UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

WEEK 3WEEK 3

BASIC BASIC UNDERWATER UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY RULES RULES

                                                                        

 In many ways underwater photography is much more difficult than the land photography most of us are familiar with. It's an expensive activity.  However, when things turn out well and you have a set of beautiful photos from your diving vacation, all the difficulties seem to fade away, and you can't wait to try again.

Scuba diving certification - It's hard Scuba diving certification - It's hard

to do underwater photography if youto do underwater photography if you

can't get beneath the surface! Actually, if can't get beneath the surface! Actually, if scuba certification is not in the cards for you, scuba certification is not in the cards for you, there's always the possibility of doing there's always the possibility of doing photography while free-diving (snorkeling).  photography while free-diving (snorkeling).  Certification alone won't cut it though.  If you Certification alone won't cut it though.  If you are comfortable in the water and have are comfortable in the water and have excellent buoyancy skills, you are far more excellent buoyancy skills, you are far more likely to succeed in your photographic likely to succeed in your photographic effortsefforts. .

Underwater photo equipment Underwater photo equipment - Cameras, strobes (flashes), - Cameras, strobes (flashes), lenses, strobe arms and lenses, strobe arms and connectors are among the connectors are among the seemingly endless supply of seemingly endless supply of equipment you will need to equipment you will need to make photos beneath the make photos beneath the waves.  It's definitely an waves.  It's definitely an equipment intensive equipment intensive endeavor.  Renting camera endeavor.  Renting camera equipment is possible initially equipment is possible initially to see if it's something you'd to see if it's something you'd like to try, but this gets like to try, but this gets prohibitively expensive after a prohibitively expensive after a few days.   few days.  

Lots of money - Unfortunately, underwater Lots of money - Unfortunately, underwater photo equipment are not cheap.  To do it right photo equipment are not cheap.  To do it right will cost many hundreds, if not thousands, of will cost many hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.  Traveling to dive locations also will dollars.  Traveling to dive locations also will soak up your hard-earned cash.  soak up your hard-earned cash.  Independently wealthy types without the need Independently wealthy types without the need to work definitely have an advantage.  Even on to work definitely have an advantage.  Even on a limited budget though, it's possible to do a limited budget though, it's possible to do some nice photography.  some nice photography.  

A place to dive - If you live in A place to dive - If you live in a place like Cyprus where great a place like Cyprus where great diving may only be minutes away, diving may only be minutes away,

it's not difficult to dive on a it's not difficult to dive on a consistent basis if you can find the consistent basis if you can find the time.  If you're even luckier, your time.  If you're even luckier, your dive buddy has a boat!  Most dive buddy has a boat!  Most people live many miles from the people live many miles from the nearest body of water, however, nearest body of water, however, which certainly limits diving which certainly limits diving opportunities. opportunities.       

Photographic knowledge - If Photographic knowledge - If you jump in the water with you jump in the water with an expensive camera system an expensive camera system but a total lack of knowledge but a total lack of knowledge on how to use it, you'll on how to use it, you'll probably find that your probably find that your photos turn out quite photos turn out quite disappointing.  Even with disappointing.  Even with cameras that automate focus cameras that automate focus and exposure, you should and exposure, you should still have an understanding of still have an understanding of exposure control, aperture exposure control, aperture settings, focus, composition settings, focus, composition basics, and other aspects of basics, and other aspects of photography.   photography.  

More Training - Underwater More Training - Underwater photography is fraught with photography is fraught with frustrations and challenges. It takes frustrations and challenges. It takes many dives to form a nice collection of many dives to form a nice collection of images.  Only by repeated attempts images.  Only by repeated attempts and learning from your mistakes can and learning from your mistakes can you develop the skills and techniques you develop the skills and techniques for producing award winning photos.for producing award winning photos.

Types of Underwater Types of Underwater Photographic EquipmentPhotographic Equipment

Two types of camera systems, each Two types of camera systems, each with its set of advantages and with its set of advantages and disadvantages, are available for the disadvantages, are available for the underwater photographerunderwater photographer

Special cameras for underwater like Special cameras for underwater like Nikonos (Amphibic)- A submersible Nikonos (Amphibic)- A submersible viewfinder camera that is compact and viewfinder camera that is compact and relatively easy to use. With this system relatively easy to use. With this system you must estimate focus distance since you must estimate focus distance since it is not a view through-the-lens type it is not a view through-the-lens type camera. This also can present camera. This also can present difficulties in composing your image. difficulties in composing your image.

