Underwater Photography Facts
The beauty of underwater life offers the interesting views. Recently, some photographers have pursued the rare photographic opportunities to catch marine life that a lot of subjects such as, animals and marine mammals. However, not easy to get stunning the underwater pictures. Even so, to shoot under the sea photograph that is not so simple as we shot the human portrait or the animal aboveground. In the underwater photograph, you have to consider some aspect such as the particles, light condition in certain depth and the water itself that the major issue that will impact to the camera and the result of the photograph.
The following is the facts that have to know by photographer before go down into the sea to catch underwater life.
1. Need the diving skill
Before you dive you have to make sure that you're capable of dive, or you get a diving certificate. These are some questions to be the reason why you have to learn diving?
- How to use diving equipments
- How do the movements in the water
- How to prevent or to face the dangerous animals
- How to hold and to use the photography equipments
- How deep you have to dive
- What are the effects of weather on the wind and the wave
2. The sea risk
Thinking about risks when you dive. You surely meet with small and big marine animals that some of them are dangerous for human. That why you have to learn about diving. Besides the marine animals, you must know the decompression sickness; It’s a steady that should be avoided by every diver. In simple decompression is defined as medical condition in which the accumulation of the soluble nitrogen after a diver to form air bubbles that block blood flow and nervous system. A result from these conditions will occur the symptoms that similar to stroke, which will occur symptoms like numbness, paralysis and even loss of consciousness that can cause the death.
3. Different equipment for underwater photography
The underwater photography needs special equipment because it’s used in under water so the all electrical equipments must water proof. We can use point and shoot camera or DLSR camera with water proof housing, or you can use special camera for underwater photography that is the water-proof digital camera that usually a compact or point and shoot camera. If you use a DLSR with the lens attached on it, you have to cover it with the water-proof housing. The another equipment that usually use for underwater photography is external flash or lighting. The external lighting is not a necessary need; it’s really needed if you dive into a certain deep or low light condition.
4. The water absorbs the color
The red, yellow and orange color will be absorbed by the sea water, so the image look blue if you don’t use the strobe or other external lightings. The deeper you dive, more color that will be absorbed. To be your consideration to prepare equipments are needed to compensate this. The internal flash maybe enough for you if you dive is not too deep, but if you want to dive deeper you have to provide external lighting.
5. The particle will absorb contrast, color and sharpness
Every the sea contains particles that can absorb the contrast and sharpness of the images include the water itself that will reduce the sharpness. The sea with low particles will look clear and vice versa the water will look murky if there are a lot of particles and rubbish. Before you chose where you want to dive, you have to check where the diving site with the clear the sea. You must shoot the subject with short distance if the water isn’t clear as well as you don’t get the stunning pictures.