underwater photography essay

The Symphony of Submerged Aesthetics: Underwater Photography as a Catalyst for Ocean Conservation

• September 21, 2023
• By Gustavo Costa

The world beneath the waves, a realm of mystery and enchantment, has always beckoned explorers and dreamers. Yet, in the 21st century, this beguiling underwater world is no longer accessible only to intrepid divers and marine biologists. The art of underwater photography has transcended the depths, inviting us to immerse ourselves in the captivating beauty that lies beneath the surface.

However, the significance of underwater photography extends far beyond aesthetics; it’s a powerful medium for conveying messages of ocean conservation that resonate deeply with viewers. In this extensive exploration, we venture into the heart of underwater photography, delving into its aesthetics, its technical intricacies, and its profound role in advocating for the safeguarding of our oceans.

Unveiling the Aesthetics Beneath

Before we embark on this journey to explore the symbiosis of aesthetics and conservation in underwater photography, it’s imperative to understand the nuances that underpin this captivating art form. The underwater realm is a realm of dynamic contrasts and fluid dynamics, where light, color, and composition converge to create visual symphonies that stir the soul.

A Play of Light and Liquid

In underwater photography, the topic of lighting is vast. No matter how thoroughly we try to cover this in words and pictures, our explanations can never be complete. Light, the essence of photography, behaves in a spellbinding manner underwater. As it refracts and scatters through the aquatic medium, it paints the underwater canvas with an ethereal palette. Photographers are challenged to master this interplay between light and water, capturing moments where sunlight pierces through the depths, illuminating the intricate details of marine life or casting mesmerizing patterns upon the sandy ocean floor. Not only that, in underwater photography we must know how to combine in a very subtle and elegant way two types of light, natural light and artificial light produced by our flashes, to be able to transmit our message to the observer in an aesthetic and clear way.

Colors that Dance in the Deep

Color, a language of its own, takes on a new dimension beneath the waves. The selective absorption of light in water results in a unique color spectrum, where warm tones fade into obscurity and hues of blue and green predominate. Underwater photographers become orchestrators of color, wielding techniques such as white balance adjustments and color correction filters to restore the vividness of the underwater world that would otherwise be lost in translation.

Composing Amid the Currents

Composition, the heartbeat of photography, manifests in underwater images with an intriguing twist. While conventional compositional principles remain relevant, the fluid nature of water introduces an element of unpredictability. Reflections, refractions, and the interplay between subjects and their aqueous surroundings lend a dynamic quality to compositions, inviting photographers to perceive beyond the surface and create narratives that unfold in layers.

Crafting Visual Messages: The Heart of Ocean Conservation

Beyond the enthralling visuals lies a compelling narrative. Underwater photography transcends the role of a visual spectacle: It becomes a storyteller, a messenger, and a catalyst for change. The juxtaposition of artistry and advocacy within the depths of our oceans reveals the profound impact of visual messages on the collective consciousness.

A Call for Conservation

In an era marked by climate change and the degradation of marine ecosystems, underwater photographers step into the role of guardians of the oceanic realm. The power of visual storytelling is harnessed to capture the pristine beauty that is at risk of being erased from the world. The stark contrast between thriving reefs and bleached corals serves as an evocative reminder of the urgency of conservation efforts. Through the lens, photographers bear witness to the crises that confront marine life, from endangered species to ocean habitats marred by plastic pollution, evoking empathy and kindling a sense of urgency.

A Global Awakening

Visual storytelling is a universal language, transcending cultural boundaries and linguistic barriers. Underwater photographers bridge the gap between scientific data and public understanding, translating complex ecological concepts into compelling narratives. Through their captivating images, they foster a deeply rooted connection between the audience and the oceans. This connection is a catalyst for discussions, actions, and policy changes that propel the global movement for ocean conservation.

Artistry as an Agent of Change

Art has the power to evoke emotions and provoke thought in ways that data and statistics cannot. Underwater photographers are artists with a cause, using their medium to evoke awe, empathy, and a call to action. Their visuals serve as a rallying cry, urging individuals and communities to reassess their relationships with the oceans and acknowledge the consequences of their actions. These images galvanize a collective effort to embrace sustainable practices, combat pollution, and establish marine sanctuaries.

Confluence of Aesthetics and Conservation

The seamless merger of aesthetics and conservation in underwater photography is not coincidental; it’s a purposeful alliance. The allure of captivating visuals entices viewers, encouraging them to linger and contemplate the mysteries that lie beneath the waves. As audiences become enchanted by the beauty, they are confronted with the vulnerability of marine ecosystems. This awakening triggers a profound yearning to safeguard these fragile ecosystems for the well-being of our planet and future generations.

Beyond the Present: The Evolution of Underwater Photography

The digital era has democratized photography, creating a global community of underwater enthusiasts, explorers, and conservation advocates. The power of technology enables the sharing of work and stories across continents, fostering connections and inspiring change on a global scale. From social media platforms to immersive technologies, underwater photographers harness a range of tools to craft narratives that resonate deeply and evoke visceral responses.

Epilogue: Answering the Call of the Depths

Underwater photography invites us to explore a world that exists beneath the waves, a world brimming with wonder, beauty, and vulnerability. Yet the significance of this art form transcends visual aesthetics. The images encapsulate narratives of resilience, fragility, and hope, compelling us to acknowledge our role as stewards of the oceans.

The artists behind the lens are more than mere observers; they are storytellers and advocates. Their visual narratives beckon us to engage, to empathize, and to act. As we delve into the depths of underwater photography, let us heed the messages these images convey. With each click of the camera shutter, we are invited to participate in a global movement — a movement that seeks to preserve and protect the oceans, ensuring that the symphony of submerged aesthetics endures for generations to come.

About the Author

Gustavo Costa

Read more in nature vision magazine.

This article is a sample of the quality content you will find in Nature Vision Magazine .

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5 Stunning Underwater Photography Styles

Underwater photography encompasses a range of stunning styles that picture the enchanting beauty of the aquatic world. From macro photography, which mirrors the intricate details of sea life and corals, to over-under photography, each style offers a unique perspective. Abstract aquatics explore the fluidity of underwater scenes, emphasizing the interplay of light and water, while dramatic depths plunge into the mysterious landscapes and creatures found beneath the waves. These styles collectively showcase the captivating allure of underwater photography.

1. Macro Photography

Underwater photography presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Capture scenes that are not visible in everyday life. From the tropical fish and whale sharks in the open sea to the minute detail of coral reefs, the subjects are as diverse as they are vibrant. The importance of equipment cannot be overstated; a lens like a 24mm f/1.4 is prized for its clarity and depth of field, while a zoom lens offers flexibility.

In terms of technique, remember to remain patient and respectful of the marine environment. Your conduct underwater should ensure the preservation of the life that you aim to document. By adhering to ethical practices, you ensure the continued splendor of these ecosystems for future generations and photographers alike.

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Brent Durand Underwater

Photo Lessons, Tutorials, Videos, Gear

Learn Underwater Photography

The Ultimate Guide

Everything you need to know to improve your underwater photo and video.

10 Chapters

Video Tutorials

Articles & Diagrams

Gear Guides

Bookmark this page as a starting point in your journey to learn how to capture pro-level photos and videos underwater with any camera.

Each chapter below includes sections that link to dedicated pages with even more detailed information and video tutorials on each topic presented.

My theory on photo instruction is that divers can create great images with any camera and any gear upon learning the fundamentals of photography.

This theory comes from working with hundreds of divers during photo workshops at dive destinations around the world, plus years of editing articles and images from many top pro underwater photographers.

Let’s begin!

Chapter Index

Click the blue subchapters below

1 – Underwater Camera Equipment

How to Choose an Underwater Camera

• Best Lenses
• Lighting Basics
• My Camera Gear

2 – Underwater Photo Basics

Basic Camera Settings

All about autofocus.

• Exposure and Your Histogram

Basic Composition Tips

3 – Macro Photography

Macro Basics

Macro composition, macro accessories, unusual macro photo tips, advanced macro photography.

4 – Wide-Angle Photography

Wide-Angle Basics

Wide-angle gear, wide-angle composition.

• Close Focus, Sunbursts, Split Shots, Ambient Light, Slow Shutter, Fast Subjects, Unusual Wide-Angle Photo Tips

5 – Underwater Lighting

Strobes vs. Constant Light

Photo & Video on the Same Dive

Strobe & Light Positioning

• Minimize Backscatter
• Black Backgrounds
• 2023 Strobe Comparison
• 2023 Light Comparison

6 – Editing Tools & Post-Processing

Speed Up Your Lightroom Workflow

How to Create a Custom Watermark

• Using & Creating Develop Presets

Using Collections to Stay Organized

• Additional Lightroom Tips

7 – Underwater Video

Underwater Video Basics

8 – Smart Phone Housings

How do Smart Phone Housings Work?

• Shooting Tips for Smart Phones
• SmartPhone Housings vs. GoPro

9 – GoPro and Action Cameras

• Best Settings, Filter, Lights, Accessories, Shooting Tips and more
• Insta360 vs GoPro HERO12 and DJI Action 4
• Insta360 Ace Pro Review

10 – Advanced Underwater Photography

3 Secrets of Pro UW Photographers

Packing your camera gear, back button focus.

• Portrait Tips

The Best Fish ID Books

Intimidated? Don’t be. Let’s schedule a 1-on-1 virtual lesson.

Underwater Camera Equipment

Starting underwater photography can be very intimidating, especially when trying to learn exactly what gear you need. There are cameras, housings, ports, cables, diopters, lights, strobes, clamps, alarms and so much more.

But do you need all that?

No. You should look at purchasing a system (new or used) that will match your photo goals and budget. I’m always available to answer your Camera Questions .

Let’s take a look at the basic gear you might need for underwater photography.

Finding the right camera gear takes some research and conversations with experts, but it helps to help narrow down your search before you get to that stage.

In my video tutorial linked below you’ll find the questions I ask every diver interested in purchasing their first camera system. Watch the video. Read the questions. You’ll be ready to start doing your research!

Video + Tutorial

Cameras for Underwater Photography

There are many choices when it comes to cameras. All of them, even the few that are waterproof in shallow water, will need an underwater housing in order to use at deeper depths while freediving and scuba diving.

We can break the cameras into four main categories based on the size of their image sensor. Gone are the days of “mirrorless vs. DSLR.”

1″ Sensor Cameras

These cameras are compact in size (sometimes called point and shoot) and have a built-in lens. They’re cheaper than interchangeable lens cameras and shoot fantastic photos. In fact, many compact camera shooters are producing better images than those with prosumer camera rigs.

That said, there will be limitations in image quality, autofocus capabilities, low light performance and other areas. This is a factor of the sensor size, firmware, and processing power – not simply the megapixel count.

Compact cameras with a 1″ sensor are a great way to get into underwater photography. The underwater housings are compatible with a number of wet lenses , allowing you to shoot true macro and wide-angle.

Micro 4/3 Sensor Cameras

Micro 4/3 sensors are most common in Olympus and Panasonic cameras. All these cameras use interchangeable lenses that are small and lightweight. This is a huge benefit for divers who want to travel with a camera rig that balances size and weight vs. image quality.

Crop Sensor Cameras

These cameras include both SLR and mirrorless bodies and most often use a 1.6x crop factor (from a traditional full frame sensor). Crop sensor cameras range from entry level all the way to pro. In fact, most underwater photo pros use prosumer crop sensor cameras instead of flagship pro camera bodies.

Crop sensor cameras have lighting-fast autofocus, great image quality and lens selection that allows you to shoot everything underwater.

These cameras are a great choice for most serious photographers, including new photographers who know that they’ll be committed to the hobby.

The great thing is that as you build a lens and port collection, everything except the camera and housing bodies themselves can continually be transferred as you update cameras through the years, adding a little more value to your investment.

Full Frame Sensor Cameras

Full frame cameras range from entry level all the way to top pro. The difference here is the sensor size, modeled after traditional 35mm film.

Because the sensor is larger than those in the cameras discussed above, these cameras can record a wider range of exposure within a scene (dynamic range). They also deliver higher quality images in low light situations where a high ISO is required, and produce shallower depth of field than a crop or micro 4/3 sensor.

SmartPhones and GoPros

Many divers are looking for simplicity and systems that are easy to carry and travel with. This article contains detailed sections Smartphone Housings and for GoPros .

Housings for Underwater Photography

Underwater housings allow you to use your camera underwater with access to nearly all buttons and functionality. This precision engineering and the compatibility with accessories listed below is why they are so expensive!

Unfortunately, each housing will only fit the camera it is designed for. While there are some exceptions, you will almost always need to find the housing built specifically for your camera.

Housings fall into several distinct price points. While more affordable housings offer great value so that you can start shooting, the more expensive housings improve ergonomics, buoyancy characteristics, accessory compatibility, optics and more.

Once you find several housings at the same price level, the decision between them becomes very subjective and personal. In this situation my advise is always to try and visit your local underwater camera retailer to put hands on the gear. You can also see housings in person at dive tradeshows.

Do You Need More than a Housing to Start Shooting Underwater?

Yes! Don’t forget to budget for essential and extra accessories. Keep reading.

Compact Camera Housings

Generally you can pop your compact camera into your housing and start shooting underwater. No other accessories required. Nice!

Once you get comfortable with this, it’s time to start looking at accessories that will really start improving your imagery. This includes a tray and handle system, a video light and or strobe(s) and wet lenses for macro and wide-angle.

Interchangeable Lens Camera Housings

These housings require a bit more before you can take them in the water, primarily because of the interchangeable lenses of the cameras.

These housings require adding a lens port in order to be water-tight. Ports and port extensions are designed specifically for each lens you’ll use with your camera, which is why they’re sold separately. This means that you’ll need to determine which lens (or lenses) you’ll be shooting with before purchasing your housing port(s) and port extensions.

The underwater housing manufacturers have detailed port charts that make it easy to see what you need for various lenses. The nice thing is that macro ports are fairly universal, and dome ports can work with a variety of lenses provided you have the appropriate port extensions.

In addition, if you plan to purchase a strobe or flash, you’ll need a TTL Converter or TTL trigger and a fiber optic cable (or sync cord) to trigger the strobe. Then you’ll need clamps and arm segments in order to hold the light. Oh, and the flash itself!

Lenses for Underwater Photography

We prefer different lenses underwater that you might use for regular topside photography.

There are two reasons for this. First, we often shoot macro underwater, which requires a 1:1 macro lens with very short minimum focus distance. These lenses often don’t make it into the land camera photo bag.

Second, there is less visibility in water than in air, so we opt for lenses with a very wide field of view that allow us to get very close to the subject while still keeping the entire subject within the frame.

The term “wide-angle” underwater incorporates all big subjects and scenes, regardless of the specific (wide field of view) lens you’re using.

Fisheye lenses are the most popular option for wide scenes, since they allow you to focus extremely close to the subject while offering an incredibly wide perspective. The lens barrel distortion often isn’t noticed underwater.

Rectilinear wide-angle lenses would be the second wide-angle lens in most shooters’ camera bags, generally used for subjects a bit farther away like sharks and whales.

Compact camera shooters don’t need to worry about this, since the lens is built in. That said, check out the Wet Lenses section below once it’s time to start getting specialized angles and perspectives.

What Lens Should You Get?

Traditionally, divers purchasing an interchangeable lens camera will purchase a macro lens and a fisheye lens. Bam, easy.

And if you only plan to free dive with whales, you certainly don’t need a macro lens (or any lighting ).

But these days it’s a bit more complicated. Let’s talk about Water Contact Optics, which I differentiate from regular Wet Lenses.

Water Contact Optics

The last few years have seen some incredible new wide-angle water contact lenses that deliver incredible image quality. So what are these and why do they matter?

Choosing one of these wide-angle conversion lenses will affect the lenses you purchase in the section above. Instead of buying a dedicated macro lens, macro port, wide lens, and dome port with extensions, you can simply purchase one fixed focal length lens, one flat port and then one of these water contact lenses.

