Great underwater photos take some effort to capture, and using the right lenses, lights, and techniques can make all the difference. Some of the most amazing underwater photos you've ever seen were probably taken with a wide angle lens and some other equipment, and they all have something in common with one another - the photographer behind the camera was once like you. Learn how to use your camera equipment to its greatest potential and spend lots of time taking photos, and some of your photos could end up being admired by viewers worldwide. Keeping that in mind, here are some tips for making the most of wide angle photography.
Choosing Underwater Cameras and Other Equipment
While it's possible to get good landscape shots with a compact point and shoot type camera, you really need to invest in a good dSLR and some accessories to get outstanding wide angle shots. Glass or acrylic dome ports, fisheye lenses, and powerful strobes with diffusers represent an investment, but if you're serious about wanting to take great underwater photos, they'll eventually pay off.
Getting Great Results
Most professional underwater photographers shoot manual exposure, setting aperture, shutter speed, and strobe power manually. They often meter off blue water and use spot metering or center weighted metering. It takes practice and patience to learn how to set your camera right, but as time passes, you'll be able to do it like the pros, in just a few seconds.
Second, you want to shoot fairly close to your subject. This is the beauty of a wide-angle or fisheye lens; you can get up close and still capture a complete image. The details are unfailingly amazing. If you ask a professional photographer what the number one mistake most people make is, he or she is almost sure to tell you it's that they don't get close enough to their subjects. Most shoot from a distance of 6 inches to about 3 feet away from the animals or objects they want to capture.
Third, you want to work with lighting and strobes. Move your strobes around a lot since lighting needs are going to vary depending on ambient light from the surface, visibility, and whether you're shooting vertically or horizontally.
Finally, you'll want to focus on composing your shots properly, using the rule of thirds. Put the key area of your subject at one of the intersecting points, ensure you keep your horizon and angles straight, and watch out for sloping, sandy areas that could cause a muddled look.
Unless you're shooting silhouettes alone, light up the foreground well to ensure your colors are bold. Try shooting a colorful fish or an interesting piece of reef with a blue and black silhouette in the background, and try to get a sunburst or sun ball in your photo.
Finally, remember that underwater photography takes patience and practice. Start out just shooting blue water and learn how to meter that water so you get the color you like best. Next, add the sun into the photo and practice photographing sunbursts. Add in silhouettes next, and then start working with lighting. If you work methodically and keep on practicing, everything will come together perfectly; enabling you to get the kind of photos you've always wanted to take.