Underwater photography is hard, complicated and expensive but also a hugely satisfying hobby. I’ve been taking photos underwater for nearly 15 years and I certainly don’t consider myself an expert. I’d class myself as mildly competent.
There are some excellent underwater photographers who happen to be excellent educators (Alex Mustard, Martin Edge and Saeed Rashid are particularly good). They are all superb sources for the fundamentals of underwater photography – camera setup, lens choice, strobe positions etc. As I’m not a world leading authority perhaps I’m better placed to remember some simple tips to avoid simple errors.
Here are my 5 tips for new underwater photographers.
1. Shoot the Conditions
This is a mistake I made for many years. I’d turn up for a dive with an idea of a photo I’d want to capture – say an expansive shot of a reef. After the dive I’d review my shots and be disappointed when the photos looked flat or blighted by excessive backscatter. I would assume I had made an error in setup, lighting or approach and I needed to just be better to get the shot. However, I wasn’t taking into account the conditions as the real limiting factor.
The prevailing conditions should govern how you approach a dive. A quick assessment on descent will quickly let you know what shots are going to be possible on a given dive and on that day.
Visibility, natural light and, closely related, depth are normally going to be the key uncontrollable elements that govern the approach to photographing any given dive. The Maldives is a prime example: visibility is hugely varied and the skies can quickly turn grey. If visibility is poor don’t persevere attempting wide angle shots of the reef – try moving to macro or fish portraits.
2. Enjoy the Safety Stop
The safety stop is an under-appreciated gem for good photos. By design you’re in shallow water close to the surface with the most natural light of the dive. There’s a captive audience of divers literally hanging out to photograph and, if you’re lucky, you might be joined by some inquisitive visitors. I enjoy shooting divers more than most but there are so many good opportunities to capture. Save reviewing your shots for when you’re back on the boat.
3. Make Friends
Trying to arrange a shot with a diving ‘model’ is normally fifty percent frustration and fifty percent comedy gold. Think handwaving and semi-lewd gestures. If you don’t dive with a regular buddy some frank discussions are normally needed beforehand.
Reminding people not to shine torches into the lens and keeping good eye contact are a good place to start. A clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve goes a long way to producing good photos with other divers.
4. Don’t Chase It
Fish will always be faster than you. There is no point trying to beat a whale shark at its own game. If you’re not in the right spot, today probably isn’t your day. Finning like a maniac to try and position yourself to get the shot is only going to obliterate your gas supply and shorten the rest of your dive. Don’t bother.
5. Embrace Limitations
Underwater photography can at times feel like an arms race. Manufacturers continue to bring out new equipment to tempt and offer richer pickings. None of this comes cheap. You can quickly feel that if you just had that extra bit of kit you’d be taking better photos, winning competitions and grabbing that front cover. In many ways it’s all just a distraction.
My advice would be to learn to master the equipment you do have, its limitations and concentrate on taking the best photographs you can right now. You can get great results with the most basic setups. Some of my favourite photos I’ve taken were back when I had an old second hand digital camera and a single strobe.
