So you want to do underwater photography?

And why shouldn't you?

You may have been diving for a while or you may have been doing photography for a while. Why not combine the two activities?

In this article I will not be dealing with different types of underwater equipment. That is quite the topic for another day.

Here I wish to share my experience of the underwater photographic environment. I trust that it would assist you in this journey that is your underwater photography.

When I started out I was looking at reviews and specifications of the equipment. I was so busy ensuring that I buy the best value for money I almost lost the plot.

You might want to record your dive to have memories of the holiday or specific location. You might want to do documentary images for research and scientific purposes. You may also want to produce photographic pieces of art suitable for very large prints.

Yes this dictates, to some extent, what equipment you need to consider buying. The underwater environment plays a larger role than you might think though.

Using a camera is using a camera, right? Who cares whether it is on dry land or deep down?

The underwater environment can present some challenges. One of them is murky water which causes a thing called backscatter.

Backscatter is nothing but well-lit organic matter floating in the water. They produce annoying bright spots in an image. This is not the end of the world because there are many ways to deal with backscatter. I will deal with them in future articles.

Then there is also the effect of temperature and nitrogen absorbed into the body. The nitrogen absorbed into your body slows you down. Well, it does it to me and it might also happen to you.

Mentally though, you are not quite the same person shooting your favourite camera on dry land. I find that I fumble with my settings very often.

Simple required changes to settings happen much less instinctively underwater.

Shutter speeds, apertures and other settings also seem to adjust themselves miraculously. You should always keep a close eye on your settings. The ergonomics of your camera housing can make a difference here.

Bringing home one good image is worth all the minor frustration you might experience. It is extremely rewarding.

In parting, some examples of underwater images shot by good friends and fellow divers Neal Bruton, Vaughn van Dyk and Charne Wepener. If you have not dived Algoa Bay yet you might want to put it on your bucket list.

Happy shooting and take care!

Anton