Pros: You can switch between wide-angle and macro on the same dive, instead of committing to a lens/port combo on the surface. (Note: compact camera shooters using wet lenses (see below) always have the ability to switch underwater). Image quality of the top wide-angle conversion lenses are arguably better than many wide lens and port combos.

Cons: These pro level wide-angle water contact lenses are EXPENSIVE! They’re also heavy. Additionally, they’re not ideal for shooting split-shots.

So do you choose traditional lenses and ports or a pro-level water contact lens setup? Talk to your local underwater camera expert or shoot me an email .

I differentiate Wet Lenses from the pro water contact optics above because most wet lenses are very affordable and produce excellent results, especially for compact camera shooters.

What do Wet Lenses Do?

Wet Lenses allow you to change the field of view of the compact camera’s built-in lens.

There are two types of wet lenses: Macro Diopters and Wide-Angle Wet Lenses. Most of these lenses feature 67mm threads on the back, making them universal and interchangeable with the various housing models and brands.

Macro Diopters are basically magnifying glasses for your camera lens. They allow you to focus very close to small subjects while also magnifying them.

Watch my complete video and read the tutorial on wet lenses:

Macro & Wide-Angle Wet Lenses

Underwater Lighting Basics

Lighting makes all the difference in your underwater photography.

Chapter 5 will discuss all aspects of lighting in full detail, but at a top level it’s important to know that adding artificial light to your camera system, via a constant light or strobe, will add color, contrast and vibrance to your underwater photos.

It’s ok to get started shooting just ambient light with no artificial light (it’s certainly the cheapest option), but eventually you’ll want to start adding lighting to your system.

The exception here is for divers who are shooting subjects farther away, since artificial light only travels a max of about 2 meters (6ft) underwater. Think whales, shipwrecks, dolphins, etc. Freedivers also do not often use lights because of the drag created by the additional gear.

So yes, you can create amazing wide-angle images using solely ambient light, but you’ll want artificial light for anything within a few feet of the camera. Budget accordingly!

My Underwater Camera Gear

Curious what camera gear I’m using this year? Check out my gear video and companion article explaining why I use the gear I do.

Video + Gear Guide

Brent’s Underwater Camera Gear

Underwater Photo Basics

Learning the fundamentals of underwater photography is the first step in becoming a truly talented photographer.

Sure, you can memorize a few settings and snap away at marine life, and with today’s cameras capture some really nice images. But what happens when you need to troubleshoot lighting or want to create special effects?

The fundamentals in the tutorials below will get you well on your way to understanding everything about how to best use your gear to make the best images possible – photo and video.

I think of basic default settings as a starting point for creating every image and exposing every video clip.

Basic settings are also a great fallback when you’re tweaking settings, lighting, and other elements and just not getting the results you’re looking for. Instead of getting frustrated… Stop, breathe, and then set everything back to your default settings. From here you can start making adjustments again in an organized, methodical fashion.

Here’s my full video and written tutorial on basic camera settings.

Basic Underwater Camera Settings

Sharp focus is essential in creating excellent underwater photos. Our cameras today have powerful, accurate autofocus systems, however you still need to learn how your autofocus works in order to coach the camera to achieve sharp focus even in challenging situations. Combine this with the best autofocus settings and you’re ready to create contest-winning images.

My article and 14-minute video tutorial below discuss everything you need to know.

Autofocus for Underwater Photography

Exposure & Your Histogram

Exposure is critical to creating great underwater images. It can also be deceptively complicated as we blend ambient light with artificial light.

The one thing we know for certain is that the Histogram in your camera (and in Adobe Lightroom ) will always be accurate in relaying exposure information. Because of this, I am constantly checking my histogram while composing new scenes to ensure I have the exposure spot-on.

There are additional benefits to achieving correct exposure in-camera that I outline in this video tutorial, along with tips and tricks for using your in-camera histogram.

Great composition is one of the easiest ways to improve your underwater photography with any camera.

For some people, composition comes organically, while for others there is much more study involved. Regardless, there are some basic composition rules that all underwater photographers and videographers should follow.

I always emphasize composition (as well as settings and lighting) when reviewing guest images during workshops or virtual lessons .

This video tutorial and written article share my favorite tips.

5 Basic Composition Tips

Macro Photography

Underwater macro photography is capturing images of the small subjects. The term serves as a name for a fairly broad underwater photo style that incorporates tightly framed subjects, true 1:1 macro and super macro images shot with diopters.

Let’s keep learning.

True macro photos are created when a subject appears on the image sensor at the same size as it appears in real life.

This is a 1:1 magnification ratio, achieved when using a macro lens capable of magnifying the scene while also permitting sharp focus very close to the front of the lens. The closest distance your camera lens can be to the subject while still being able to achieve focus (with autofocus these days) is known as a minimum focus distance.

So technically, shooting a fish portrait is not actually macro. But for our purposes underwater, for general settings advice, and when entering photo contests, we bundle all these images together as Macro.

Macro lenses are the obvious choice for macro shooting on interchangeable lens cameras. These dedicated macro lenses achieve true 1:1 macro underwater when used in a macro housing port.

Zoom lenses can also be used to shoot tightly framed photos of small subjects. Traditionally, most shooters would opt for a macro lens instead of a zoom lens, but in the last few years we’ve seen a new generation of water contact optics (see Lenses in Chapter 1) that make a single zoom lens plus a macro diopter a great choice for macro.

Which solution is right for you? Contact me or ask your local underwater camera retailer, as image quality and compatibility varies between each camera, lens and housing manufacturer.

Compact Cameras: Most compact cameras can focus at a close distance and capture detailed photos of small subjects, but you’ll often want to add a macro diopter to your system in order start shooting the really small subjects.

Macro Diopters

What is a Macro Diopter?

A diopter is a magnifying glass that is attached the the front of your underwater housing port to magnify small subjects.

Diopters also help reduce the minimum focus distance of your lens, allowing you to get closer to the subject, making the subject larger in the frame.

Most diopters feature 67mm threads that are compatible across housings and macro ports regardless of whether you have a compact, mirrorless or SLR system. This makes them a great investment since they last forever and can be used on all your upgraded camera systems.

Macro diopters can be added and removed underwater (see Wet Lenses in Chapter 1). Many compact camera housings have adapters that allow you to pop the diopter of your choice on and off the housing fairly easily.

Interchangeable lens housing macro ports feature 67mm threads that allow you to screw in the diopter, or better yet, screw in a flip adapter that lets you flip the diopter on and off with one finger. Again, watch my Wet Lenses video for more info on flip adapters.

Buyer’s Guide: The Best Diopters of 2024

Focus Lights

I refer to focus lights as essential macro gear and not just a fun accessory. This is because the camera’s autofocus will perform best when the subject is well-lit (creating contrasts it uses to achieve focus).

Focus lights are often mounted on top of the housing to a cold-shoe mount via a ball mount connected to a clamp connected to the ball mount on the light.

Check out some of my favorite focus lights in the 2024 Light Buyer’s Guide .

If you’re shooting with a constant light (dive torch) instead of a strobe, then you don’t need a separate focus light since you already have a bright light on the subject. This applies to still photos or video.

Note on Etiquette: Bright lights are bright and certainly do disturb some marine life. Try to use your focus light sparingly and only when the camera is having trouble focusing. Powerful lights will also warm the water near your subject, which can disturb some marine life, especially eggs, so please don’t position lights very close to any sensitive subject.

Coming soon!

Snoots, rings, filters and other toys coming soon!

In the meantime, check out these cool super macro flip adapters .

If you read enough underwater photo tutorials and articles, you’ll notice that the same advice is repeated over and over. And for good reason… these tips work! But let’s break away from the mainstream and look at what I hope are a few macro tips you’ve never heard.

3 Unusual Macro Photo Tips

There are many talented divers today creating exceptional underwater macro photos. These divers are pushing creative lighting, shutter speeds, colors, bokeh, double exposures, and knowledge of unique behaviors to the limits… and it’s awesome.

I’m not diving into detailed advanced macro shooting in this guide in an effort to keep the curriculum streamlined and simple. We can always set up a Virtual Private Lesson or join one of my International or California photo workshops to really start taking your macro to the next level.

Wide-Angle Photography

Underwater wide-angle photography encompasses anything that is not macro. This includes tightly framed images of larger subjects like turtles all the way beyond dive buddies to whales or reefs or wrecks.

I like to classify underwater wide-angle photography into two categories: standard and ambient light. The reason is because each style of shooting uses a different settings groups and different photo mentalities.

Standard Wide-Angle

This style of wide-angle shooting is most common with scuba divers. The photographer uses one or more artificial lights (video lights or strobes/flashes) in order the light the foreground while letting ambient light expose the background.

While this sounds complicated, it’s actually very simply if you break it down into a 2-step process. I’ve outlined this in my Exposure and Your Histogram tutorial video (Chapter 2).

Learn all about the best wide-angle camera settings in my video and tutorial Best Underwater Camera Settings .

Ambient Light Photography Underwater

This style of wide-angle shooting is most popular with freedivers and anyone snorkeling instead of using SCUBA.

In ambient light photography we do not use any artificial lights. We rely exclusively on ambient sunlight to expose the scene and light the subject. There are several benefits here.

• Sometimes you don’t need strobes in very shallow water while snorkeling.
• Strobes and lights create a lot of extra drag, so oftentimes it’s best to streamline your gear while snorkeling and freediving.
• Our lights and flashes only reach about 6 feet (2m) through the water, so if the subject is farther away, then they won’t light subject but still create risk of backscatter (think of a shipwreck far away). Definitely don’t want to use them in this situation.

Check out my video tutorial and article below for an in-depth look at ambient light photography, best settings, and more.

Ambient Light Underwater

There are four lens setups we generally use for wide-angle underwater photos and video: fisheye lenses, rectilinear wide-angle lenses, wet wide-angle lenses (for compact cameras) and a new generation of water contact wide-angle conversion lenses (for interchangeable lens cameras).

I discussed Wet Lenses and Water Contact Optics in the Lenses section of Chapter 1, so let’s review the traditional lenses here.

Have questions on these lenses? I can answer them !

Fisheye Lenses

Fisheye lenses have an extremely wide circular field of view. In fact, if you point your fisheye lens at anything with straight lines, you’ll notice that they warp around the edges of the frame into very bent lines.

Underwater photographers love these lenses because they allow you to get very close to your subject and still see the full scene (reef, wreck, etc.). They also focus at a very close distance. Fisheye lenses are usually the first lens a diver will purchase with their interchangeable lens camera for underwater use.

Rectilinear Wide-Angle Lenses

These lenses also have a wide field of view (not as wide as a fisheye), however they don’t distort the scene as much as a fisheye. Traditionally, these lenses are used for subjects that are farther away from the camera, like whales and some sharks.

Fun Fact: I use a rectilinear wide-angle lens almost exclusively for my diving off the northern California coast. The field of view allows much greater control of backscatter , and since I oftentimes put in hours of work before descending into unknown conditions, the ability to zoom from 16mm to 35mm allows me to capture photos even if visibility is 3ft (1m). Check out all my camera gear .

Let’s talk dome ports. And as I mentioned above, compact shooters will want to look at wet wide-angle lenses, while some with interchangeable lens cameras will want to look at the new generation of water contact optics. Learn about both of those in the Lenses section of Chapter 1.

If you’re still with me, you have either a fisheye lens or a rectilinear wide-angle lens. Both of these lenses will fit in the large dome ports. Each housing manufacturer will provide a port chart to tell you what extension ring(s) is required to use your lens with that particular dome.

The benefits of larger domes are that they often provide better optics than smaller domes, particularly when looking at image quality near the edge of the frame. Large dome ports make it much easier to capture split shots (over-unders) because there’s more surface area on the dome for the water to move over. Learn more in the Advanced Wide-Angle section below.

Fisheye lenses are often used in small 100mm domes known as mini-domes. These domes are fun to use because they’re extremely small. They’re streamlined for snorkeling and freediving, and also allow you to pull your strobes or lights in very close for close focus wide-angle shooting (see Advanced Wide-Angle for more).

Coming Soon!

Advanced Wide-Angle Photography

Close Focus Wide-Angle

Close focus wide-angle is one of the most common composition styles you’ll see in underwater photos. In these shots, the photographer gets extremely close to the foreground subject, making it very prominent in the frame.

The subject is crystal clear since the camera is so close with minimal water between the subject and camera. As we know, the farther we are from the subject, the less clear the image due to the particulate and other matter in the water.

Lighting is critical in close focus wide angle photos, and I review detailed instructions and tips in my Strobe Positioning tutorial video.

Sunbursts bring vibrant sunrays, light beams, and sunballs into your underwater photos. Learn all about them in my video tutorial below.

Watch YouTube Video

How to Shoot Underwater Sunbursts

Split Shots / Over Unders

In underwater photography we consider photos that don’t use artificial light from strobes or lights to be ambient light shots. This means you’re relying exclusively on ambient sunlight to light the scene.

Think freediving, shipwrecks, whales and dolphins. Learn all about ambient light photography and the gear required in my tutorial below.

Slow Shutter Speeds

One of the easiest ways to start adding creative underwater photos to your portfolio is through use of slow shutter speeds. A slow shutter speed with a moving subject (or still subject with intentional camera movement) creates motion blurs that are punctuated by a strobe flash that freezes an impression of the subject.

Learn how to create great slow shutter speed images in this video tutorial.

Using Slow Shutter Speeds Underwater

Fast Subjects

Fast subjects are just that – fast. Oftentimes they require different camera settings, autofocus settings, and even composition strategies. Watch this tutorial with my favorite tips for capturing great photos of quick marine life.

5 Tips for Fast Subjects

Unusual Wide-Angle Tips

If you read enough underwater photo tutorials, you’ll notice some themes naturally repeat themselves in every article. But I shake it up in this video,, focusing on a few tips I hope you’ve never heard before.

3 Unusual Wide-Angle Photo Tips

Underwater Lighting

Adding artificial lighting from a strobe / flash or video light is a great way to improve your underwater photography.

In fact, I would say that lighting is arguably the second most important factor in creating great images. Of course, mastering your dive skills, including buoyancy for scuba divers, comes first. But after that, lighting and composition will deliver the best improvements in your photography with any camera.

Using a strobe or video light will bring vibrant colors and contrast back into your images as long as the subject is within about 6 feet (2m). This chapter in my guide to underwater photography will dive into all the details.

Below is a video that discusses the difference between strobes (flashes) and video lights / dive torches (constant light). I also explain why you need light underwater to capture great photos and video.

Watch this video if you’re new to lighting underwater or if you’re building your first camera system, as we’ll guide you to getting the right gear for the marine life you intend to film.

Why You Need Light Underwater

Nearly all cameras allow divers to shoot both photo and video during the same dive. This can be as simple as shooting stills and then pressing the Red Record button to immediately start recording video.

The larger consideration is how to set up your camera rig. Do you bring strobes? Video lights? Both strobes and video lights? And what about shooting ambient light without any artificial light? This video will answer these questions while offering several tips.

Underwater strobe positioning is essential for proper subject exposure, capturing great color, adding depth through shadows, and eliminating pesky backscatter.

I’ve written a detailed article and video tutorial with strobe positions for wide-angle and macro shooting with one or two strobes. This 21-minute lesson includes a bunch of detailed diagrams showing exactly how to position your strobes, plus the theories on why you position them as indicated in each technique.

Note that I refer to this as strobe positioning, but that the exact same concepts apply for positioning video lights.

21-Minute Video + Tutorial with Diagrams

Underwater Strobe Positioning

3 Basic Tips for Positioning Strobes

How to Minimize Backscatter

Backscatter is a continuous nuisance for underwater image makers.

What is backscatter underwater?

Backscatter is the white spots in your image created by reflected light. These particles can be sand or organic particulate in the water lit by your strobes, lights or even the ambient sunlight.

Backscatter can easily ruin an image, whether it produces a snow globe effect on the sides of the frame or obscures crucial detail like a subject’s eye.

