Mastering Underwater Photography: Essential Tips for Beginners

Photo tips - Beginner

The enemy of the underwater photographer is water, our cameras are not designed to be shooting subjects through a wall of water, they are designed to be used in air. So how do we eliminate water between your camera and the subject?

Step 1 - Get close

The old adage goes “get close, and when you think you're close, get closer.” This can apply to almost all shooting conditions and is the simplest of techniques. Most other techniques are just using technology to allow you to get even closer but the biggest issues people have is that they generally shoot from too far away.

Step 2 - Lens choice

If you’re using a compact camera without an interchangeable lens you should consider a water contact optic. There are many around, but basically what they all do is make the apparent field of view of the camera become wider, this widening of the scene allows you to get closer to your subject. You can buy dome ports for all types of compact cameras all the way from GoPro, to the Olympus TG series and also for compact cameras such as the Canon G9Xmk2 and the Sony RX100 range.

If you are using an interchangeable lens camera either full frame or cropped sensor then use the widest lens available. For cropped sensor cameras, a commonly chosen lens is the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye that will give a 180 degree field of view. For full frame cameras both Nikon and Canon offer 8-15mm fisheye lenses that when used at 15mm will give an incredible fisheye 180 degree field of view.

Step 3 - Avoid zooming

The logical thing to do when shooting a scene is to zoom in, however this is counterintuitive. Whilst it may make the image look great on the screen, when you try to edit the image, it will have no detail or sharpness due the amount of water you are shooting through.

Also when using zoom functions and features like super macro mode in cameras such as the TG6, the camera is actually just cropping the image for you and therefore degrading the image quality even further.

Step 4 - Buoyancy

When getting closer and closer to the subject you risk having a negative effect on the environment as you are so close. This is where buoyancy becomes key. Often, it's easy enough to approach but harder to get back away from the scene, therefore I would practice approaching a subject and backing away in a pool. You can use the one finger technique for balance when shooting, place one finger on a rock and using it for balance and then push off away backwards from the scene.

Maintain good fin position and consider learning more advanced fin kicking techniques such as helicopter turns and back finning. These can be great fun to practice in local pool sessions with your local dive club.

Conclusion

Mastering underwater photography as a beginner requires a combination of technique and equipment. The mantra of "get close, and when you think you're close, get closer" is a fundamental principle that applies universally to shooting conditions. Choosing the right lens for your camera system and target subject, significantly enhances the photographer's ability to capture clear and vibrant images. Avoiding excessive zooming, maintaining buoyancy, and practicing advanced fin kicking techniques are essential skills that contribute to both effective photography and environmental responsibility. By understanding and applying these principles, underwater photographers can overcome the challenges posed by water and capture stunning images with clarity and precision.