Wide Angle Underwater Photography Part 3 - Lighting

In part three of my ongoing series we are going to talk about light and lighting for wide angle underwater photography. As sunlight hits the water and filters through the depths of the ocean it gets absorbed, and therefore lost. You may remember the ROYGBIV acronym from elementary school that abbreviates the colors of light in order of wavelength. This is also the order of the colour of light that gets absorbed in water as you get deeper. That’s why so many underwater shots look blue or washout, as blue is the last colour to be absorbed last. To alleviate this issue underwater photographers will add light via strobes and modelling lights.

Ok, let’s talk balance. Balancing ambient and strobe light can be a bit of a challenging endeavor.
Remember when shooting wide angle, your strobes are used exclusively to light your foreground subjects, while proper ambient exposure ensures a colour-rich and crisp background.

Your goal should always be to balance your light in such a way that both the foreground and background are well exposed and there is contrast and separation between them. Once you have a handle on creating proper background exposure, the next step is to vary your strobe power and decide on positioning to properly exposure the foreground. Strobe power and positioning make all the difference between a backscatter filled or poorly lit image compared to a striking well lit one. Practicing moving your strobes and adjusting their power is invaluable to composing better images use stationary subjects like sea stars and sponges to build your skills.

Next always be mindful of the conditions around you, be aware of the direction of the sun, changing weather conditions, and your depth. All or one of these can change how you compose your images. You will always be changing your setting as new condition arise.

First position, second position and so on. Strobe positioning can make or break an image. Having an open mind and understanding that there are no hard and fast rules is very important.

Generally, strobes can be positioned in two ways. Out to the sides and behind the plane of the camera to prevent the illumination of backscatter or angling your strobes away from the subject slightly outward will also help to reduce backscatter. I cannot impress upon you enough every situation is different so do what is best for you.

Straight ahead positioning

angled positioning

Once you’ve set your rig, now take a shot. Review you image. Do you like it? If not adjust and shoot again. Your LCD screen is an invaluable resource in this process. Shoot at the standard starting position, and then move the strobes so that the light is hitting your subject from different angles. Notice the different quality of light from different angles.

Your strobe positioning will vary based on what you are shooting as well. A wide reef scene may require a wide even lighting approach, while shooting a fish resting on a large sponge or kelp dancing in the current may benefit from having one strobe act as the primary, or "key" light, while the second strobe acts as a fill light.

Learning and working with equipment to process your personal desired results is very important. As with most underwater image making, patients, practice and good dive practices are key to successfully creating an image.

Shoot, review, reposition, shoot. Repeat. But most of all have fun!

Thanks for reading and if you have any question please let me know.

Scott

For more stories and images - http://www.scottstevensonphotography.ca/