The good news is that once we understand how backscatter is created, we can learn how to eliminate or minimize it in-camera without any post-processing needed. Read the tips in this article.

Tutorial Article

How to Minimize Underwater Backscatter

How to Create Black Backgrounds

Black backgrounds are an effect used primarily in macro photography. The photo style is wildly popular underwater since it helps make small, camouflaged critters and marine life stand out from the background while making the colors POP.

Contrary to what your mind may tell you, black backgrounds can be created even in the middle of the day. The techniques are easy to apply, so let’s learn how to do that in this tutorial video and article.

2024 Strobe Comparison & Buyer’s Guide

I’ve put together a detailed guide and comparison of most popular strobes on the market right now, including specs, pricing, opinions on which strobe is right for each shooter, and more.

Best Underwater Strobes of 2024

2024 Light Comparison & Buyer’s Guide

I’ve put together a comparison with some of my favorite video lights. There are many different brands and options out there, so hopefully the limited style of this guide helps you to decide on the best light for your system.

I’ve selected lights that are easy to use, offer high quality or great value, and various lumen (power) levels and price points. Check it out!

2024 Best Underwater Lights

Editing & Post-Processing

Post-processing your images on the computer or your mobile phone is a critical part of photography workflow.

There are a number of free software solutions, like Dive +, which allow for quick mobile editing and color correction.

If you’re serious about your underwater photo hobby, then I highly recommend using Adobe Lightroom . Lightroom serves as a powerful catalog organization tool and robust editing platform. In other words, you can manage and edit all your images through Lightroom, then quickly find any image in months and years to come.

In the spirit of simplicity, I will not dive into the benefits and features of Lightroom here, but instead share some of my most popular video tutorials and articles.

Have Lightroom questions? Let’s set up a Virtual Photo Lesson !

Lightroom is designed to help you streamline photo editing workflow, whether you’re a casual shooter or a pro. The end goal here is to save you time.

This video tutorial and article shares my tips and tricks for:

• File Organization
• Importing Images into Lightroom
• Exporting Images from Lightroom
• Lightroom Search Basics
• Bonus Tip for a Pro Workflow

Check it out!

Watermarks are important in underwater photography. They discourage others from stealing or misusing your images and they also serve as branding so your hard work is recognized.

During the film days and early digital years, trademarks and watermarks were frequently discussed in underwater photography, however with the boom in social media sharing, watermarks have become less important. Most shooters don’t even use them anymore!

Watermarks are still important, however, and this video tutorial plus companion article show you how to create your own watermarks in Lightroom. You’ll also learn how to quickly apply any of your watermarks when exporting images.

How to Create Custom Watermarks

Creating and Using Lightroom Presets

Presets are one of the fundamental time-saving features in Adobe Lightroom. You can set up metadata presets, develop presets, export presets and many more.

In one click, you can apply a preset to a batch of images, saving a huge amount of time for tasks that you repeat fairly often. I love presets!

Download my FREE LIGHTROOM DEVELOP PRESETS .

The tutorial video below focuses on Develop Presets, which apply a single or group of edits to your images in one click when importing your images into Lightroom or at any time during the editing process.

How to Create & Use Develop Presets

Collections are a great way to organize images in Adobe Lightroom.

But let’s back up a step.

Everything you do in Lightroom is virtual and non-destructive to the original RAW file you’ve saved to your hard drive. So all your edits, metadata, versions of the same photo with different settings applied, etc. are all virtual and never affect the original image.

Taking this a step further, we can organize our images virtually, which also doesn’t affect the folder organization of our original RAW files. This means that you could have the same image of a nudibranch photographed in the Philippines in a nudibranch collection, Indo-Pacific collection, favorite photos collection, etc. – all at the same time. And you don’t have extra physical copies cluttering up your hard drive.

Learn how to use Lightroom collections in this video tutorial and article. You’ll be happy you did.

How to Use Lightroom Collections

Learn More about Lightroom

Keyboard Shortcuts in Lightroom

The 5 Best Lightroom Edits – Essential for any Photographer

Underwater Video

Shooting video underwater follows most of the same fundamentals as still photography. And of course there are a number of settings and shooting tips to keep in mind to capture great video.

I’ll be expanding this section in coming months, but until then check out my tutorial on the basics of shooting underwater video.

Video Basics

These are basic settings and shooting tips to help get started in underwater video. Remember though, regardless your camera, you can always just push the red button to start recording video and your camera will do the rest!

Editing Underwater Video

There are several approaches to editing underwater video.

If your goal is to trim clips for quick upload to social media, then the native video software on your mobile phone or computer will do the trick.

For editing clips together into basic films, iMove and Windows Movie Maker are great free solutions. These programs are a great way to get started editing your videos since all the principles carry over into pro-level software. You can even add titles, graphics and other effects.

Personally, I tend to look past the free Davinci Resolve software and Final Cut, instead recommending Adobe Premiere Pro for those who want to get serious about video editing. While expensive at $20 usd per month, it’s really nice, intuitive video editing software.

Smart Phone Housings

Smart phone housings allow you to take your mobile phone underwater to shoot photos and videos while snorkeling, free diving and scuba diving. These housings also work well on the surface to protect your phone from splashes and waves.

The popular smart phone housings today are designed to fit a wide range of phone sizes from various manufacturers. The housings feature physical buttons that are synced via bluetooth to the manufacturer’s app you have open on your phone.

Most smart phone housings also feature vacuum leak detection systems and even moisture detection systems, so you can rest assured that with careful o-ring maintenance and use of the alarms, you run near zero risk of flooding your phone.

Want to learn more? Check out my complete article covering smart phone housing compatibility, image quality, vacuum and leak detection, lighting and more.

Smart Phone Housing Basics

Smartphone Housings vs. GoPro

Today there are a variety of smartphone housings available for underwater photographers. These include the SeaLife SportDiver, Oceanic+ Smart Housing, Kraken Sports Housing, and other manufacturers including WeeFine and DiveVolk. These housings, paired with your iOS or Android phone, produce great photos and videos. But so do GoPros.

The video linked below discusses the similarities and differences between smartphone housings and GoPros, the pros and cons, and which system is right for you.

Smartphone Housings vs. GoPro Underwater

Shooting Tips for Smart Phones Underwater

If you’ve been reading this guide, you know I believe you can capture great images with any camera. Basic composition, lighting and an understanding of your camera’s (or mobile phone’s) capabilities are the key.

Use these tips when shooting underwater photos with a smart phone housing to take your game to the next level.

1) Find an interesting subject.

2) Get close to your subject to make it prominent in the frame.

3) Consider adding a video light for both still photos and video shooting.

Be sure to watch my video with 5 Basic Composition Tips to keep learning.

Finally, we can set up a Virtual Lesson for one-on-one instruction, image reviews and even gear recommendations.

GoPro and Action Cameras

GoPro cameras can shoot some fantastic video and photos.

I’ve filmed several videos and written a number of different guides that cover the Best GoPro Settings, Filters vs. Lights, GoPro Mounts and Handles, and much more.

Watch all of these videos and read the guides in my dedicated GoPro tutorials linked below.

GoPro Underwater Settings

Insta360 Ace Pro Underwater Settings

Gear Guide for Small Underwater Cameras

GoPro Filters & Lights

GoPro Tray & Handle Systems

3 Tips for GoPro Underwater Video

Insta360 Ace Pro vs GoPro Hero12 and DJI Action 4

These two videos compare underwater footage shot with the Insta360 Ace Pro, GoPro HERO12 Black, and DJI Osmo Action 4. As you’ll see in the videos, I configure each action camera with the same settings and let you determine which footage you think is best. We also cover camera features, operation in the dive housings, and more.

Watch YouTube Video s

Ace Pro vs HERO12 Review for Underwater Video

Ace Pro vs Action 4 Review for Underwater Video

Insta360 Ace Pro Best Settings & Presets

Read the full article and watch the companion video:

Insta360 Ace Pro Best Settings for Underwater

Advanced Underwater Photography

In this video I’ve compiled three tips learned from spending time with some top pro underwater photographers, plus a few insights from my photo and copy editing days. These secrets will help take your photography to the next level.

3 Secrets of Pro Underwater Photographers

Underwater photographers love to travel. I had many years in a job where I was traveling a lot to shoot underwater photos, developing a variety of packing strategies for international flights.

Packing underwater camera gear is a very personal and subjective topic, and I’ve shared some ideas in my guide below.

Packing Guide

Packing Underwater Camera Gear

Back button focus is a popular technique with many underwater photographers, as well as wildlife and sports photographers.

The concept is simple – just assign the autofocus drive to be activated as the AF-ON button is pressed. Then deactivate autofocus from the half depress of the shutter button. This allows the shooter to reliably track the subject and suddenly capture the image – no need to try balancing a half-depress focus with full depress shutter during critical action.

There are a number of pros and cons in using this technique, and I constantly drift between using back button focus and not using it.

Learn all about back button focus in this video tutorial and companion article.

All About Back Button Focus

Marine Life Portrait Tips

This article features my favorite tips for capturing interesting marine life portraits. A must-read for any macro or wide-angle photographer.

Fish ID books are essential for underwater photographers. Ask any pro and they’ll gladly share their favorite ID books for various regions within our ocean. I’ve compiled some of my favorites into this convenient guide.

Best Marine Life ID Books

This guide is a work in progress. It’s a passion project that falls behind work, family, friends, exercise, my own diving, and side jobs.

Do you have suggestions? Feel free to email me anytime through the About page on this website.

Thanks for reading.

– Brent Durand

What Lies Beneath

An unparalleled underwater photographic essay by Nikon ambassador Matty Smith

mattysmithphoto.com

Schooling Jacks at Mary Island, Soloman Islands

Q&A with Matty Smith

Q: What lured you to underwater photography?

A: I’ve been into the water since I was a little kid – swimming, beach holidays, surfing – and when I was old enough to drive, I got into surfing in a big way. I bought a DSLR camera and water housing to shoot all my friends. When I emigrated to Australia from the UK in 2007, I got my dive ticket and now I’ve fully evolved into underwater photography.

Q: Did that fact Australia is “girt by sea” influence your move to Australia?

A: Absolutely. My decision to emigrate was through surfing and then diving and photography, first and foremost.

Q: How important has travel been throughout your career?

A: The reason I love photography so much is it’s a good excuse to travel. Photography is a reward, I suppose. When you get home it doesn’t become a distant memory, you’ve got really beautiful pictures, too. I love taking people with me, showing them the beauty out there – not only overseas, but also in our own backyard.

Q: Do you have a favourite destination?

A: That’s a hard one. I really love Cuba, Costa Rica, Indonesia ... but perhaps it’s the Solomon Islands. There’s such variety there, you can see pretty much everything and anything, and it’s so close.

Q: Where to next?

A: I’m quite possibly off to Antarctica in March. Then the Philippines for a load of night diving in April; Great White Sharks in South Australia in May/June; the end of June is Great Barrier Reef for Minke Whales; August, Tonga for Humpback Whales; Solomon Islands in November, and then anything else that pops up in between, I guess.

Q: What is your top underwater photography tip?

A. If you want eye-popping, attention-grabbing shots, then first and foremost it is lighting. As soon as you go underwater, you start to lose colours. Secondly, it’s composition. I always tell people to get low and on eye level with your subject, or even lower, so you can look up and frame it against the blue water.

You can learn more about joining one of Matty's underwater photography workshops. The schedule is regularly updated and can be found at mattysmithphoto.com

'Blue Lasso', Pacific Man-o-War at sunrise, Bass Point, Shellharbour, Australia

'Celestial Terrestrial', Southern Calamari Squid, Bushrangers Bay, Shellharbour, NSW, Australia

Weedy Sea Dragon with eggs, Kurnell, Sydney, Australia

'Purple Haze', Peach Anemonefish at Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Critically endangered Australian Sea Lion, Hopkins Island, South Australia

A venomous Blue-Ringed Octopus, Wollongong Harbour, NSW, Australia

A Saddleback Anemonefish defending its home, Soloman Islands

Schooling Sweetlips, Sawanderek Jetty, Raja Ampat, West Papua

Mbula Caverns, Soloman Islands

'High Five', a baby Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Lissenung Island, Papua New Guinea

'Smiling Assassin', an American Crocodile, The Gardens of the Queen, Cuba

'Lion's Mane', a Lion's Mane Jellyfish, Bass Point, Shellharbour, NSW, Australia

Great White Sharks, North Neptune Islands, South Australia

• PHOTOGRAPHY

How to Take Photos Underwater

Get expert tips and advice for photographing underwater with this how-to photo gallery, from National Geographic.

Related Topics

• UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
• PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
• WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

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8 Essential Skills and Techniques for Underwater Photographers

Home » Photography Tutorials » Underwater » 8 Essential Skills and Techniques for Underwater Photographers

• Richard Swann

Non-diver audiences who enjoy marine images seldom appreciate the huge amount of skill involved in capturing these shots. There are many ingredients required to achieve respectable underwater pictures due to the complexity of adding water.

I am going to elaborate on a few of the key elements and offer some solutions to commonly encountered problems.

1. Dive safety

When it comes to scuba diving, safety is the obvious first priority. This is particularly the case if you are adding the additional distraction of a complex task such as photography, which will present extra concerns. So, I feel compelled to highlight these considerations as a starting point. 

Bottom time is limited while scuba diving, so regularly monitoring your gauges and dive computers for no-stop time and air consumption are top priorities. Frequent checking must become automatic behaviour during the dive and between any series of shots.

It is far to easy to become so engrossed in the moment that basic instrument checks are forgotten. This could potentially lead to excess nitrogen load or out of air situations.

Read more:  An Introduction to Underwater Photography

Just imagine that you are lined up to shoot a mesmerising feeding whaleshark , and suddenly your regulator hose becomes limp due to an unexpected lack of air. The result is a mad scramble towards your diving buddy or the surface. Either way, your prize shark image swims south!

Consider investing in an air integrated dive computer which has a useful alarm feature, in the unlikely event you make an error and become low on air. They also sound an alarm should you exceed your bottom time, or descend to dangerous depths.

Dives typically last anywhere from a few minutes to two hours, depending on depth and air supply. If you are a wildlife photographer, I’m sure you have spent many hours, days, or even weeks sitting in a hide to get that special shot. However, we do not have this luxury underwater, so accurate planning is of key importance.

2. Diver skill

The vision of your image that you have in your head can be vivid, but your motor skills might let you down at that crucial moment as you drift out of position. Perhaps you are hovering over a delicate sea slug when you unwittingly descend. The hands begin to wave around in a desperate attempt to regain control, and you are left in a cloud of sand.

We have all been there at some point, right? The mind is willing but the skill level is not up to the task, and frustration ensues.

Buoyancy is one of the most important components of underwater photography, as it is the true key to all-round diver control. Photographers must possess a high degree of dive skill and be able to position accurately, sometimes for long durations of time.

At the same time, we must deal with environmental challenges such as current and surge. If you do not have good buoyancy control then you will need to address this issue, as protecting delicate aquatic life is also of the utmost importance. The reef can ill afford to have divers crashing into it.

Practice focusing on lung volume and fine-tuning depth adjustment, and you will soon master positioning yourself to the inch. This will eventually become second nature. Correct weighting and distribution will assist with balance and body positioning.

Consider taking additional structured training with your local dive centre, such as the Peak Performance Buoyancy speciality course, before pursuing underwater photography , if you are serious about getting decent shots.

3. Work together with marine life

Respect for the environment and animals you intend to capture is expected. Don’t be the person who thinks that manipulating the creature for the sake of your image is ‘ok just this once’. Even small disturbances can alter the natural balance and have far-reaching consequences. 

It is most likely that your efforts would not be rewarded, as the out of character behaviour that would follow would no doubt be reflected in your pictures. Many marine critters can be revisited, provided they are not disturbed. However, they tend to find somewhere else to live if unhappy, so patience will always earn the best results.

Read more:  Ethics in Wildlife Photography

4. Environmental differences to consider

Having a good understanding of general photography, and the differences between terrestrial and marine imaging, is something you can prepare prior to your dives.