Housed camera - Many 35mm land cameras Housed camera - Many 35mm land cameras can be provided with an acrylic or aluminum can be provided with an acrylic or aluminum water-tight housing that retains many of the water-tight housing that retains many of the camera's functions.  This enables through-camera's functions.  This enables through-the-lens viewing for accurate focus and the-lens viewing for accurate focus and composition control. A disadvantage is the composition control. A disadvantage is the increased bulk and expense.  A variety of increased bulk and expense.  A variety of manufacturers produce underwater housings; manufacturers produce underwater housings; most are designed for either Canon or Nikon most are designed for either Canon or Nikon cameras. cameras. 

There is no single "magic" lens for There is no single "magic" lens for

underwater photography.  Depending on underwater photography.  Depending on your photographic subject, wide-angle, your photographic subject, wide-angle, close-up and zoom lenses can be used with close-up and zoom lenses can be used with housed camera systems. The Nikonos housed camera systems. The Nikonos system is limited to a smaller selection of system is limited to a smaller selection of lenses.  One of the "rules" of underwater lenses.  One of the "rules" of underwater photography is that you will probably have photography is that you will probably have the wrong lens when something great shows the wrong lens when something great shows up (like having a macro lens set-up when up (like having a macro lens set-up when the gray whale swims 10 meters away).   the gray whale swims 10 meters away).  

Underwater Underwater photography is photography is usually divided usually divided into four into four categories: categories: general, macro general, macro or close-up, fish or close-up, fish portraits, and portraits, and wide anglewide angle. . Make sure that Make sure that you buy gear you buy gear that will help that will help you take you take photographs in photographs in your particular your particular area of interest. area of interest. This includes This includes lenses, light lenses, light sources, etc. sources, etc.

Another vital component of the Another vital component of the underwater photographer's arsenal is a underwater photographer's arsenal is a flash unit (or a pair), which is typical called flash unit (or a pair), which is typical called an underwater strobe.  Ambient sunlight is an underwater strobe.  Ambient sunlight is quickly sucked up by the aqueous quickly sucked up by the aqueous environment, making an artificial source environment, making an artificial source vital for most types of underwater vital for most types of underwater photography. photography.

A Strobe is Highly A Strobe is Highly Suggested! Suggested!

Because the first Because the first colors you loose at colors you loose at depth are the warm depth are the warm colors, red, orange, colors, red, orange, and yellow, you will and yellow, you will need an artificial need an artificial light source (a light source (a strobe) to capture strobe) to capture bright, colorful bright, colorful photographs.photographs.

Strobes function for fill Strobes function for fill

lighting with wide angle lighting with wide angle

subjects when the ambientsubjects when the ambient

light plays a role in the image, light plays a role in the image, and as the primary light source and as the primary light source for close-up subjects and some for close-up subjects and some types of wide angle types of wide angle photography.  To hold the strobe photography.  To hold the strobe (or strobes) in position, you'll (or strobes) in position, you'll need a set of arms that can be need a set of arms that can be manipulated to hold them in manipulated to hold them in their desired orientation. their desired orientation. 

You will loose the warm colors ‘n the You will loose the warm colors ‘n the deep, like red, orange, and yellow, deep, like red, orange, and yellow, you will also need filtersyou will also need filters

Throw in extension tubes, housing ports, light Throw in extension tubes, housing ports, light meters, batteries, film and processing , meters, batteries, film and processing , strobe cords, carrying cases, scuba strobe cords, carrying cases, scuba equipment (a whole other way to spends lots equipment (a whole other way to spends lots of money), and a seemingly unending list of of money), and a seemingly unending list of small but not necessarily insignificant items, small but not necessarily insignificant items, and you're on your wayand you're on your way

If you scare from diving, just send them to If you scare from diving, just send them to deep…deep…

Complete set with camera, housing, Complete set with camera, housing, strobes, strobe arms, lenses and strobes, strobe arms, lenses and filtersfilters

Just 20000 EuroJust 20000 Euro

Complete set with camera, housing, Complete set with camera, housing, strobes, strobe arms, lenses and filtersstrobes, strobe arms, lenses and filters

Just 22000 EuroJust 22000 Euro

• Or…Or…

Just 10 EuroJust 10 Euro

So, SCUBA Diving and Underwater Photography So, SCUBA Diving and Underwater Photography are very available targets for the students…are very available targets for the students…