This is a very complete article by guest authors Efra and Annabel in which they offer you their experienced hand to immerse you in the fascinating world of underwater photography. And if what you like is nature photography, Don’t miss our most complete guide either, with tips, tricks and lots of inspiration.
The photosub It is a photographic discipline that is booming. You just have to look at the vast majority of manufacturers that are betting on underwater cameras. Olympus, Sony, Nikon, Canon… all these brands have waterproof amphibious cameras without the need for a housing.
And we’re not just talking about the cameras All Weather (Amphibious) or the famous GoPro. Underwater housing brands have also set their sights on Smartphones, with the possibility of incorporating specific lenses such as wide angle or macro. What madness, huh?
And what do we mean by all this?
Well, finally, underwater photography is Within everyone’s reach.
Photosub is a photographic discipline with a series of peculiarities. The aquatic environment has its own rules and you have to adapt to them if you want to play at their house. The way to move through the seabed requires learning. The lighting technique is different and the equipment must be adapted to the water.
But don’t be scared, quite the opposite. If you know how to swim, with a little practice you will learn to dive and you will be able to portray a world very different from the one you are used to. New landscapes and animals never seen before are waiting for you, nature at its best, the place where the life you know today originated.
Doesn’t that sound exciting to you?
We are going to give you 9 tips so that you start with a good fin in underwater photography.
1. You have to be comfortable in the water
First of all, the most important thing is to assess your experience in an aquatic environment. If you are not comfortable in the water, you will hardly take good photos.
You have to know that there are 3 modalities to practice this photographic discipline. Do not think that photosub is only for scuba divers.
underwater photography with snorkeling
It is about swimming on the surface of the water with fins, mask and tube. Depending on the place or time of year you practice it, you will also need a wetsuit. If you swim in areas where there may be boat traffic (not recommended), use a marker buoy.
If you are not a very good swimmer you can use a vest, but this is an indicator that you are still not comfortable in the water, keep practicing 😉 .
Is modality is the easier for a beginner, you just need to know how to swim.
The disadvantage is that when framing with the camera always from the surface, you limits to compose an image or make different frames. But if you are not very aquatic and want to start, the snorkeling is your best option.
Apnea (cazafotosub)
The difference with snorkel, it is that you go down a few meters at your lungs, being able to access other shooting angles and marine subjects. If you choose to use a wetsuit that will make you float, you will need a weight belt to go down more easily. A marker buoy will also be necessary if you practice in places where there may be boat traffic.
This mode requires a previous training and physical fitness, either with a specific course or practicing on your own, always accompanied. Nor do you need to be a professional freediver and go down 15 or 20 meters, between 2 and 5 you can start practicing underwater photography.
We love photographing in apnea for its lightness. Unlike scuba diving, you are not limited by the amount of air you have in the tank, nor do you have to carry all the equipment.
Underwater photography with autonomous equipment
Scuba diving allows you to easily access different depths, without the need to surface during the duration of the dive.
You can try different frames or compositions. This allows you recreate yourself with other shooting angles Y Have more time to configure the camera. When shooting freehand, the background times have to be much faster for these tasks.
It’s our preferred mode, because you have plenty of time to measure light and work on a subject without going upstairs to breathe.
To dive with autonomous equipment you will need to make a Diving course and get some experience. It is not difficult, it is a relaxing sport that the vast majority can practice regardless of age.
When you master scuba gear and buoyancy, it’s time to start taking underwater photos.
The necessary equipment is more extensive: regulators, bottle, weights, pressure gauge, depth gauge, vest, mask and snorkelingneoprene, compass, dive computer, signal buoy and knife.
Many photosub hire the service of a boat in diving centers, to be able to access spectacular places far from the coast. Although you also have the option of renting a bottle and practicing at a shallow depth.
Now that you know the different modalities and depending on which one you choose, our advice is to practice your aquatic skills before launching yourself with the camera.
This is very important, and not only because your security, also for the conservation of underwater ecosystems. You have to be very careful not to destroy the corals with your fins, they are very fragile.
Start practicing in small coves at a shallow depth. You can’t imagine the amount of life that can be underwater!