Being familiar with basics is a great starting point, but things can change dramatically underwater, particularly involving light and movement. You will need to become proficient at working in poorly lit, low visibility conditions.

Keeping steady in surge, using relatively slow shutter speeds, and compensating for colour loss will greatly benefit your photographs. 

Using equipment with high ISO settings will help with exposure. When using natural light, you will find the need to repeatedly evaluate white balance in order to compensate for colour loss as the depth changes.

Unlike on land, strobes or lights can only be used to expose subjects close to the lens due to water density, and will need to be much more powerful than your usual flashgun.

Generally, I think fixed lenses give the best results, so try to choose subjects and lenses that allow you fill your frame as much as possible. This will provide maximum image clarity, due to the reduction of water volume between lens and subject.

5. Equipment familiarity

Window-shopping on the internet and drooling over frighteningly expensive equipment and technology is most photographers’ favourite pastime, especially during the recent lockdowns.

However, the more technical your kit, the more challenging it is to use. I can find myself making hundreds of split-second decisions, adjusting various dials and pushing multiple buttons on my professional housings, during a shooting spell.

Thinking slows at depth, particularly among less experienced divers, so you will want to make problem-solving as simple as possible. Being confident with your housing and lighting functionality, so you are proficient and swift when making adjustments prior to pressing the shutter, should be practiced regularly.

A great tip is to use your camera on land while it is in the housing, so changing settings becomes second nature.

Then, in the heat of the moment, when faced with that glorious blue ring octopus you have been seeking for an eternity, you will find yourself on autopilot, adjusting settings with purpose and confidence and avoiding the disappointment of missed opportunities.

6. Knowing your subject

Marine biology knowledge and understanding creature behaviour will help you locate suitable subjects. You also need to anticipate the subject’s movement, so that you’re able to manoeuvre yourself into the ideal shooting position.

Minimal camera to subject distance will always yield better results due to water density, so being able to approach marine life appropriately is an essential addition to your underwater photography skillset.

Read more:  6 Tips for Better Fieldcraft in Wildlife Photography

7. Post-processing

With your images safely above the surface, photographers still face the processing stage. Although I am sure that in this digital age most are familiar with the task, there are some differences with underwater images, particularly colour and white balance.

Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop have all the tools you need and, with a little experimentation, most imperfections can be improved to an acceptable level. However, do take care to not ‘overdo’ colour enhancement, unless it is a deliberate artistic decision.

I personally prefer the final result to remain as close to the original, real moment as possible.

8. Selecting equipment

What’s the best equipment ? This is a question I am asked regularly but, with such a wide range of options available, it is difficult to give a straight-forward answer. To be honest, it’s a topic worthy of its own article.

A basic guideline would be to purchase the best quality housing you can afford because, in the long run, you will save on maintenance and reduce the risk of flooding.

If you have an existing camera you are comfortable with then you will have a starting point, as most models have housings available. You can build on that, saving the need to buy a camera.

In conclusion

Anyone can learn to scuba dive and, yes, there are additional challenges with underwater photography. But, with practice, all can be overcome and the rewards are incredible.

Happy diving!

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TECHNIQUES & GEAR

Underwater Photography: Dive into The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

• Judit Ruiz Ricart
• Apr 12, 2018

Welcome to the amazing world of underwater photography. Have you ever seen a photograph taken underwater and thought “meh”? Probably not. As Jacques Cousteau once said, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Maybe it’s its beauty, its unusual subjects, or simply the fact that we know more about a planet 54.6 million kilometers from us than about the water bodies that cover nearly 70% of Earth. Whatever it is that makes them so special, underwater photos will surely take your photography website to a whole new level.

But being able to capture such stunning images comes at a high cost, primarily in terms of skills, but depending on your goals it might also be significantly demanding for your wallet. Not only do you need to master diving/swimming and underwater photography skills, you’ll also have to become a pro at actually putting these two skill sets together. Want to know more? Take a deep breath and jump into the ultimate beginner’s guide on how to take underwater photos.

What is underwater photography?

Water is wet and underwater photography is taking photographs underwater. Now that we have stated the obvious, let’s take a closer look at the common practices and potential images you can capture in this kind of photography. The most common way to take underwater photos is scuba diving. However, they can also be taken while snorkeling and swimming, or with an unmanned underwater vehicle or automated camera. When it comes to subjects, wildlife is by far the most popular in the genre, with other favorite themes including shipwrecks, caves, and portraits of other divers.

Over the last few years underwater photography in shallow seas (and sometimes pools) has become significantly popular, primarily due to the sinking cost of underwater photography equipment. Wedding photoshoots and maternity sessions have risen as two strong underwater photography genres, while already widespread themes, such as over-under technique and action shots have captivated a much larger audience. No matter which underwater photography style you choose to pursue, you must remember that diving and swimming skills play a major role in this kind of photography. Poor visibility, rip currents, tidal flow, dumping waves… there are so many things that could go wrong when shooting at sea. Diving training is recommended even if you plan to shoot at shallow depths, as it will teach you how to confront these situations and adapt to whichever conditions you encounter while shooting.

Understanding lighting

Light is the foundation upon which photography is built, but underwater it becomes its biggest nightmare. There are three main challenges you will have to face when shooting below water: loss of light, loss of contrast, and loss of color. While contrast and light loss are quite noticeable, color loss may not be obvious to the naked eye, as our brain tries to compensate for it.

So how deep can you go before colors start disappearing completely? You will start noticing the effects on warm colors in depths as shallow as one meter. Red will be the first color to vanish at around five meters, followed by orange at eight meters, and yellow at approximately 12 meters. Greens are the last to go, resisting up to 23 meters. Keep in mind that these distances include vertical and horizontal areas, and you will need to take into account how far the subject is from both the surface and your camera.

There are two main techniques to help you compensate these losses: get as close as possible to the subject to minimize horizontal loss, and use artificial light to illuminate the subject and restore its color and contrast.

Choosing the equipment

Because of how broad this genre is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of underwater photography equipment. However, there are two main pieces of gear that are needed to shoot underwater: camera and flash. Needless to say, this is in addition to the gear you require to carry on the kind of swimming or diving of your choosing, which is also quite necessary.

The main characteristic your camera must have is to be waterproof. Luckily, nowadays it is possible to make pretty much any camera water resistant. So what should you keep in mind when choosing an underwater photography camera?

When using a waterproof camera, make sure it’s safe to use it in the type of water and depth at which you want to shoot.

If your camera is not water resistant, invest in buying or renting a high-quality underwater housing. Trying to cut costs here may result in leaks and a ruined camera.

Even if you’re planning to shoot in shallow seas, keep in mind that the amount of natural light significantly decreases as soon as you’re underwater and your camera will require good low-light capabilities.

No matter if you’re using a simple or complex camera, you should know its settings well enough to operate it without restrictions regardless of the situation.

Depending on the conditions you’re shooting in, a flash could be anything from a handy accessory to absolutely essential. Either way, using artificial light could significantly improve your images. Here’s what you must know about using a flash underwater:

Some housings allow the use of on-camera flash, however, this option is not recommended as the light is not powerful enough and the flash itself is usually not properly placed.

Underwater strobes, also known as underwater flash, is the type of artificial light recommended for underwater photography. If possible, use two strobes for better lighting of wide areas.

Backscatter is the name given to the phenomenon in which the flash light reflects particles of plankton not visible to the naked eye. You can avoid it by lighting the subject rather than the area directly in front of the camera.

The only reason we didn’t mention lenses as a core piece of equipment for underwater photography is because they are not needed when shooting with action or compact cameras. However, if you are going to shoot with an interchangeable lenses camera, they will be one of the key components of your gear. Here’s what you should remember when choosing your lenses:

If you plan on buying your equipment, lenses should be the first thing on your mind. Don’t be afraid to invest a big part of your budget on a single lens – a good-quality purchase will last longer and offer better results.

Just like the camera, the lenses you use should be able to capture as much light as possible. Preferably, you want to be able to use apertures around f/2.8 or lower.

Wide-angle and macro: these are the two main types that underwater photographers shoot with. Think about the kind of images you want to capture to see which type will best fit your work.

When shooting with a wide-angle lens, match it with a dome-shaped port in order to avoid distortion due to housing refraction. Many manufacturers offer dome ports designed for specific lenses to maximize their potential.

In order to make the most of your equipment and shooting time, test all the gear and settings before getting in the water. This will allow you to detect potential issues beforehand, as well as give you more control over the technical part of the shooting.

Shooting time

The main underwater photography tip you should keep in mind is to always be prepared for the unexpected. Once you’re in the water, your control over any situation will be minimal. The unexpected can go anywhere from strong waves and cloudy skies to sharks and seals trying to eat your camera. So just be prepared to deal with any of that. But focusing on the things you can actually control, here are some fundamental underwater photography tips:

The best lighting conditions underwater arise on sunny days with a calm surface, commonly around 11 am and 3 pm. Sunrise and sunset also offer interesting soft lights that allow for beautiful natural light shots.

Shooting in RAW will allow you to make the necessary edits in post-processing without compromising the quality of the image.

Don’t use Auto ISO. Stick to your camera’s base number when illuminating the subject with artificial light and increase as needed if your subject is too far away to be completely lighted.

If the thought of shooting completely manual overwhelms you, set your aperture to a medium number and use your strobe and shutter to control the foreground and background lights respectively.

The lack of light and contrast will make it difficult to focus the image. Faster lenses and wide-angle lenses focus faster. Go back to the previous section to read more about this piece of equipment.

Artificial light should generally be used to improve exposure and color, rather than as primary light source. Exceptions to this rule include dark scenarios such as interior of caves and macro shots of subjects very close to the lens.

Get as close to the subject as possible in order to minimize loss of color and light. Most underwater photographers recommend to stay within one meter of the subject.

Shoot upwards or at eye level to capture more interesting and attractive images. Shooting a subject from overhead is much easier, as you’re likely to be swimming above them, but it commonly results in less striking images.

Include more than one subject in the shot to create a dynamic composition. This can be your diving partner or an interesting background that is close enough to the camera to provide enough clarity.

When capturing larger subjects, upwards shots with sunlight beams can result in beautiful scenes.

To shoot underwater portraits, stay within two meters of the surface in order to avoid losing warm colors in skin tones.

For over-under underwater shots, use a dome port and strobe lights to balance the light contrast between both sides.

Processing the images

First and foremost, it is important to understand how camera technique will affect the final result. Starting the post-processing process with images that are already good is always preferred, but in cases such as underwater photography where the quality of the captures is jeopardized by nature, technique becomes a key element in the final outcome. Here’s a brief look at how to edit underwater photography:

Adjust the color. As mentioned before, warm colors are lost even when shooting at shallow depths. Thankfully, you can easily fix it by adjusting the white balance of your image.Improve the contrast. Another main issue in this kind of photography, which can be fixed using your photos’ histogram and boosting the darks and lights as needed.Increase the saturation. Depending on the depth at which you shoot and the end result you’re aiming for, this saturation boost will be more or less intense.Clear backscatter and unwanted bubbles. Use your preferred tools (dust & scratch, healing, clone) to deal with unwanted imperfections.

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• GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
• U/W PHOTO EQUIPMENT
• SETTINGS & TECHNICAL INFO
• LIGHTING & STROBES
• UNDERWATER COMPOSITION
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• MARINE CONSERVATION
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• AMBIENT LIGHT
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• COMPOSITION
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• WAVES & SURF
• MACRO & WIDE-ANGLE SETTINGS
• TOP 5 SETTINGS
• CANON 5D MK III SETTINGS
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• NIKON D7000 SETTINGS
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Welcome to the Underwater Photography Guide. This online book and magazine is a complete underwater photography tutorial full of u/w photography tips and techniques. Our idea is simple - learn, shoot, explore. We hope you enjoy and come back often - Scott Gietler, Owner of UWPG and Bluewater Photo & Travel.

• Underwater Photo Essay: Ambon, Indonesia

Photo Essay: Diving Ambon

Underwater photographer bill van antwerp shares his photos from the maluku archipelago.

Text and Photos by Bill Van Antwerp

In late September and early October, Nannette and I spent 10 days in Ambon at Maluku Divers. We were there to dive the famous muck sites in the Ambon harbor and look for the psychedelic frogfish that was first found there a couple of years ago and has never been seen anywhere else. We were diving with Graham Abbott of Diving 4 Images.  Graham is one of the best-known dive guides in the world with credits on many BBC productions. One goal of this trip was to count nudibranchs and before our first dive Graham estimated the group would find 125 different species. Our final tally was 132 different species--not bad for an area that is only a mile and a half long.

So, how was the diving? If you like muck diving it was remarkable, if a bit on the grungy side. Ambon is one of the largest cities in eastern Indonesia with a population of 300,000.  The harbor where we did most of our diving is across the bay from the city itself, but no stranger to the trash and plastic refuse from the city. Maybe that’s why the creatures are so unusual. Sightings included lots of nudibranchs, harlequin shrimps, boxer crabs, flamboyant cuttlefish, mototi octopus, wonderpus, bobbit worms, stargazers, a variety of frogfish, and rhinopias in both purple and deep red colors.

On our first checkout dive we saw several stargazers, ready for Halloween.

The Pictures

All of the following shots were taken with a Canon 7D in a Nauticam housing, using a Subal macro port.

Stargazer.  Canon 60mm macro lens with an Athena ringflash.

We saw lots of nudibranchs including:

Risbecia tryoni nudibranch.  Canon 60mm macro lens, the Canon 12mm extension tube, a 1.4x Tokina teleconverter, and a single S2000 flash.

Nembrotha nudibranch.  Canon 60mm macro lens, the Canon 12mm extension tube, a 1.4x Tokina teleconverter, and a single S2000 flash.

Chromodoris geometrica nudibranch.  Canon 60mm macro lens, the Canon 12mm extension tube, a 1.4x Tokina teleconverter, and a single S2000 flash.

We saw lots of tiny boxfish and loads of shrimps and crabs.

Boxfish.  Canon 60mm macro lens, Athena ringflash, and an Inon S2000 flash.

Boxfish.  Canon 60mm macro lens, Athena ringflash, and an Inon S2000 flash .

Porcelain Crab.  Canon 100mm macro lens, a SubSee +10 add-on lens, and 2 S2000 strobes.

Emperor Shrimp.  Canon 100mm macro lens and a Marumi +7 wet diopter.

Butt Crab.  Canon 100mm macro lens, a SubSee +10 add-on lens, and 2 S2000 strobes.

Fairy Crab.  Canon 100mm macro lens, +5 SubSee adapter and two Inon S2000 flashes

We also saw lots of interesting fish, cuttlefish and squid including this banded pipefish carrying his wife’s eggs around on his belly.

Pipefish with eggs.  Canon 60mm macro lens with an Athena ringflash.

Frogfish.  Canon 60mm macro lens and an Athena ringflash.

Rhinopias.  Canon 60mm macro lens, one S2000, and one Inon Z240 strobe.

Getting There

Getting to Ambon was not terribly difficult. We flew from LA to Bali via Taipei on the excellent EVA Airways. After an overnight in a hotel near the airport, we continued on to Ambon on Lion Air, with a 4-hour stop in Makassar.  The good news is that, at least for our trip, Lion Air allowed sporting equipment to fly for free, so no overweight charges!  Arriving in Ambon we were driven to the new home of Maluku divers on the shore of Ambon Bay. The resort accommodations were quite lovely. Each couple had their own cabin/bungalow with air-conditioning, bath and shower facilities and in our case, a very nice king-size bed. The air-conditioning in our cabin was not working for three days but fortunately with the breeze from the ceiling fan we were able to sleep fine.

