Photography Technique: The Pros' Approach

The Camera Is Not the Problem

New underwater photographers typically believe their images look mediocre because of the camera. After watching professional photographers produce exceptional images with entry-level mirrorless systems, and average images from expensive DSLR rigs when controlled by inexperienced divers, the conclusion becomes clear: the technique matters far more than the equipment.

Light: The Central Variable

Water absorbs light wavelengths differentially — red is absorbed first, then orange, then yellow. Below 10 metres in most conditions, the ambient light is predominantly blue and green. Underwater photographs taken with ambient light alone look blue and lifeless because the warm colour channels are simply absent.

Professional photographers solve this with artificial light (strobes or video lights) to restore warm colours to subjects within 1-2 metres. The strobe sits off-camera to one or both sides, positioned to create cross-lighting that reveals texture and dimension.

The rule: get close and light the subject. Every additional metre of water between the lens and the subject reduces contrast, sharpness, and colour.

Backscatter: The Great Enemy

Backscatter — the white specks caused by strobe light reflecting off suspended particles before reaching the subject — ruins more underwater photos than any other single factor. Prevention requires:

1. Strobes positioned back and to the sides, so the strobe light reaches the subject at an angle that takes it out of the camera's field of view
2. Avoid the surge zone and stirred sediment — high-particle-count water cannot be outlit without backscatter
3. Adequate subject-to-camera distance

Shoot Flat, Not Down

Amateur photographers shoot from above, looking down at the subject. Professionals approach from the front or the side, placing the camera at the subject's level or below it, shooting upward. This approach:

• Includes blue water or the reef in the background rather than sand
• Produces the 'portrait' orientation that gives the subject dimension
• Makes eye contact with the animal possible — the single most powerful element of underwater animal photography

The Settings Framework

For most reef photography with strobe:

• Mode: Manual (M) for full control over both shutter speed and aperture
• ISO: 200-400 for good image quality
• Shutter speed: 1/125-1/200 sec to freeze motion and limit ambient light contribution
• Aperture: f/8-f/14 to maintain depth of field on small subjects
• Strobe power: Adjust to correctly expose the subject; start at 50% and bracket

The Skill No Course Teaches: Patience

The images that stand out from underwater photographic work almost universally involve a significant waiting period. The photographer found the subject, repositioned multiple times to get the background right, and waited for the animal to turn toward the camera or produce an interesting behaviour.

Most amateur photographers hover over a subject for 30 seconds, take 20 frames, and move on. Professionals spend 10-20 minutes on a single subject, making small position adjustments, waiting. The animal's behaviour — not the photographer's schedule — determines when the shot is taken.