Underwater photography is highly recommended to be practiced with a partner and in autonomous diving it is mandatory.
2. Choose your camera and housing according to your needs
The underwater shell
Once you’ve become a real frogman, it’s time to start flirting with the camera.
A very important point when choosing your camera is the underwater housing. Each camera has its specific housings and these will not work for different models of the same camera. Remember that there are no housings for all cameras, and these are made of polycarbonate or aluminum.
The polycarbonate they are cheaper, less ergonomic and some do not give you access to all the buttons. They are also more prone to fogging up and flooding. those of aluminum they are more expensive but solve all the shortcomings of the first.
Our advice is that if your budget is tight and the camera is very simple or waterproof, buy a polycarbonate one. If you’ve left the dough on a good camera, do the same with the case.
The camera
If you are already a photographer, then you will have your camera. Find out if there is a specific water protection case for your model.
Submerging an SLR camera can cost a lot of money. One option is to consider starting with an advanced compact first. Although this is already a personal decision.
If you don’t have a camera or photographic notions, it is best to start with a compact submersible. At first, you can start with automatic mode and focus on composition and framing. When you master these techniques a little, you will already go into manual mode.
Keep in mind that not all compact cameras have manual mode and, in the long run, if you want to continue to evolve, you will need it. Remember this when purchasing your first camera.
Differences between compact, mirrorless, amphibious or SLR cameras.
compact cameras
These are very widespread in the photosub and are used by many users thanks to their versatility. Compact cameras have a great advantage, you can use different wet lenses without getting out of the water.
As a good reader of Photographer’s Blog, you already know the importance of using specific objectives for your sessions. The wet lenses They are attached to underwater housings and there are different types. You can use macro, wide angle or endoscopic lenses during the same dive.
On the other hand, the sensors of the compact ones are smaller if we compare them with those of the reflex or mirrorless. But you have advanced compacts like the Sony RX100 V with very good image quality and manual mode.
amphibious chambers (All Weather)
Unlike conventional compacts that require a case, these are sealed and waterproof to a certain depth. They can also be fitted with a casing and subjected to greater pressure/depth.
If you like pure minimalism and go with a little bulky equipment, these cameras are ideal.
Due to its small size you have great facility to frame and access places such as small cracks. This is a great advantage in macro photography, with just one hand you can frame and reach places that would be impossible with bulky equipment.
The disadvantage is its small sensor and that most do not have a manual mode. But the benefits of some models like the Olympus TG4 or TG5 With its very powerful macro without the need for a lens, it is to be taken into account. In addition, this model allows you to change the aperture, ISO and do a manual white balance.
SLR and mirrorless
This is the preferred option for those looking for the best image quality at any price, literally.
The problem is not the camera body, it is the price of the housing and the fronts that protect the lenses from water. And not all housing manufacturers have models for SLR cameras/mirrorless economic.
Also, to change targets you have to get out of the water. Although there is also the possibility of attaching some wet lenses to the housing.
Other disadvantage it is its great volume and the cumbersomeness of the whole.
For all this, this option ends up being valid only for the most experienced underwater photographers.
Our advice is that if you are starting, do it with a compact or an amphibious. If over time you get hooked on underwater photography and feel the need, you’ll make the leap to the older sisters… or not 😉 .
At the beginning, you already have too much to master the aquatic skills to get into the water with such a bulky camera. Remember that you are just starting out and want to enjoy yourself, go for minimalism.
If you are still considering whether photosub is for you, think before you invest. Photography is not a cheap hobby, much less underwater photography.
3. Make good use of natural light
If light is the most important thing in terrestrial photography, in underwater it is much more so. This is because you are in a medium denser than air.
As you get more depth and distance, the colors are absorbed. First red, followed by orange, yellow and green, until everything is a monochrome blue.
There are more factors underwater that influence your images. Refraction causes you to see objects 33% larger and 25% closer. Also the reflection by which, depending on the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays on the surface of the water, more or less light enters.
Leaving aside the physics class and summarizing, what you have to know is that the deeper you dive, the more artificial light from a spotlight or flash becomes necessary.
Since you’re just starting out, our advice is…