Underwater Videography: Milne Bay

Rolling in the Deep #6 - Milne Bay from Dustin Adamson on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography: Silfra Crack Iceland

Silfra Crack Iceland from Wethorse on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography: Pharaoh Cuttlefish

Pharaoh cuttlefish from Steve De Neef on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography: Anemonefish - Nature's Aquarium

"Anemonefish: Nature's Aquarium" DVD preview from Undersea Productions on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - Banda Sea

Schooling hammerhead sharks captured on video by Nu Parnupong.

Underwater Videography - Underwater lock shot collection

Underwater lock shot collection #1 from Eunjae Im on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - South Maldives

South Maldives 2014 from Nautic Life on Vimeo.

Black and White - Underwater Shark Photography

Tranquility - Leighton Lum (500px)

Up from the Depths - Leighton Lum (500px)

Big Sucker - Thomas Conrad (500px)

Shark Trek - Thomas Conrad (500px)

Loving the Sun - Leighton Lum (500px)

Underwater Videography - The Blue Ocean in RED (Howard Hall)

The Blue Ocean in RED from Howard Hall on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - Maldives Expedition

Maldives Expedition Aug 2013 from Eunjae Im on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - Underwater Indonesia by Eric Cheng

Underwater Indonesia: Alor and Komodo, November 2011 from Eric Cheng on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - Above and Below the Banda Sea

Above & Below - Banda Sea from Behind the Mask on Vimeo.

Underwater Videography - Micro Life in the Red Sea

Red Sea Micro Life by Camel Dive Club, Sharm El Sheikh from Camel Dive Club on Vimeo.

My Underwater Wide Angle Photography - Reef Scenes

Octopus on the reef - Raja Ampat, Indonesia

In underwater photography, taking wide angle pictures is quite difficult.

The main challenge is to find the right exposure balance between available light exposed background and brought in light from strobes in the foreground.

Local boy - Arborek Island, Raja Ampat

A second challenge is to find the right framing of the image. This is not only about spotting an interesting scenery - such as the giant octopus sitting on top of the reef (see left) - but also around framing that scenery in a way not to capture bubbles from other divers, not to have unwanted light effects when the sunlight is shining in from the wrong side, and being able to isolate the main subject in the wide frame of the underwater reefscape.

In order to get the right framing and brought in light it is important to move as close as possible to respective subjects. Since light refraction is stronger underwater than on air and light from strobes is absorbed on short distance through the water there is no way around using extreme wide angle lenses and moving to a very close focusing point.




The underwater photographers challenge here is not to make too much noise and bubbles in order not to scare away the marine protagonists.
While for the boy on the right this was not a topic, the octopus needed to be approached slowly until he adapted to the presence of a scuba diver with big camera gear and making strange bubbles.

Exposure of schooling fish - such as the school of glass fish (see left) - can be difficult too. Given the fact that part of the skin of fish is highly reflective or on the other extreme completely transparent just automatic exposure metering does not work out.
However, in the digital times a series of exposures and varying strobe positions will do the job.

Underwater Impressions Filmed Around the World

Underwater Footage Showreel ( demo reel ) from Undersea Productions on Vimeo.

Marine Wildlife of Socorro

Socorro Solmar V from Darek Sepiolo on Vimeo.

Galapagos - Underwater video

Galapagos 2010 from Darek Sepiolo on Vimeo.

Whalesharks in Cenderawasih Bay

Once upon a time in Cenderawasih bay from Nu Parnupong on Vimeo.

Squadron of Hope - Raja Ampat

A short video by Nu Parnupong documenting the richness of reef life around Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

Beneath the Waves

beneath the waves 2014-2015 from Chrissle Wizzle on Vimeo.