The Five C's of Underwater Photography
By blue o two dive guide James Dawson
Taking photos underwater can be a real challenge. The results though can provide reminders of some spectacular dives and give you the chance to share the sensation with your non-diving friends. Many of our guests use digital compact cameras and there a few simple pointers that anyone can use to make their memories even better.
By following these five C's you should be taking more colourful, sharper images in no time that you'll really want to show your friends:
1. Camera
2. Composition
3. Colour
4. Clarity
5. Conservation
Top of the list is to know your camera. If you're unsure as to what it is capable of or how to change the settings, you'll never be able to realise its full potential. Before you come on your liveaboard trip, make sure you have read the manual and understand how the settings and buttons work on your camera. Take time to practise with it in the housing as well so that the buttons feel familiar and you know where everything is for that moment when you need it.
Good composition can make an image leap out of the frame. If your subject is a small speck in the centre of the frame it is obviously going to lack impact. By filling the frame and incorporating a couple of positional techniques, you can ensure more dynamic photos that will really impress. The first rule is to fill the frame - get close to your subject to minimise the amount of wasted space in a shot. If you can position your subject across the diagonal of the frame it will increase the subject size and allow the viewer to 'walk through the shot'. By starting at one corner and following a subject into the shot the viewer will be able to see the whole image in a natural flow that artists have been using for centuries.
Colour is what underwater photography is all about. The variety and vibrancy of the reef is what we're trying to capture. It's also what many non-divers are most impressed and surprised by. To ensure you can show the true diversity of the reef it's crucial to get close to your subject and ensure that you have enough light. If you don't have an external strobe to replace light lost to the water, then you're going to get the best results in shallow water. The Red Sea offers plenty of sun and this will light the shallower areas of the reef enough for to show them of in their full glory.
A photo can be perfect in every other detail, but if the subject is out of focus it will never be a great shot. To get crisp, sharp photos time and again it is important to give your camera time to focus, vital to stay still and essential to maintain good buoyancy control. Some may argue that buoyancy control is the most important diving skill you can learn, and this is especially true when taking photos. You may even want to use the check dive as an opportunity to fine tune your skills without a camera and brush up your buoyancy a little. It will make your diving more comfortable, your photos easier to take and will also improve your air consumption. By getting close to your subject you will remove the amount of water between it and the lens and this will help both the camera's auto focus and the clarity of the image. The more water between you and a subject, the more particles and light loss you'll suffer from.
Finally, but probably the most important long-term consideration for any underwater photographer is conservation. No photo is worth damaging the reef for. Good buoyancy skills coupled with awareness of the reef around you and securing your equipment will ensure that you don't inadvertently damage a fragile part of the reef whilst taking your photos. Taking your time over a photo will allow you to consider the composition and how to approach a subject to get the best and safest vantage point. We all want to be able to photograph these magnificent reefs for many years to come, so always put conservation first when taking any photo.
We look forward to seeing your photos on your next blue o two liveaboard trip.
Check out James images - www.silentworldimages.co.uk