If you have ever been interested in scuba diving, surely you have not settled for diving only once, because scuba diving is like olives or cherries. You can't eat just one, right? Once you start it is impossible to stop So if you are a fan of diving and photography you can not miss the opportunity to take with you those wonderful seabed so magical and available to so few. And if you have never tried it, these holidays are a good time to dare with it. Anyway, I leave you a few tips to keep in mind to get stunning images of the underwater world.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
SLR OR EVIL CAMERA
To enter fully on a professional level, the ideal is a camera with manual settings and interchangeable lenses. If yours is an absolute passion for diving, I recommend that you make sure that your camera has compatible housings before buying a camera model or another.ADVANTAGE
- Obviously it depends on the camera we are using, but a priori should give us a better SLR or Evil (thanks to its larger sensors and the possibility of using better optics).
DRAWBACKS
- The price, not only of the camera but of the necessary components to use it (flashes, optics, housings ...).
- Mobility problems If diving is already an activity that requires a lot of practice, add to having your hands busy with a heavy camera, its case, a flash, and so on.
COMPACT CAMERA WITH ADVANCED FEATURES
It is possible that the results may be somewhat limited compared to a complete SLR team (or not, it depends on the quality of your compact and your know-how ), but the price is much cheaper, so to start and see if you really like the underwater world, it will surely be more than enough.ADVANTAGE
- Price: a priori should be a much more moderate investment than a SLR or Evil camera.
- Mobility: mainly because it weighs less, but also because it is smaller.
- You have the possibility of using different focal points without changing the objective.
- They usually have built-in flash.
DRAWBACKS
- A smaller sensor can affect the appearance of noise in the image.
FLASH
To start in the underwater world, the simplest and most economical thing is that you work with the built- in flash of your camera, since, although we always recommend taking advantage of the natural light of the scene, as you descend you will be unable to work without flash. Working with an external flash forces you to invest in underwater flashes or in cases for external flashes.- Keep in mind that the flash does not behave the same way through the air than through the water; the water is much denser and subtracts a lot of power to the flash (measured in guide numbers or NG)
- If there is a lot of distance between our lens and what we want to photograph, the flash will bounce against the suspended particles located in the water column that separates one and the other.
WATERPROOF CASE
- Indispensable for underwater photography. You have them of different qualities, prices and models, depending on the use or the demands that you have regarding your dives. Here are some models sold by Amazon. Remember to check the compatibility with your camera model before buying.
MOST RECOMMENDED GOALS
WIDE ANGLE
Because of its wide degree of vision, the wide-angle lens allows you to capture a large portion of the seascape. In addition, its great depth of field allows us to focus on practically the entire scene.MACRO
The lenses for macro photography are ideal for photographing details or small subjects since their angle is very small, as well as their depth of field (little area focused on the image).UNDERWATER LIGHT BEHAVIOR
To take pictures underwater, you should keep in mind that the density of the water is 800 times that of the air and that you will find numerous particles in suspension that produce loss of color and contrast in the objects. All this translates into that you will find yourself with much less light and sharpness than out of the water, which forces you to get very close to what you want to photograph. Another important aspect of the behavior of underwater light is how different colors are perceived . You should keep in mind that the different colors are filtered based on the depth at which we are. That is, some colors disappear depending on how far away from the surface we are. Red is the first to disappear, then orange and yellow, finally being only blue and green. Another aspect to keep in mind is that horizontal distance also reduces light considerably. Keep this in mind when thinking about your framing. The position of the sun in the sky also determines the quantity and quality of the light entering the water. When it is high in a calm sea, it lets most light rays through. On the other hand, with a raging sea or early-last hours of the day, the light is reflected on the surface and does not enter the sea so directly, so you will have less light when photographing.TIPS
The most important to obtain good images is that you get as close as possible to what you want to photograph to reduce the water column between your camera and your protagonist. We have already talked about the density of water and suspended particles that reduce vision and sharpness . The less distance between your objective and the portrayed, the better image quality you will have, as well as more interesting images, more color saturation , contrast, and so on. Therefore, it is a good option to try to fill the frame, especially when you have very little light.THE POINT OF VIEW
Forget about photographing your subject always from above. Although it is the easiest way to do it, since we dive looking down, if you do it you will have images with less flattering backgrounds (such as sand), or points of view of the uninteresting elements, and the result will be rather flat images and With little interest. Isn't it true that we always tell you the importance of shooting a child from his height? The same principles of the portrait that we apply on land, we apply them underwater. So if you want to get a more photogenic background, with a greater sense of depth and contrast in color, always try to photograph your protagonists from bottom to top or stand at eye level . Tip : Remember that, in any portrait, the eyes are the main reason, try to keep them focused. In this video, the friends of Traveling Diving show you the different planes and angles with which you can capture your image:ENVIRONMENT CARE
There is no photograph in the world that is worth the least damage to the underwater world in general and to a coral reef in particular. That is why you must be very careful when approaching one when you do a dive. You cannot touch it under any circumstances and you have to be very careful not to hit it by flipping away from it. I suppose that if you like scuba diving you do it from deep love to the underwater world, but it is worth remembering that animals should not be disturbed, that they should not be touched, that they cannot intervene and that they should not be riddled with To the poor creatures with our flash. Likewise, it is especially important that you be careful when touching the floor of the seabed so as not to cloud the water and thus have the maximum possible sharpness when you take your photos.WHITE BALANCE
If you work with an automatic white balance , the most interesting in this case might be a cloudy mode , since it would allow you to reduce the dominant blue of the water, although it is always more advisable to work in RAW to have better control of all aspects of the image.HISTOGRAM
Although we recommend it in and for any type of photography, the histogram is absolutely essential in underwater photography to correct in situ any area that has been poorly exposed or that we want to improve. Analyzing the image on the screen is not always reliable since it depends on the quality of the image, the light of the environment, etc., so the only sure way to get the exposure right is by analyzing the image through the histogram.TIPS FOR ADJUSTING EXPOSURE
Because of the complexity of the light in the underwater environment (water density, low light, suspended particles), you will have to do several tests to find adequate exposure. If it is the flash that has burned some areas of the image, reduce the intensity of the image. If it is "fault" of the available light, try readjusting the speed or aperture of the diaphragm.MEASUREMENT MODE
It will depend on the type of immersion or the level of control (and possibilities of your equipment) that you want to have at all times. If you have time, the measurement mode more accurate the point . If you have little time for each image, it is best to use a measurement mode weighted to the center as a second option (in your first times, if you go with a guide and are in a hurry ...).FOCUS MODE
For this type of photography mostly on the move , it is highly recommended that you use an autofocus mode (AF-A or AI Focus) for scenes in which you anticipate that a static situation can become a moving one. In this mode you can chase little fish and other creatures without losing focus.THE PULSE, VERY FIRM
It is easy to say writing from the mainland, I know but because of the low light conditions, the movement of the water, its inhabitants and yours, the firmer your position at the time of shooting, the better. Little by little you will be taking practiceTAKE CARE OF THE BACKGROUND AND COMPOSITION
It is almost as important as your protagonist. A good background will make it stand out or completely destroy the image. The different plants and flowers (anemones, coral, etc.) and the blue tones of the same water, can help you emphasize your protagonist.- Rule of thirds
- Negative space
- Law of the gaze
- In vertical format (also)
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