The food at the resort was served family style and was acceptable if occasionally too spicy for my Western palate. Breakfast was ordered the night before and ranged from noodles to pancakes.  Lunch and dinner were always local Indonesian meals with chicken, beef or fish plus rice and vegetables. Desserts were either fruit or unremarkable cakes.  The dive area is spacious and well set up, with a large covered area to hang and rinse gear, a bank of freshwater showers and a row of large camera rinse tanks. They also have a very nice camera room with work table space and power outlets for each guest. The dive resort was set up for three boat dives per day, typically two before lunch and a night dive. The boats are roomy and have roofs for shade. Entry is via backroll after a crew member helps you on with your gear. Afternoon diving was from the shore and the local house reef was always a nice place to visit.  Nitrox is coming but not yet available and there is not yet an internet connection available or any large TV or display for folks to show their photos/videos.

Should you visit and would we go back?  It is still a relatively young resort and the dive operation sometimes felt a bit disorganized. Also, during our stay there was a lack of “Lembeh-quality” guides, though they say they are working to hire more and to better train the ones they have Maluku advertises “critters without the crowds” and if the quality of the guides improves, Maluku has the potential to be every bit THE muck destination as Lembeh. The resort should only get better as they add Nitrox facilities and continue to make other improvements. As for us, we can’t wait to go back--even though the psychedelic froggy was nowhere to be found on this trip.  Maybe next time we will be the ones to find him!

About the Author

Bill is the technical guru for the Underwater Photography Guide, and a frequent member of our weekly dive outings.

Bill shoots underwater as well as topside photos. He is currently shooting a Canon 7D in a Nauticam housing. He uses a variety of strobes with his favorite being the Athena ring flash for macro photography.

He lives in Southern California with his lovely wife who also dives regularly, and works as a Distinguished Scientist during his day job.

Further Reading

• Photo Essay by Jim Lyle: Scuba Club Cozumel, Mexico

Best Lenses for Underwater Photography

SubSee and Diopter Review

Travel Forum

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Tips, tutorials, news, reviews, upcoming workshops, and more!

