Underwater photography is not all about having a waterproof camera. Some argue that there´s specific know how once in the water. Here, some tips to improve your underwater shoots.

We love diving, and one of the greatest pleasures is to capture those unforgettable moments with your waterproof camera. However, underwater photography is not easy; there are some tips we need to know in order to improve our technique.

First, and most importantly, the brand. Beware of those cameras labeled as “waterproof”. If you are getting new equipment and just want to jump with the one you already have, you should be aware that sometimes the label only means they’re water-resistant up until a certain depth. Be sure to check how far you can go before diving or making your choice. Take your time to pick the waterproof case more suited for your device.

For beginners, a piece of advice: get your diving skill down before you start using a camera underwater. Underwater shooting requires precision and know how, learning the two of them at the same can be quite hard. It´s also recommended to practice and know your equipment well before diving.

Dealing with light

Light is a very important issue when you get underwater. Depending on where you are and its depth, the amount of light may not be enough. If you want to experiment without flash, it could be just what you need to take artistic or darker shoots. If you are shooting with natural light, shoot in 20ft of water or less, with the sun behind you. If not, you’re probably going to need to turn your flash on. The advice is: if you know you won´t have much time the best thing to do is to just leave it on auto-flash with auto white balance as well. An alternative could be to use a built-in or external flash with its proper case.

It´s all about focus

Focus in also something to consider when shooting underwater. Try taking close-ups of flowers and household objects before getting in the water. People usually obsess with getting as close as possible at any subject, so focus precision is the most important skill, especially when shooting a person or a fish. It´s recommended getting close within 1to 2 inches because water reduces color, contrast, and sharpness. Best way to do it? Use macro mode option or pick waterproof cameras with an “underwater” preset function. Always make sure the subject’s eyes are properly in focus. Some other times, wider shots require composition knowledge, so you can use your first shots as practice, learn perspectives and improve your abilities each time. For best composition get low, shoot at an upwards angle and don’t center the subject. Flickr has an interesting underwater photo gallery that can be a good alternative for a little bit of inspiration.

If you realize your underwater photos don’t look sharp enough, take a looks at your shutter speed, in order to keep things further in focus, you’ll need a semi-fast shutter speed, 1/30th for still objects, 1/60th for slow moving objects, and 1/125th of faster for faster moving fish for example. Don´t forget to set your camera to the highest resolution, and the lowest ISO to begin with.

Underwater nightmare

Backscatter is nightmare for most photographers. These little annoying white particles get picked up in the image ruining your shots. To minimize it the suggestion is to buy an external strobe light or flash and position it away from your underwater camera housing.

More info:  www.uwphotographyguide.com

Link to photos: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/nov/09/underwater-photography-2010#/?picture=368478389&index=7