Photography Skills of Underwater shooting

Photography Skills of Underwater shooting

We are curious about the underwater world because we rarely have the opportunity to see the landscape in the water. Opening your eyes while diving will be less comfortable and uncomfortable, and the deep sea world will be harder to see. Today, we will share the technical points and precautions for underwater photography.
First, the key point is the protection of the camera


Our camera enters the water, the most worrying is the water inflow problem, so a strong waterproof shell is a must. Many waterproof shells on the market are more reliable, but there is a kind of plastic waterproof bag is not recommended,It’s never used, but the friend’s map is cheaper and ruined a machine. It is recommended to find a brand that is more ok.
Be sure to practice after purchase, first make sure that the waterproof shell that you bought back will not leak. Also need to buy an underwater flash.


Second, the practice site
It is recommended to train in the swimming pool. The dangers and uncertainties of the natural environment are large. It is generally enough to shoot underwater characters in the swimming pool. Like many photography bases, there is a piece of glass on one side of the pool. The photographer does not need to go into the water. It is only convenient to photograph the characters in the water outside the glass.After the technical level is improved, you can go to the natural environment waters to shoot.
Third, you need to learn how to breathe
The characters we shoot are not so natural under water. First, we need to slowly enter the water. It is best to pinch the nose first. After entering the water, slowly loosen the nose and put some air in the mouth to gradually dive to the right position. And open your eyes; then you can put forward the preset action, then grab the shot.
It is necessary to practice the water several times. Each time is shorter, the photographer should pay attention to grasping each time the water is taken.


Fourth, pay attention to light
We have weak underwater light and need to buy an underwater flash when needed. The price can be a bit pricey. Therefore, natural light can be used reasonably. When shooting in the pool, you can wait for the midday sun to be strong, and the light will enter the underwater environment more. The advantage of the pool is that the water depth is not too deep, and the light enters the water to give the person's light just right. So many times you don't need a flash.
Five, parameter settings

The lens is preferably used with a wide-angle lens or with the minimum focal length of the zoom head. The aperture is F5.6 or smaller, and the sensitivity can be used within 1600. It is best to use a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster when shooting underwater characters.
Metering can be selected for center-weighted or spot metering, metering the blue water in the picture, or metering the face of a person. It is generally necessary to increase the exposure compensation of level 1.Priority is given to the aperture priority or shutter priority. The K value of the white balance is suitable for around 4500, and is post-processed in RAW format.
The smaller focal length and smaller aperture of the lens are used to achieve greater depth of field. At the same time, it is best to set it to high-speed continuous shooting so as not to miss the wonderful picture.

The last but not least
Underwater shooting practice is best practiced in the swimming pool. The character should try underwater shooting many times. When entering the water, it needs to enter the water slowly, blinking slowly, and the action should be communicated in advance on the water. The light in the water is very important, and the water depth in the pool is not big. It is still easier to control the light, and the most important thing is that the camera is waterproof.

In addition, the mobile phone is also a good choice for underwater shooting with a waterproof bag, which is simple and convenient.

At the same time, it is recommended to go to the photography base to practice shooting. The photographer can shoot the characters in the water through the glass without entering the water.