• Introduction
• Underwater Basics
• Camera Basics
• Lens Basics
• Compact Corner: Discovering Focus Check
• Taking Macro Shots Underwater with the Canon G12
• Wide-Angle Shots Underwater with Canon G12
• Great Underwater Photos Without a Strobe
• From Compact To dSLR: Preparing For The Switch
• Video Tutorials
• Equipment Photos
• 5 Reasons to go Mirrorless
• Shooting Underwater with Big Cameras, Wide Lenses and Large, Powerful Strobes
• Nikon D7100 Underwater Photos from Komodo & Alor
• Canon 5D MK III specs and comparison
• Underwater Settings for the Canon 5D Mark III
• Nikon D800 specs and comparison
• First Impressions: Nikon D800 and Ikelite housing
• Nikon D600 / Sea & Sea Housing Review - Wide-Angle
• Nikon D600 / Sea & Sea Housing Review - Macro
• Nikon Announces Full Frame D600
• Canon Announces EOS 70D
• Canon 70D Review for Underwater Video
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Initial Thoughts
• From a dSLR to the OM-D E-M5 in Cozumel
• New Support for the Olympus OM-D PT-EP08 Housing
• Nikon Announces D810 Camera
• Sony RX-100 III Review for Underwater Photos
• Acquapazza Sony RX100 Housing Review
• 4K Underwater Video with the Panasonic GH4
• Best Compact Cameras of Summer 2016
• Best Underwater Cinema Cameras
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K: First Look and Review
• Canon 1DX Mark III: First Look & Review
• Canon 5D Mark IV Review
• Canon 5D Mk IV Underwater Video Review
• Canon 5Ds Review plus 5D Mark III Comparison
• Canon 6D Mark II Camera Review
• Canon 7D Mark II Best Settings for Underwater
• Canon 80D Review for Underwater Photo & Video
• Canon Announces EOS 7D Mark II DSLR
• Canon Announces EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR
• Canon EOS M5 Preview
• Canon EOS R Review
• Canon EOS R10 Review
• Canon EOS R3 Initial Review
• Canon EOS R5 Underwater Overheating Test
• Sony A1 vs Canon EOS R5
• The "Big 3" Best Underwater Cameras
• Why the Canon EOS R5 is Still Our Favorite Underwater Camera a Year Later
• Canon EOS R5C: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Canon EOS R6 Mark II: Initial Thoughts and Review
• Canon EOS R6 Review
• Canon EOS R7 & Canon EOS R10: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Canon G7 X Mark II Camera Review
• Canon G7X Mark III Review
• Coldwater Diving with the Paralenz
• First Look at the Canon G9X Mark II
• Fujifilm X-T3: Taking Fujifilm Underwater
• GoPro HERO 11: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Change GoPro Underwater Settings with QR Codes
• GoPro HERO5 Review for Underwater
• GoPro Hero 6: How to Shoot Underwater Macro Video
• Guide to GoPro Filters for Underwater Video
• Tide Pool Fun with GoPro 6 Time Lapse Video
• GoPro Hero 7 Underwater Camera Review
• GoPro Hero 8 Underwater Review
• GoPro Hero9 Black Review
• 3 Tips for GoPro Underwater Video
• GoPro Macro Underwater Video: A Beginner's Guide
• GoPro Hero4 Review for Underwater Video
• GoPro Underwater Housing and Mount Tips
• How to Shoot Wave Photos with your GoPro
• Ikelite Introduces Line of GoPro Accessories
• When to Use GoPro Filters Underwater
• Google Pixel Announces "Capture the Seas" Feature with Kraken Universal Smart Phone Housing
• Insta360 GO 2 Packs Flagship Power into the World’s Smallest Action Camera
• Insta360 One R Underwater Review
• Nikon D500 Review with Sea & Sea MDX-D500 Housing
• Nikon D7200 DSLR Camera Preview
• Nikon D7500 Camera Preview
• Nikon D780 Review
• Nikon D850 Review
• Nikon D850 First Underwater Impressions
• Nikon Z30: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Nikon Z Series Autofocus Firmware Updates
• Why the Nikon Z7 is My New Favorite Underwater Camera
• Nikon Z7II & Z6II Review
• Nikon Z9: Initial Thoughts & Review
• OM systems OM-5 Initial Thoughts and Review
• Olympus Announces PEN-F Camera
• Olympus OM System OM-1 Camera Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Announced
• Olympus OM-D E-M1X: Initial Thoughts and Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Announced
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Camera Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Review
• Olympus PEN E-PL8 Preview
• Olympus TG-5 and TG-6 Underwater Settings
• Olympus TG-6 Review
• Olympus Tough TG-4 Review
• Freediving Photography with the Olympus TG-5
• The Olympus TG-5: Riding the Wave of Technology
• Panasonic GH5S Underwater Video
• Panasonic GH6 Review
• The Panasonic S1H is Certified for Netflix
• More Lens Options for the Panasonic S Series
• Paralenz Dive Camera Review
• Review: Canon 5D MK IV in Aquatica Housing
• Review: Canon 5D Mk IV with Ikelite Dry Lock Port System
• Sea & Sea DX-6G Camera and Housing Review
• SeaLife Micro 2.0 Camera Review
• SeaLife Micro 3.0 Review
• SeaLife SportDiver Smartphone Housing Review
• Shooting Stills with the Panasonic GH4
• Sony A1 Review
• Sony A7 IV Review
• Sony A7R III and A9 Firmware Updates for 2019
• Sony A7R IV Review
• Sony A7R V Initial Thoughts & Review
• Sony RX100 IV Review
• A Photographer's Journey with the Sony RX100 V
• Sony RX100 VA (RX100M5A) Announced
• Sony RX100 VI Underwater Camera Review
• Sony RX100 VII Review
• Sony a6100 Review
• Sony a6300 Mirrorless Camera Review
• Sony a6400 Camera Review
• Sony a6500 Camera Review
• Sony a6600 Underwater: First Look & Review
• Sony a7C: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Sony a7R II Camera Review
• The Nikon D850 vs the Sony A7R III for Underwater Photography
• The Paralenz Vaquita Has Been Announced!
• The Sony FX3 Underwater Review & Housings
• Top Ten Underwater Cameras
• Top Underwater Cameras for Kids
• What's New at DEMA 2022
• Why Smartphones Could be the Future of Underwater Photo and Video
• Recsea Canon G15 Housing & Macro Review
• Sony Unveils World's First Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
• Canon G1X Review
• Canon S100 First Impressions
• Canon S100: In-Depth Thoughts And Housing Reviews
• Customer Review: Sony NEX 7 and Nauticam NA-NEX 7 Housing
• First Impressions: Panasonic GX1 Mirrorless Camera
• First Impressions: Using The Olympus E-PM1 Underwater
• New Canon T3 and T3i Camera Announced
• Oly E-PL1 UW Photos
• Olympus E-PL3 and E-PM1 Camera Review
• Olympus Pen E-PL2 Camera Announced
• PT-050 wet lens tests
• DX 2G Main characteristics
• Sea & Sea DX 2G Technical specs
• Sea & Sea DX-2G Macro & Wide Angle options
• Underwater photos
• DX 2G Conclusions
• Camera Review: Canon 7D - First Impressions
• Canon SD4000 camera review
• Nikon P7000 camera
• SeaLife Micro HD Sealed Never-Leak Camera
• Sony A77 DSLR Pre-review
• Top 5 Underwater Cameras for Christmas 2012
• Aquatica A5D MkIII Housing Review
• Ikelite 5D Mark 3 Housing Review
• Aquatica Housing for Nikon D7100
• Nauticam Housing for Nikon D7100
• SEA&SEA Housing for Canon D7100
• Ikelite D7100 Housing Released
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 70D
• Ikelite Housing for Canon EOS 70D
• Aquatica A70D Housing Announced
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 6D
• SEA&SEA Housing for Canon 6D
• Nauticam Housing for Sony RX-100 II
• Fantasea FG16 Housing Released
• Fantasea's FG15 in the Lab & the Water
• An Interview with Seacam Founder, Harald Hordosch
• Acquapazza Sony A6300 Housing Overview
• Aquatica A5Dsr Housing Announced
• Aquatica A6500 Housing Announced
• Aquatica A7D Mk II Housing
• Aquatica AGH4: 4K Cinema in Micro 4/3 Housing Line
• Aquatica Canon 1D X MkII Housing Preview
• Aquatica Canon 5D Mark IV Housing Overview
• Aquatica Nikon AD500 Housing Overview
• Aquatica Sony A6300 Housing Overview
• Aquatica Sony A7R II Housing Review
• Aquatica a7r II Housing Announced
• Best Underwater Housing Brands
• Canon SL3 Review: World's Smallest Underwater DSLR
• Fantasea Canon G7XII Housing Review
• Fantasea Canon G9 X Housing Review
• Fantasea FA6500 Housing Review
• Fantasea FRX100 IV Housing Review
• Fantasea Line FG16 Housing Review
• Fantasea Sony RX100 IV Housing Released
• Fantasea Sony a6400 Underwater Housing Review
• Fantasea Sony a6500 and a6300 Housing Announced
• Ikelite 7D Mark II Underwater Housing
• Ikelite Canon 7D Mark II Housing Review
• Ikelite Canon EOS R5 Housing Review
• Ikelite Canon SL1 Housing Released
• Ikelite D810 Housing
• Ikelite Housing for Sony RX100 III
• Ikelite Housings for Nikon D500 Overview
• Ikelite Sony a6300 Housing Available to Pre-Order
• Ikelite Sony a6400 Underwater Housing Review
• Ikelite Z6/Z7 Underwater Camera Housing Review
• Introducing the Mantis Sub Underwater VR Housing
• Isotta Underwater Housings
• Marelux: A Customer's First Impressions from the Field
• Nauticam Announces Sony RX100 IV Housing
• Nauticam Canon G7X II Housing Available
• Nauticam D810 Housing
• Nauticam D850 Review
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 60D
• Nauticam Housing for Panasonic GH4
• Nauticam NA-7DMKII Housing Review
• Nauticam NA-G7X Housing
• Nauticam Nikon D500 Housing Available
• Nauticam Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Housing
• Nauticam RX-100 III Housing Specs & Review
• Nauticam Sony A7 II Housing Announced
• Nauticam Sony A7R III Housing Mini Review
• Olympus E-M1 Housing Guide
• Salted Line Sony A6xxx Series Underwater Housing Review
• Sea & Sea 5D Mark IV Underwater Housing Preview
• Sea & Sea Canon EOS R Underwater Housing Review
• Sea & Sea Canon EOS R5 Housing Review
• Sea & Sea MDX-7DMKII Housing Announced
• Sea & Sea MDX-D500 Underwater Housing Overview
• Sony A1 Underwater Housings
• Sony RX100 IV Housing Guide
• Taking the Fantasea RX100 III Housing Underwater
• Canon S90 FIX Housing
• Aquatica Enters Micro 4/3 Housing Category
• Nauticam Housing for Panasonic GX7
• Nauticam OM-D E-M5 underwater housing
• Sea & Sea MDX-70D Housing Announced
• 10 Bar Panasonic Lumix GH-3 Housing
• New Nexus Glass Dome Ports
• RecSea Canon S95 Underwater Housing
• Ikelite housings for Canon SD4000, Sony W370, Panasonic DMC-TS2
• Aquatica Housing for Canon 7D
• Nauticam D90 Underwater Housing
• Review on Sea & Sea MDX-D300 underwater housing for Nikon D300
• Nauticam Viewfinder
• Best Micro-four lenses for underwater photography
• Canon 100mm Macro Lens Underwater Photos
• Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM Review
• Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review
• Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 Lens Review
• Choosing a macro lens 60mm or 100/105mm
• First Shots With the Nikon Z 7II & Z mount Lens Review
• Introducing the Nauticam Super Macro Converter SMC
• Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe Review
• Lens Review: Dyron Double Macro M77
• Macro Lenses For Underwater Photography
• New Nikon & Canon Mirrorless Macro Lenses for Underwater Photography
• Nikon 8-15mm f3.5-4.5 Full Frame Fisheye Lens Pre-Review
• Nikon Z 105mm Macro Lens Review
• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 Wide Angle Lens Review
• Olympus 60mm macro lens review for underwater photographers
• Olympus 9-18mm Lens Review
• Panasonic 8mm Fisheye Lens Review
• Photos & Overview: Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens
• Sigma 15mm and Tokina fisheye on full-frame cameras
• The Best Sony Wide Angle Lens for Underwater Photography & Video
• Fantasea UWL-400F Wide Angle Wet Lens Review
• Guide to Fantasea AOI Wet Lenses
• In Review: Fantasea UWL-09F Ultra Wide Angle Wet Lens
• Kraken KRL-09S Wide Angle Conversion Lens Review
• Kraken KRL-11/12 Compact Wide Angle Wet Lens Review
• Kraken Sports KRL-01 Wet Wide Angle Lens Review
• Saga Magic Tube Review
• Diffraction tests with the Nikon 105mm
• Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye Lens
• Sigma 8-16mm lens
• Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobe Review
• Inon Z240 Review
• Sea & Sea Optical YS Converter
• Strobe comparison - Sea & Sea YS-110 vs Inon Z240
• Using a Ring-Flash for Underwater Photography
• How to Fire Your Underwater Strobes
• Ikelite DS 230 Strobe Review
• Inon Z330 Strobe - a Photographer's Review
• Kraken KR-S02 Strobe Review
• Marelux Smart Optical Flash Tube (SOFT) Snoot Review
• Retra Flash Underwater First Impressions
• SEA&SEA YS-D2 vs YS-D1 Strobe Comparison
• Sea & Sea YS-D3 Firmware Update Improves TTL
• Shooting with the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Strobe in the Sea of Cortez
• Sea Dragon Lighting System Review
• Sea&Sea YS-D2 Strobe Review
• SeaLife Sea Dragon Flash Review
• Snoot Review and Comparison
• iDiveSite Symbiosis SS3 Strobe and Video Light Review
• New Aquatica Dome Port for Micro 4/3
• Precision 5" Dome for Tokina 10-17mm Lens
• Sea & Sea Universal Dome Port Review
• Sea & Sea Glass & Acrylic Dome Port tests
• How To Charge Your Sola Dive Light
• I-Torch Venom38 Video Light Review
• Kraken 1000 FE Focus Light Review - with Snoot & Color Filters
• Kraken Hydra 15000 WRGBU Video Light Review
• Kraken Hydra 2500 Macro Light Review
• Kraken Hydra 4000 & 6000 WRGBU Video Light Review
• Kraken Solar Flare Mini 15,000 Underwater Video
• Kraken Solar Flare Mini 15000 Review
• Kraken Sports 2500 V2 Video Light Review
• Kraken Sports Hydra 8000 Underwater Video Light Review
• Kraken Sports Weefine Ring Light Review
• Kraken Video Lights
• Kraken Weefine Ring Light 3000 Review
• Light & Motion Expands The SOLA Series
• Light & Motion GoBe Light Review
• Litra and Paralenz Underwater Timelapse and Video
• New and Improved Kraken Sports Hydra Lights
• Sealife Sea Dragon 2000 Lumen Video Light Review
• Sola Video Pro Lights Initial Thoughts
• The Best Focus Lights
• The Best Underwater Snoot Video Light
• Understanding Underwater Video Lights
• Venom 60 RGB Video Light Review
• Review: Sola Nightsea UV Light
• 9 Hot Items We Can't Wait To See In 2013
• Apple's new Macbook Pro
• Batteries: Put to the Test
• Get a Handle on your Housing
• Lexar 128GB SDXC Memory Card Now Available
• Night Diving in a New (UV) Light
• Using the Right Arms and Clamps
• Batteries and Chargers
• How to Choose a Memory Card
• Nauticam & Isotta Housings Are Compatible with Ikelite TTL!
• Nauticam SMC + Multiplier vs. SubSee 10 + 5
• Nauticam SMC Review
• Olympus TG-6 Wide Angle Photography: FCON-T02 Fisheye Lens
• The Easiest Underwater Fluorescence Photography Kit
• TTL Converter Options
• Checklist and Cost of Equipment
• Best GoPro Hero 7 and 8 Underwater Settings
• Nikon Z7, Z7II, Z6, Z6II Underwater Settings
• Panasonic GH6 Underwater Settings
• Sony A7S III Underwater Settings
• Canon EOS R5 Underwater Settings
• Canon G7X II Best Settings
• Getting To Know Your Camera's Image Quality Formats
• Olympus OM-D and PEN underwater settings
• Panasonic LX100 Settings for Underwater Video
• Sony a7R II Best Video Settings for Underwater
• Top 5 Settings To Improve Your Underwater Photos
• Understanding Exposure
• Underwater Settings for Sony RX100 II & III & IV & V
• Utilizing Instant Recall Modes on your dSLR
• F8 and Be There
• Shutter Speed
• Understanding ISO
• Underwater Camera Modes
• RAW versus JPEG
• Canon S90/S95/S100 G11/G12 Settings
• Nikon D300 & D90 Underwater settings
• Ultimate Guide to Canon 7D Underwater Settings
• Underwater Photography Tutorial - Canon G11, G12
• Underwater Settings for the Sony RX 100
• When Auto is Better than Manual - S and A Modes
• Understanding your underwater camera settings
• Changing Settings on a dive
• Reciprocity and stops
• Full Frame vs Cropped Sensors
• A Photographer's Guide to Muck Diving
• The Hidden Bokeh Benefit of Snoot Photography
• Top Ten Tips for Nice Underwater Bokeh
• Creative DIY Bokeh
• DSLR and TG-5: A New Level of Underwater Photography
• Essential Tips for Nudibranch Photography
• Five DSLR Life-hacks for Great Macro Photography
• How to Improve your Fish Portraits
• How to Shoot Stills with a Video Light
• Macro Methods: Sharp Eyes and Nice Bokeh
• Macro Wide Open
• Macro with a dome port
• Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Angle) Lens Review
• Photo Tips for Blackwater Diving
• Pushing the Limits of Macro with a Compact Camera
• The Art of Blackwater Photography
• The Quick Guide to Macro Composition
• Tips for Artistic Macro Shooting
• Tips for Shooting with Diopters
• Ultimate Guide to Snoot Photography
• Learning Super Macro in Papua New Guinea
• Story Behind the Shot: Bettina Balnis
• Story Behind the Shot: Super Macro in Puget Sound
• Stunning Super Macro with Diopters
• Teleconverters
• Supermacro with the New SubSee Diopter
• 3 Quick Tips for Dive Buddy Photos
• 9 Wide Angle Underwater Photography Tips
• 10 Essential Ambient Light U/W Photo Tips
• Ambient Photography: An Artist’s Pursuit for the Most Natural Underwater Photography
• Tips to Create Striking Ambient Light Photos
• Are You Playing to Win or Playing Not to Lose?
• Capturing Fast Ocean Action
• Fisheye Lens vs. Wide-Angle Lens
• Guide to Shooting Striking Sunbursts
• Ocean Art Wide-Angle Winner
• Shooting Tips: Canon 5D Mark IV in Poor Vis
• Shooting Tips: Sharks and Sunbursts
• Shooting from the Hip
• Shooting with a Dive Model
• Ten Amazing Photos You Can Take With A Fisheye Lens
• The Big Picture: Shooting Reefscapes
• Ultimate Guide to Photographing Sea Lions Up Close
• Whale Shark Photo & Video Tips
• Wide Angle Tutorial on the Oil Rigs
• Wide-Angle Photography in Low Light Conditions
• Wide-Angle Strobe Exposures
• Story of the Shot: Todd Winner
• Image Sharpness
• Fish photography
• Pelagic Fish Photography
• Inside Look: Gear for Shooting Models in Pools
• Top tips for working with a model underwater
• 5 Easy Steps To Process Your Underwater Photos
• Lightroom 4.2 Update Supports Sony RX100
• Color Filters vs. Post-Processing
• Cropping example
• Enhancing your Images with Photoshop
• How to Create a Fractal Image in Photoshop
• How to Remove Backscatter Quickly & Easily with Photoshop
• How to convert images to black & white
• Keeping Your Digital Images Safe
• Copyright, Trademark and Patent – The Difference
• How to Register Your Images
• Why You Should Register Your Images
• Lightroom 3 Adjustment Brush
• Lightroom CC vs Lightroom Classic
• Lightroom Lens Correction
• Lightroom Overview - Who and Why you should use Lightroom
• Lightroom Tips & Tricks: Crop Image Overlay Tool
• Lightroom Tips & Tricks: The Spray Can Tool
• Lightroom Tricks: Adjusting Tones using the Histogram
• Lightroom for the Rest of Us
• Nikon Releases RAW Image Processing Software
• One-Click Editing with Vivid-Pix
• Optimizing Your Lightroom Workflow
• ProRes RAW Now Possible with Nikon Z6/Z7
• Removing Backscatter in Photoshop
• Removing Backscatter with Photoshop’s Content Aware Tool
• The Basics of Editing Underwater Photos in Adobe Lightroom
• Using Dehaze in new Adobe Lightroom CC
• Vivid-Pix Land & Sea 1-click Photo Editing
• Workflow Basics in Adobe Lightroom
• Underwater Photoshop Lesson - Gaussian Blur
• 5 Tips for Underwater Photography at Night
• Advance your Skills with Underwater Photography Workshops
• Creating Simple and Strong Compositions
• Making Underwater Photography Simple with the TG-5
• Stories from a Underwater photo workshop
• Take Your Photography to the Next Level
• Visualization to Realization
• 5 Photos you Need in your Portfolio
• 5 Tips for Surf Photography
• 7 Tips for Great Sea Lion Photos
• A Field Guide to Blackwater Diving in Hawai‘i
• Adobe Lightroom vs Photoshop for Underwater Photographers
• Best Photoshop Tips for Underwater Photography
• Best Strobe Positions for Underwater Macro Photography
• Best Ways to Protect the Ocean
• Capture Great Photos in Blue Water
• Color Space, Color Profiles, and Color Management
• Editing Video With GoPro Quik
• Fish Photography
• How to Choose Award Winning Images
• How to Combine Strobe and Video Light
• Jason Ching: Photographing Alaska Salmon
• Mermaids and Underwater Fashion Photography
• Nauticam M10 Ball Mount Installation
• Panasonic GH4 Underwater Video Settings
• Photographing Pygmy Seahorses
• Picture Perfect: What Makes a Good Image Great
• Preparing Photos For Print
• Pro Tips for Achieving Sharp Focus
• Selling Your Photos: Art Shows and Printing
• The Essentials of Wave Photography
• Top 10 Tips for Photographing Eels and Eel-Like Fish
• Top Stay-at-Home Tutorials for Underwater Photography
• Underwater Photography Technique: Envision Your Capture
• Wide Angle Macro Photography
• Lighting Fundamentals
• Shooting with a Single Strobe
• Strobe Positioning for Wide-Angle Underwater
• Ambient Light & Manual White Balance
• Getting Good Blues Underwater
• Magic Filters
• Underwater Lighting with Strobes
• Backscatter in underwater photography, cause and prevention
• Advanced Strobe Techniques - Backlighting
• Black Backgrounds and Strobe Techniques
• Snoot Mounting for Easy Macro Photography
• Wide-Angle with One Strobe
• Preventing Hot Spots In Underwater Photography
• Strobes on Manual Power
• Underwater Snoots
• 3 Reasons to Shoot Vertical
• Close Focus Wide Angle (CFWA)
• Composition for Beginners
• Diagonal Underwater Composition
• Face-on Composition
• Frozen Perspectives: Behind the Scenes on Greenland Iceberg Photo Composition and Post-Processing
• The Secrets of Shooting Amazing Patterns
• Top 10 Tips for Amazing Portraits
• Underwater Composition: Fill the Frame
• Careful Composition in your Underwater Photos
• More Composition Ideas
• 5 Tips for Creative Wreck Photos
• Black Backgrounds
• Silhouettes
• The Ultimate Guide to Shooting Wrecks
• Wide-Angle at Night
• Wreck Photography
• Black and White Underwater Photography
• Snell's Window
• Reflections
• Artistic Compositions
• Story of the Shot: Douglas Hoffman
• Lens choices and Composition
• Guide to Manual White Balance on the Sony a6500
• 5 Tips for Awesome Over-Under Shots
• Acting Snooty!
• Anatomy of a Shark Dive
• Fascinating Fluoro Photography
• How to Shoot Your Way Out of a Slump
• How to Use In-Camera Image Overlays
• How to Use the Zoom-Effect Underwater
• Kraken Smart Phone Housing photos
• Mastering the Art of Split Level Photography
• New Technique: Shooting Blind
• Photographing Underwater Textures & Designs
• Shooting Underwater Panoramas
• Slow Shutter Speeds in Underwater Photography
• Taking Vintage Lenses Underwater
• Tips for Lighting Quick Critters with a Snoot
• Top 5 Shooting Tips for Underwater Snoots
• Diving with a new lens
• Photographing A Perfect Sunburst
• 10 Tips for Shooting Underwater Video
• 3 Tips for Underwater Macro Video
• 5 Best Underwater Video Editing Tips
• Best Underwater Video Cameras
• Best Underwater Video Lights
• Creating Videos with GoPro Studio 2.0
• External Underwater Video Monitors & Recorders
• Light & Motion Sola 2500 Review
• Sony A7R III 4K Underwater Video
• Sony a6400 Underwater Video
• Video with the Panasonic GH5
• 10 Epic Shark Dive Destinations
• Alor: Indonesia's Secret Gem
• Best UK Diving
• Cave Photography in Mexico's Lesser-Known Cenotes
• Choosing a dive destination
• Critters in Ambon Photo Essay
• Dancing with (Sea) Dragons in South Australia
• Dispatch from Batanta Island
• Dispatch from Yap, Micronesia
• Diving Cabilao, Bohol: A Wall Diving Underwater Photography Tutorial
• Diving Fiji after Cyclone Winston
• Diving French Poly: Moorea, Bora Bora, and Huahine
• Diving Japan's Ogasawara Islands
• Diving Komodo, Indonesia
• Diving Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Diving the Mexico Cenotes
• Diving with Volcanoes
• Dolphin Play in Bimini
• Epic Photo Destinations: French Polynesia
• Epic Photo Destinations: Raja Ampat
• Epic Photo Destinations: Solomon Islands
• Fisheyed in Fakarava - Premiere Shark Diving
• Hawaii Underwater
• Jurassic Park Meets The Beach
• Photo Dispatch from Alor, Indonesia
• Photo Dispatch from Misool, Raja Ampat
• Photo Dispatch from Siau, Indonesia
• Raja Ampat After Dark
• Singapore’s First Marine Park
• Striped Marlin and Baitballs in Mexico - An Adrenaline Rush
• Swimming with Dinosaurs in Mexico
• The Hammerheads of Bimini
• The Unforgettable Red Sea
• Top 10 Macro Photography Destinations
• Top 5 Big Animal Encounters
• Wall of Sharks, Thousands of Groupers & More in French Polynesia
• What You Need to Know about Diving Tiger Beach
• Wide-Angle in Bunaken Marine Park
• Wide-Angle in the Andaman Islands
• Choosing a Dive Destination, Part 2
• 5 Reasons to Dive Malapascua
• A Guide to Mixing Business with (Scuba) Pleasure
• Anilao Photo Essay
• Anilao Shootout Winners 2011
• Anilao Underwater Photo Workshop and Shootout 2011
• Anilao Workshop Photo Essay
• Anilao Workshop Photo Essay December 2017
• Anilao in Photos - A Must-Visit Destination
• Beautiful Underwater Photos from Anilao
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track (pg 3)
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track (pg2)
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track
• Diving in the South Georgia Islands
• Baja Underwater: Where Desert Sun Meets Blue Sea
• Blue Whales in Sri Lanka with Theresa Guise and Peter de Maagt
• Cocos Island
• Coiba: Fish Photography at Surprise Island
• Diving Cozumel: A Photo Essay
• Discovering Shetland, Scotland
• Dispatch from Reunion Island
• Dive Adventure: Arenui Liveaboard
• Dive Adventure: Dive Damai
• Dive Adventure: Diving the Arctic
• Dive Adventure: Grand Cayman
• Dive Adventure: Valparaiso, Chile
• Dive Ancient Ruins of Lion City in Qiandao Lake
• An Unforgettable Octopus Encounter
• Bali: A Diving Safari To "The Other Side"
• Diving Nusa Penida, Bali
• Diving Tulamben, Bali: Macro, Wide and Wreck!
• Photographer's Guide to Tulamben
• Diving Belize
• A Weekend Dive Getaway in Cabo
• Diving Cebu, Philippines
• Must Do Diving in Curacao
• Diving Grand Bahama Island
• Diving Jeju Island, South Korea
• Diving Kenya
• La Paz 2010 workshop at Club Cantamar
• La Paz Through a Mollusk Photographer's Lens
• UWPG La Paz photo workshop 2011
• Underwater Photo Journey Through La Paz
• Diving Malapascua – Beyond the Thresher Sharks
• Diving Reunion Island
• Photo Journey Through Southeast Sulawesi
• Diving into Egyptian History: Cleopatra's Palace
• Diving into History: The Flooded Farms
• Diving on the Socorro Vortex
• Diving the Bay Islands of Honduras
• Beyond the Resorts: Diving in the Dominican Republic
• Dive Adventure: Dumaguete
• Aboard Nai'a, Destination: Fiji
• The Colorful Fish of Fiji
• The Vibrant Soft Corals of Fiji
• An Immersion into Evolution: Galapagos Photo Essay
• Buddy Dive starts Galapagos Island, Wolf / Darwin itinerary
• Diving with Great White Sharks
• One Shark Diver's Perspective: Caged vs Open Water Shark Diving
• Story of the Shot: Guadalupe Island
• The Cage Diving Experience and Photo Tips
• Heaven is a Place on Earth: Diving Mauritius
• Ice Diving Greenland: A Story of Icebergs, Frozen Critters, and Unique Lingo
• Iceland: Diving in the Land of Fire and Ice
• Jupiter by Surprise
• Macro Surprises at the Blue Heron Bridge
• Malpelo in Photos - Sharks & Big Fish Galore
• Silky Sharks of Malpelo Island
• Marsa Shagra, Red Sea
• Northern Exploring: Discovering the Remote Arctic
• Our Favorite Dive Destinations, Part 1
• Photo Essay: Port Hardy, British Columbia
• Portraits from God's Pocket
• Palau Workshop Report - Epic Diving!
• Diving Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea
• Diving Papua New Guinea on the MV Febrina
• Diving Papua New Guinea, Part II: Macro
• Philippines Diving Hot Spot: Moalboal (pg 2)
• Philippines Diving Hot Spot: Moalboal
• Photographing the Wrecks of the St. Lawrence River (pg 2)
• Photographing the Wrecks of the St. Lawrence River
• Putting Kosrae on the Map
• Raja Ampat Dive Report
• Raja Ampat on the Indo-Siren - massive fish report
• Misool and Triton Bay on the Arenui
• Russia's White Sea
• SCUBA Diving Mozambique
• Inspiring Photos from the Sea of Cortez
• Secret Dances in the Sand Flats
• Secret Macro Subjects of the Sea of Cortez
• Wide-Angle in the Sea of Cortez & Midriff Islands
• Sipadan History and Upcoming Underwater Camera Ban
• Big Animal Encounter: Humpback Whales
• Socorro Island Adventure on the Solmar V
• Socorro Workshop Photos & Report
• The Circle of Life at Socorro
• Vortex: The Full Ride
• 10 Dive Sites you Must See in the Solomon Islands
• Southern Red Sea
• St. Vincent
• Swimming with Crocodiles in Banco Chinchorro
• The Allure of Papua New Guinea
• The Amazing and Unique Underwater World of Blackwater Diving
• The Best Kept Shark Diving Secret: Cuba (pg 2)
• The Best Kept Shark Diving Secret: Cuba
• The Two Faces of Dumaguete
• Trip Report: Komodo
• Trip Report: Tioman Island
• Truk Lagoon
• Under the Jungle in México's Flooded Caves
• Underwater Photographer's Guide to Raja Ampat
• Bunaken Island diving
• Diving KBR Resort Lembeh
• Huge School of Fish Loved by Photographers Almost Captured by Fishermen
• Manta Ray Night Dive
• California Sea Lions Nursing at Eureka Rigs
• Channel Islands Diving Report
• How to Get the Shot: Oil Rigs
• The Wild Side of the Channel Islands
• Catalina Fish Photography
• Catalina island macro
• Catalina Island Dive Report Jan 2010
• Best Diving & Underwater Photography Locations in Southeast Asia
• Dive Adventure: Blue Heron Bridge
• The Bali Muck Diving Experience
• Rapid bay jetty
• Edithburgh Jetty
• Maldives Liveaboard Photo Essay
• Best Shark Diving Destinations
• Diving Ticao and Donsol, the Philippines
• Milford Sound
• 10 Tips for Fun Beach Diving
• Dive Equipment
• Dive Travel: Making a List
• Diving Under the Ice
• Shore Diving with a dSLR
• Trip Planning - Article 1
• Underwater Photography On A Non-Diving Vacation
• Dive Site Research and Planning
• Dive Etiquette
• Inside Look at a Philippines Liveaboard Photo Workshop
• Is a liveboard right for you?
• Etiquette on Liveaboards and at Resorts
• Baggage Fees
• Beating Airline Baggage fees, part 2
• Must-Pack Items for your Underwater Photo Trip
• Packing Strategies for Traveling Photographers
• Top 10 Tips for Dive Travel
• Lessons learned - dive safety
• Navigating the Kelp Forest Safely Underwater and Still Getting that Great Shot
• A Family Humpback Adventure in Moorea
• Get the Most from your Photo Workshop
• I Went for a Dive in the Gulf of Maine and I Saw One Fish
• Inside Look: Cold Water Expeditions
• Liveaboard Customizations for Photographers
• Photo Tips for Adventure Diving and Expeditions
• The Packing Guide for Underwater Photographers
• Time is Perfection: the Launch of the Socorro Vortex
• Kruger park safari logistics and photography information
• Top 5 Tips for New Underwater Photographers
• Easy Ways to Eliminate Backscatter in your Photos
• Essential Drift Diving Photo Tips
• The Breakdown on Back Button Focus
• Guide to underwater video with the Canon 7D
• Howard Hall's amazing underwater video
• Achieving Fast Focus Underwater
• Focusing in Low Light Underwater
• Great Color in your Underwater Photos
• How to Choose Photos for a Competition
• How to Start Taking Underwater Photos
• It's All in the Flash
• Never Leave Your Macro Gear at Home
• Shallow Depth of Field Underwater
• Shooting Fast Action Underwater
• Shooting Great Portraits of Sharks
• The Art of Backlighting Waves
• Tips for Capturing Marine Life Behavior
• Tips for Dive Model Photography
• Tips to Capture Amazing Freshwater Images
• Top 11 Tips for Cenote Photography
• Photographing Behavior Underwater
• An 8-Arm Camera Thief
• In The News: Fish Uses Tool to Get Food
• Nudibranch Self Defense in Action
• Sperm Whale Photography with Franco Banfi
• Marine Taxonomy
• 10 Underwater Creature Facts You Don't Know
• 5 Critters You Must See in the Indo-Pacific
• Indo-Pacific Critter Guide Gets Updated
• California Marine Life
• Bartick's Water Column: Mimic, Muck, & Beyond
• Bartick's Water Column: Searching for Rhinopias
• Celebrating California's Underwater Parks
• Diving Underwater With Manatees
• Diving with Whale Sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
• Diving with the West Papua Whale Sharks
• Fascinating Creatures of the Pacific Northwest
• January Critter Season
• 3 Tips to Capture Manta Ray Action
• An Encounter with Orcas in Mexico
• Behind the Scenes at Bimini Sharklab
• California Squid Run: A Photo Essay
• Caribbean Creature Feature: Glass Blennies
• Caribbean Creature Feature: Hamlets
• Caribbean Creature Feature: The Secretary Blenny
• Cephalopods of Okinawa, Japan
• Coral Reefs Now More Resistant to Ocean Warming than a Decade Ago
• Diving with Devils - Ultimate Guide to Manta Rays
• Encounter with an Oceanic Whitetip Shark
• Environmental Message Behind Darwin's Dream Film
• Face-to-Face with Killer Whales
• Facts about Orcas, aka Killer Whales
• Get Involved: Protecting Our Ocean
• Green Sea Turtles
• How Coral Photography Can Inspire Your Next Dive
• Inside Look: Training Sharks to Eat Lionfish
• Interview with Rene Umberger - Scuba Diver who was attacked underwater
• Knowing your Subject: its Habits, Habitat and Behavior
• Lionfish Invade the Mediterranean
• Photographing Signal Blennies
• Plastic Pollution: What You Can Do to Save Our Oceans
• Satellite Tagging – The SHARC Tag Program
• Secret Worlds Magnified
• Seeing Double: Colorful Fish Couples
• The Craziest Critters in Lembeh
• The Gentle Giants of the Pacific Northwest
• The Mimic Octopus: Photos, Behavior and Best Dive Sites
• The Sand Tiger Sharks of North Carolina
• The Spider Crabs of Rye Pier
• Three Crazy Critters of the Dauin Coast
• Tips for Interacting with Dolphins and Whales
• Tips to Capture Vibrant Manta Ray Photos
• Ultimate Guide to Sea Turtle Photography
• Video: Octopus Life, Death & Birth
• Wolf Eels: A Face Only a Mother Could Love
• Mouthbrooding Cardinalfish
• Once in a Lifetime Humpback Whale Experience
• Swimming with the Manatees in Crystal River
• Return to Tiger Beach
• Shark Angels - Making a Difference
• The Hunt For The Pink Frogfish
• Where and How to Photograph Basking Sharks
• Black Sea Bass
• Blue Ringed Octopus
• Bobbit worm - ambush predator, Eunice aphroditois
• Giant Kelp Forests
• Harlequin Shrimp
• Diving underwater with giant jellyfish
• Jellyfish Encounters
• Photographing Jellyfish Lakes
• Bartick's Critter Column: Reflecting on 2011
• Blue-water Diving for Pelagic Invertebrates
• Bluefin Tuna - What You Can Do
• Leafy Sea Dragon
• A Nudibranch Safari in Norway
• Basic Breakdown: Nudibranch Defenses
• How to Find Nudibranchs
• Kevin Lee Photos Featured At Univ Of Connecticut
• The Sand Dwelling Slugs of California
• 3 Really Unique Nudibranchs
• Hippocampus ingens
• Wonderpus Octopus
• Don't Melt Your Lens - Literally
• Ten Amazing Photos from Friends of the Guide
• 10 Amazing Photos from Friends of the Guide
• Story Behind the Shot: Lion-mane Nudibranch
• Story Behind the Shot: Frozen Fjord
• Story Behind the Shot: Cave Reflection
• Story Behind the Shot: "Manta Madness"
• Bryde's Whale: Story Behind the Shot
• Experimenting with Color Strobe Gels
• Free Frogfishes Book: Interview with Teresa Zubi
• Incredible Photo Sequence "Eyes Bigger than the Stomach"
• Insight into Art: Amok Island
• Mating Blue-Ringed Octopus: Story Behind the Shot
• Rolling in the Deep: Komodo Macro
• Rolling in the Deep: Komodo Wide-Angle
• Story Behind the Shot "Angry Sepiola"
• 4 Photos with Matt Draper
• Diving in Italy: Interview with Pietro Formis
• Dugong Photos on a Single Breath
• Duncan Murrell: The Story of a Whaleman and his Kayak
• Made in Puget Sound
• May, 2020: A Month of AWESOME Content!
• Moments with a Humpback Mother & Calf
• Nudibranch Encounters Pygmy Squid: Story Behind the Shot
• Celebrating Rajan the Swimming Elephant
• Story Behind the Shot: Octopus Sunball
• Surprise Encounter with Spawning Corals
• Story Behind the Shot: Octopus Mother
• Story Behind the Shot: Swallows Cave
• Story Behind the Wave
• The Ocean Decade Exhibition
• Video: Diving a Nuclear Missile Silo
• Video: The Wrecks of Bell Island
• What's in the Camera Bag: Brook Peterson
• What's in the Camera Bag: Ken Kiefer
• What's in the Camera Bag: Mike Bartick
• What's in the Camera Bag: Ron Watkins
• What's in the Camera Bag: Serge Abourjeily
• Story Behind the Shot "Glaucus Atlanticus"
• Story Behind the Shot "Kirra Underwater"
• Story Behind the Shot "Lionfish Stares at its Lunch"
• Story Behind the Shot "Underwater Circus"
• Story Behind the Shot: "Shout"
• The Squid Eye: Story Behind the Shot
• Diving the Oil Rigs: An Interview with Milton Love
• Featured Artist: Joshua Lambus
• Featured Artist: Cynthia Hankins
• Featured Artist: Steve Rosenberg
• Featured Artist: Brandi E. Irwin Ultraviolet light
• Photography Glossary
• Ocean Art 2022 - 1st Place Blackwater
• 2016 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2015 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• Ocean Art Photo Competition: Rules, Judges, Categories, Prizes
• 2013 Ocean Art Photo Competition
• Cold/ Temperate Water 2011 Winners
• Compact Macro 2011 Winners
• Compact Marine Life Behavior 2011 Winners
• Compact Wide-Angle 2011 Winners
• Diver/ Fashion 2011 Winners
• Macro 2011 Winners
• Marine Life Behavior 2011 Winners
• Marine Life Portrait 2011 Winners
• Novice dSLR 2011 Winners
• Nudibranchs 2011 Winners
• SuperMacro 2011 Winners
• Wide-Angle 2011 Winners
• Winners Announced for 2011 Ocean Art Contest
• 2011 Ocean Art Photo Competition
• 2012 SoCal Shootout Winners Announced
• Wide Angle 2010 winners
• Macro underwater photos 2010 winners
• Marine Life Portrait 2010 winners
• Marine Life Behavior 2010 winners
• Divers & Fashion 2010 winners
• Nudibranchs 2010 winners
• Supermacro 2010 winners
• Novice dSLR 2010 winners
• Compact Wide Angle 2010 winners
• Compact Camera Macro 2010 winners
• Compact Camera Behavior 2010 winners
• Underwater Photo Contest 2010
• 2018 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2019 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2020 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• Ocean Art Photo Competition 2021 Judges Comments
• 2022 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• An Underwater Panorama - "The Ruby" by Nicolas Barraqué
• Ocean Art 2022 Winners Announced
• Ocean Art Media Coverage
• Ocean Art Photo Competition 2022 Judges Comments

