighting. This could be in the form of strobes, or powerful video lights angled out to the sides. Using a direct built-in flash can have a dramatic and impressive effect on your photos by enabling them to look like they were taken in a snowstorm, as it illuminates floating particles.
If you have to take photographs without any artificial lights, it is advisable to adjust your white balance manually against slate or white sand. An alternative to adjusting your white balance is to use a physical red/magenta filter to restore warm tones lost past fifteen feet.
It is also prudent to take the shots when the sun is behind you. When you position yourself so that the sunlight comes over your shoulder, it should allow the reef to illuminate naturally.
As we all know, fish are known to move erratically and at speed. For this reason, it is beneficial to use a fast shutter speed at 1/125s to 1/250s to freeze motion and prevent blur.
When taking photos of a reef, remember to shoot slightly upwards, as this will prevent your image from looking cluttered and muddy.
To protect your camera from being damaged by the water, you can use waterproof housing. This is usually in the form of a hard plastic or aluminium clear case rated for a depth of around 130ft.