Expert Author Chi Pritchard
How would you like the chance to see colorful animals and bizarre creatures in their natural habitat?
Underwater photography offers you the chance to see coral reefs and other exotic animals. You'll get the chance to explore parts of the world that are mostly undiscovered.
The earth is about 68% water and most of that has never been filmed or even seen before. I've always been fascinated with exploring the oceans. I've been able to combine two of my favorite enjoyments in life in underwater photography. I'm able to capture beautiful creates underwater with my camera. I was hooked once I took my first diving lesson.
First thing you'll have to be good at is obviously diving. If you aren't a good diver then it's going to be difficult in being an underwater photographer. Adding a camera as a distraction to a novice diver is just asking for disaster.
There are a few things you should consider before trying to get into underwater photography. If you understand that underwater photography has very unique challenges. You will be able to find your way through the learning curve much quicker than most.
Underwater photography equipment has come along way since I first became interested in it. The difference between underwater photography and other types of photography is that it relies just as much on technique as it does your equipment.
A wedding photographer can have great technique, but if the equipment is substandard then it will affect how the photos turn out. Underwater photography has two kinds of photographs. These are wide-angle and close up shots. This is unlike most other forms of photography. The sole reason you only have these two options is the water itself.
With other forms of photography the sun or you angle are your biggest issues you have to deal with. The difference is you have many more types of shots you can take. While most would look at crystal clear water and figure you wouldn't have any issue with clarity. If you had fog or smoke while trying to take a picture on land you would have clarity issues. This holds true when you are underwater and clarity becomes one of your challenges to getting a perfect shot.
Lighting is also completely different with underwater photography. Depth plays an important part in what colors you see and what you are able to capture. Once you reach a depth of about 60 feet your only going to see green and blue. It's like shooting in bowl of pancake syrup. To compensate for the color distortion you are going to want to get as close as you can to the animal. Your wide-angle lens is going to allow you to get a better focus on large fish and corral and surrounding objects.
If you are looking for something cheap and don't want a quality underwater photo. You should pick up a disposable camera for a few dollars at your local sporting goods store. Unfortunately, this won't work for a professional photographer. So, your equipment is going to be your biggest expense. Anytime you add saltwater and equipment together and you know your going to pay a lot.
A portrait photographer only has to worry about a little rain and maybe some sand and dirt. An underwater photographer is going to have to deal with corrosive salt and of course water. Your equipment is going to be about triple what a photographer pays for equipment not built for underwater environment. Sealing and protecting the inner workings of your camera takes special and expensive material.
You also have to make sure you check out what the depth rating for the equipment is as well. If you go to a depth your equipment is not rated for it will get destroyed. You'll find some that can flood the inside of the camera at depths as little as ten feet. Your can buy housing units that will encase a camera that's not suitable for water if you don't want to purchase an expensive underwater camera. However, your quality won't be nearly as good and you still take the chance of having water get inside the housing of your camera.
Warmer light tends to fade at depths past 25 feet. You have to make sure you have your only light source that works with your camera. This is where you'll have to purchase on-camera flash. The problem with most light sources is that they tend to reflect on the suspended particles that are in the water. These particles create a reflection back to the camera and will give a grainy look to your photos. You can reduce the reflection by purchasing strobe lights that attached to the camera. The cost for strobe lights is about the same as if you were to go with on camera lighting.
Getting your ambient exposure just right will help your shot look much more natural than just using your on camera flash. Try and use what little light shines through to your advantage.
If you a beginner and your not comfortable with your settings on your camera you may have to set your camera to auto flash and use a manual white balance setting if you shots are less than four or five feet way.
Once you get more comfortable with your settings then you can start to use more of the manual settings. With underwater photography you have to pay more attention to motion than you would with other types of photography. Underwater everything is in motion and you have constant motion such as bubbles or your bubbles from you moving within the water. You have to stay as steady as you possibly can to get a shot that's not blurry.
You will also have one other expense that you will need to keep in mind and that's scuba gear. This equipment can vary in prices as well. Just keep in mind that you can be an underwater photographer without the proper diving gear.
Underwater photography offers a professional photographer fantastic adventures of a lifetime. Travels to exotic locations and the chance to see parts of the world no one has ever seen. You don't have to ask your subject to smile or stand up straight. This is what draws me back into the water over and over again.
Chi Photography is one of the top Wedding Photographers in Charleston located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Newborn Photographers in Charleston Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chi_Pritchard
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