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All text and photos copyright 2018 by Scott Gietler unless otherwise noted

Welcome to the Underwater Photography Guide!

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• GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
• U/W PHOTO EQUIPMENT
• SETTINGS & TECHNICAL INFO
• LIGHTING & STROBES
• UNDERWATER COMPOSITION
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• WAVES & SURF
• MACRO & WIDE-ANGLE SETTINGS
• TOP 5 SETTINGS
• CANON 5D MK III SETTINGS
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• CANON G7X II SETTINGS
• NIKON D7000 SETTINGS
• NIKON D800 / D810 SETTINGS
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Settings
• OLYMPUS E-M1 SETTINGS
• OLYMPUS E-M5 SETTINGS
• OLYMPUS E-M5 MK2 SETTINGS
• OLYMPUS PEN SETTINGS
• PANASONIC GH4 VIDEO SETTINGS
• SONY A7R II SETTINGS
• SONY RX100 II, III, IV & V SETTINGS
• CAMERA REVIEWS
• UNDERWATER HOUSINGS
• UNDERWATER STROBES
• DIVE, FOCUS & VIDEO LIGHTS
• PORTS & VIEWFINDERS
• SAINT VINCENT
• SILVER BANK
• CABO & CABO PULMO
• COCOS ISLAND
• COIBA ISLAND
• LA PAZ, BAJA
• GUADALUPE ISLAND
• MALPELO ISLAND
• SOCORRO ISLAND
• BUNAKEN ISLAND
• LEMBEH STRAIGHT
• SILADEN ISLAND
• SOUTHEAST SULAWESI
• CATALINA ISLAND
• CHANNEL ISLANDS
• KONA, HAWAII
• PACIFIC NORTHWEST
• SOLOMON ISLANDS
• TRUK LAGOON
• ANILAO, PHILIPPINES
• DUMAGUETE, PHILIPPINES
• HANIFARU BAY, MALDIVES
• PAPUA NEW GUINEA
• SIPADAN, MALASIA
• ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
• MILFORD SOUND, NEW ZEALAND
• WHITE SEA, RUSSIA
• GUIDED TRIPS
• INTERNATIONAL PHOTO WORKSHOPS
• LIVEABOARD TRIPS
• PERSONAL DIVE TRAVEL
• HOUSINGS BY CAMERA
• GEAR BY BRAND
• GEAR BY CATEGORY

Welcome to the Underwater Photography Guide. This online book and magazine is a complete underwater photography tutorial full of u/w photography tips and techniques. Our idea is simple - learn, shoot, explore. We hope you enjoy and come back often - Scott Gietler, Owner of UWPG and Bluewater Photo & Travel.

• Top 10 Tips for Amazing Portraits

Have you ever taken a photo, reviewed it on the LCD screen, and thought to yourself, "Nailed it!"? Chances are you have, and chances are it wasn't on accident. 

We've compiled our Top 10 Tips for Amazing Portraits, and we'll share some of our favorite underwater portraits as well.  Be sure to take some notes, and refer back to them before your next underwater adventure. Hey . . . I don't see you writing!

Giant Sea Bass at Catalina Island, CA. With this portrait in mind, I knew where these critters reside, and had an idea of the strobe settings/positions. After spotting it from afar, I took a few test shots to make sure I had the ambient light dialed in. Then I moved in very slowly, with relaxed breathing and avoiding direct eye contact (except through the viewfinder).

Top 10 Tips for Amazing Underwater Portraits

1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK : Whether it's via the internet, books, or talking to fellow divers, be sure you know what you're looking for, and where to find it.  Knowing how to approach certain subjects is paramount as well. You've invested of money and time before you even giant-stride off the boat.  You may as well go the extra mile and study your subject.

2. FILL 2/3rds of the FRAME : Successful portrait images tend to dominate a majority of the image.  The subject occupies most of the frame, and may include a bit of its environment.

A fantastic example of the subject filling 2/3rds of the frame. In this case, the image was shot with open water in the background, allowing Scott Gietler to create a dynamically contrasting black background.  This was accomplished by using small aperture with a Tokina 10-17mm lens at 17mm, getting close to the subject and waiting until it swam above the substrate. F11, 1/80th, ISO 400

3. BE PREPARED : You never know when a potentially great subject will present itself.  When entering the water while shooting wide-angle, I always start with my camera settings set to my default southern California settings: 1/125, F11, ISO 320, strobes out to the sides at 1/2 power.

Soupfin shark at San Clemente Island. Had my camera been set to something other than my default settings, I most likely would have missed this shot. I only had time to think, "zoom in!" and then she was gone. This was my first encounter with this species of shark in 475 dives in southern California.

Being ready, and persistent, enabled Scott Gietler to capture this awesome portrait of a cormorant! F10, ISO 200, 1/250th. Tokina 10-17mm lens @17mm.

4. CONNECT WITH THE VIEWER : This is most often done by having solid eye contact with the subject.  Just make sure that the eyes are in sharp focus.

This is a fantastic example of sharp, direct eye contact.  This is a portrait by Luis Miguel Cortes Lozano, who won 1st Place in the 2011 Ocean Art Photo Contest with this photo, "Twins".

5. CUTE or RARE SUBJECT : These always seem to get the attention of the viewer.  How can you go wrong?  Obviously rare subjects are harder to come by, but are more rewarding when you do capture an image of one. 

6. USE THE RIGHT LENS FOR THE SHOT: This ties back to #1, but it's imperative that you have the right equipment to get the shot you're after.  Do you need more working space for a skittish or shy critter? Then use a 105mm macro lens instead of a 60mm. Do you need to carry a close-up lens?

In anticipation of seeing such a small nudibranch, I used my 105mm macro lens, and carried a +10 SubSee diopter.  I'm glad I did.  This image is uncropped at F25, 1/160, ISO 200.

7. GET CLOSE: Getting close is the underwater photographer's moniker. And sometimes that means getting uncomfortably close.  I am by no means endorsing getting anywhere near a dangerous critter. However, Todd Winner did, and the image below is awesome.

A bit too close for my comfort level, but Todd Winner makes it work.

Erin Quigley gets up-close and personal with this Great White, which earned her 4th place in the 2010 Ocean Art Photo Contest.

8. USE THE SURFACE: Reflections are a great way to enhance an underwater marine life portrait, as it not only shows the viewer exactly where the subject is in the water column, but also adds an artistic touch to the photograph.

A great use of the reflective surface, by Todd Winner.

9. AVOID DIRECT EYE CONTACT WHEN APPROACHING : How you approach a subject can be the difference between getting the shot and, well, ... not. I've found that eye contact is ok, as long as it's not both eyes staring right at the subject. Animals often interpret direct eye contact as a threat, since you're focused solely on them. Avoiding this will allow you to get relatively close and capture that crisp, colorful photo that you prepared for.

10. SHOOT HEAD-ON : Instilling a sense of "I'm looking at YOU" to the viewer is a great way to create a successful portrait.  In the example below, I do this by waiting until this female sheephead is facing my dome port head-on, with both eyes facing forward. In my opinion, this portrays their inquisitive nature. I have several other frames showing just one side of the fish or the other, but to me, this is the best of the bunch.

Here's lookin' at you, kid!

About the author

Join Michael as he leads an amazing underwater photography workshop at the famous  Wakatobi Dive Resort  11/21/13 - 12/2/13!

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Tips, tutorials, news, reviews, upcoming workshops, and more!

• Introduction
• Underwater Basics
• Camera Basics
• Lens Basics
• Compact Corner: Discovering Focus Check
• Taking Macro Shots Underwater with the Canon G12
• Wide-Angle Shots Underwater with Canon G12
• Great Underwater Photos Without a Strobe
• From Compact To dSLR: Preparing For The Switch
• Equipment Photos
• 5 Reasons to go Mirrorless
• Shooting Underwater with Big Cameras, Wide Lenses and Large, Powerful Strobes
• Nikon D7100 Underwater Photos from Komodo & Alor
• Canon 5D MK III specs and comparison
• Underwater Settings for the Canon 5D Mark III
• Nikon D800 specs and comparison
• First Impressions: Nikon D800 and Ikelite housing
• Nikon D600 / Sea & Sea Housing Review - Wide-Angle
• Nikon D600 / Sea & Sea Housing Review - Macro
• Nikon Announces Full Frame D600
• Canon Announces EOS 70D
• Canon 70D Review for Underwater Video
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Initial Thoughts
• From a dSLR to the OM-D E-M5 in Cozumel
• New Support for the Olympus OM-D PT-EP08 Housing
• Nikon Announces D810 Camera
• Sony RX-100 III Review for Underwater Photos
• Acquapazza Sony RX100 Housing Review
• 4K Underwater Video with the Panasonic GH4
• Best Compact Cameras of Summer 2016
• Best Underwater Cinema Cameras
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K: First Look and Review
• Canon 1DX Mark III: First Look & Review
• Canon 5D Mark IV Review
• Canon 5D Mk IV Underwater Video Review
• Canon 5Ds Review plus 5D Mark III Comparison
• Canon 6D Mark II Camera Review
• Canon 7D Mark II Best Settings for Underwater
• Canon 80D Review for Underwater Photo & Video
• Canon Announces EOS 7D Mark II DSLR
• Canon Announces EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR
• Canon EOS M5 Preview
• Canon EOS R Review
• Canon EOS R1 Review and Initial Thoughts
• Canon EOS R10 Review
• Canon EOS R3 Initial Review
• Canon EOS R5 Mark II Review and Initial Thoughts
• Canon EOS R5 Underwater Overheating Test
• Sony A1 vs Canon EOS R5
• The "Big 3" Best Underwater Cameras
• Why the Canon EOS R5 is Still Our Favorite Underwater Camera a Year Later
• Canon EOS R50: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Canon EOS R5C: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Canon EOS R6 Mark II Review
• Canon EOS R6 Review
• Canon EOS R7 & Canon EOS R10: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Canon EOS R7 Review
• Canon EOS R8 Review
• Canon G7 X Mark II Camera Review
• Canon G7X Mark III Review
• Canon R100 Review
• Coldwater Diving with the Paralenz
• DiveVolk SeaTouch 4 Max Smartphone Housing Review
• First Look at the Canon G9X Mark II
• Fujifilm X-T3: Taking Fujifilm Underwater
• GoPro HERO 11: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Change GoPro Underwater Settings with QR Codes
• GoPro HERO5 Review for Underwater
• GoPro Hero 6: How to Shoot Underwater Macro Video
• Guide to GoPro Filters for Underwater Video
• Tide Pool Fun with GoPro 6 Time Lapse Video
• GoPro Hero 7 Underwater Camera Review
• GoPro Hero 8 Underwater Review
• GoPro Hero9 Black Review
• 3 Tips for GoPro Underwater Video
• GoPro Macro Underwater Video: A Beginner's Guide
• GoPro Hero4 Review for Underwater Video
• GoPro Underwater Housing and Mount Tips
• How to Shoot Wave Photos with your GoPro
• Ikelite Introduces Line of GoPro Accessories
• When to Use GoPro Filters Underwater
• Google Pixel Announces "Capture the Seas" Feature with Kraken Universal Smart Phone Housing
• Insta360 GO 2 Packs Flagship Power into the World’s Smallest Action Camera
• Insta360 One R Underwater Review
• Nikon D500 Review with Sea & Sea MDX-D500 Housing
• Nikon D7200 DSLR Camera Preview
• Nikon D7500 Camera Preview
• Nikon D780 Review
• Nikon D850 Review
• Nikon D850 First Underwater Impressions
• Nikon Z30: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Nikon Z6III Review
• Nikon Z Series Autofocus Firmware Updates
• Why the Nikon Z7 is My New Favorite Underwater Camera
• Nikon Z7II & Z6II Review
• Nikon Z8 Review
• Nikon Z9: Initial Thoughts & Review
• OM System TG-7 Review
• OM systems OM-5 Initial Thoughts and Review
• Olympus Announces PEN-F Camera
• Olympus OM System OM-1 Camera Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Announced
• Olympus OM-D E-M1X: Initial Thoughts and Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Announced
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Camera Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Review
• Olympus PEN E-PL8 Preview
• Olympus TG-5 and TG-6 Underwater Settings
• Olympus TG-6 Review
• Olympus Tough TG-4 Review
• Freediving Photography with the Olympus TG-5
• The Olympus TG-5: Riding the Wave of Technology
• Panasonic GH5S Underwater Video
• Panasonic GH6 Review
• Panasonic GH7 Review and Initial Thoughts
• The Panasonic S1H is Certified for Netflix
• More Lens Options for the Panasonic S Series
• Panasonic S5II and S5IIX: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Paralenz Dive Camera Review
• Review: Canon 5D MK IV in Aquatica Housing
• Review: Canon 5D Mk IV with Ikelite Dry Lock Port System
• Sea & Sea DX-6G Camera and Housing Review
• SeaLife Micro 2.0 Camera Review
• SeaLife Micro 3.0 Review
• SeaLife SportDiver Smartphone Housing Review
• Shooting Stills with the Panasonic GH4
• Sony A1 Review
• Sony A6700 Underwater Settings
• Sony A7 IV Review
• Sony A7C R Underwater Review
• Sony A7R III and A9 Firmware Updates for 2019
• Sony A7R IV Review
• Sony A7R V Review
• Sony A9 III Review
• Sony A9 III Underwater Settings
• Sony RX100 IV Review
• A Photographer's Journey with the Sony RX100 V
• Sony RX100 VA (RX100M5A) Announced
• Sony RX100 VI Underwater Camera Review
• Sony RX100 VII Review
• Sony ZV-E1: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Sony a6100 Review
• Sony a6300 Mirrorless Camera Review
• Sony a6400 Camera Review
• Sony a6500 Camera Review
• Sony a6600 Underwater: First Look & Review
• Sony a7C: Initial Thoughts & Review
• Sony a7R II Camera Review
• The Newest Underwater Photo & Video Gear in 2024
• The Nikon D850 vs the Sony A7R III for Underwater Photography
• The Paralenz Vaquita Has Been Announced!
• The Sony FX3 Underwater Review & Housings
• Top Ten Underwater Cameras
• Top Underwater Cameras for Kids
• What's New at DEMA 2022
• Why Smartphones Could be the Future of Underwater Photo and Video
• Recsea Canon G15 Housing & Macro Review
• Sony Unveils World's First Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
• Canon G1X Review
• Canon S100 First Impressions
• Canon S100: In-Depth Thoughts And Housing Reviews
• Customer Review: Sony NEX 7 and Nauticam NA-NEX 7 Housing
• First Impressions: Panasonic GX1 Mirrorless Camera
• First Impressions: Using The Olympus E-PM1 Underwater
• New Canon T3 and T3i Camera Announced
• Oly E-PL1 UW Photos
• Olympus E-PL3 and E-PM1 Camera Review
• Olympus Pen E-PL2 Camera Announced
• PT-050 wet lens tests
• DX 2G Main characteristics
• Sea & Sea DX 2G Technical specs
• Sea & Sea DX-2G Macro & Wide Angle options
• Underwater photos
• DX 2G Conclusions
• Camera Review: Canon 7D - First Impressions
• Canon SD4000 camera review
• Nikon P7000 camera
• SeaLife Micro HD Sealed Never-Leak Camera
• Sony A77 DSLR Pre-review
• Top 5 Underwater Cameras for Christmas 2012
• Aquatica A5D MkIII Housing Review
• Ikelite 5D Mark 3 Housing Review
• Aquatica Housing for Nikon D7100
• Nauticam Housing for Nikon D7100
• SEA&SEA Housing for Canon D7100
• Ikelite D7100 Housing Released
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 70D
• Ikelite Housing for Canon EOS 70D
• Aquatica A70D Housing Announced
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 6D
• SEA&SEA Housing for Canon 6D
• Nauticam Housing for Sony RX-100 II
• Fantasea FG16 Housing Released
• Fantasea's FG15 in the Lab & the Water
• An Interview with Seacam Founder, Harald Hordosch
• Acquapazza Sony A6300 Housing Overview
• Aquatica A5Dsr Housing Announced
• Aquatica A6500 Housing Announced
• Aquatica A7D Mk II Housing
• Aquatica AGH4: 4K Cinema in Micro 4/3 Housing Line
• Aquatica Canon 1D X MkII Housing Preview
• Aquatica Canon 5D Mark IV Housing Overview
• Aquatica Nikon AD500 Housing Overview
• Aquatica Sony A6300 Housing Overview
• Aquatica Sony A7R II Housing Review
• Aquatica a7r II Housing Announced
• Best Underwater Housing Brands
• Canon SL3 Review: World's Smallest Underwater DSLR
• Fantasea Canon G7XII Housing Review
• Fantasea Canon G9 X Housing Review
• Fantasea FA6500 Housing Review
• Fantasea FRX100 IV Housing Review
• Fantasea Line FG16 Housing Review
• Fantasea Sony RX100 IV Housing Released
• Fantasea Sony a6400 Underwater Housing Review
• Fantasea Sony a6500 and a6300 Housing Announced
• Ikelite 7D Mark II Underwater Housing
• Ikelite Canon 7D Mark II Housing Review
• Ikelite Canon EOS R5 Housing Review
• Ikelite Canon SL1 Housing Released
• Ikelite D810 Housing
• Ikelite Housing for Sony RX100 III
• Ikelite Housings for Nikon D500 Overview
• Ikelite Sony a6300 Housing Available to Pre-Order
• Ikelite Sony a6400 Underwater Housing Review
• Ikelite Z6/Z7 Underwater Camera Housing Review
• Introducing the Mantis Sub Underwater VR Housing
• Isotta Underwater Housings
• Kraken Smartphone Housing Review (KRH08 & KRH07)
• Mantis Sub RS 360 Underwater Review
• Marelux Atomos Ninja V Housing Review
• Marelux: A Customer's First Impressions from the Field
• Nauticam Announces Sony RX100 IV Housing
• Nauticam Canon G7X II Housing Available
• Nauticam D810 Housing
• Nauticam D850 Review
• Nauticam Housing for Canon 60D
• Nauticam Housing for Panasonic GH4
• Nauticam NA-7DMKII Housing Review
• Nauticam NA-G7X Housing
• Nauticam Nikon D500 Housing Available
• Nauticam Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Housing
• Nauticam RX-100 III Housing Specs & Review
• Nauticam Sony A7 II Housing Announced
• Nauticam Sony A7R III Housing Mini Review
• Olympus E-M1 Housing Guide
• Salted Line Sony A6xxx Series Underwater Housing Review
• Sea & Sea 5D Mark IV Underwater Housing Preview
• Sea & Sea Canon EOS R Underwater Housing Review
• Sea & Sea Canon EOS R5 Housing Review
• Sea & Sea MDX-7DMKII Housing Announced
• Sea & Sea MDX-D500 Underwater Housing Overview
• Sea & Sea Sony Universal Housing Review
• Sony A1 Underwater Housings
• Sony RX100 IV Housing Guide
• Taking the Fantasea RX100 III Housing Underwater
• Canon S90 FIX Housing
• Aquatica Enters Micro 4/3 Housing Category
• Nauticam Housing for Panasonic GX7
• Nauticam OM-D E-M5 underwater housing
• Sea & Sea MDX-70D Housing Announced
• 10 Bar Panasonic Lumix GH-3 Housing
• New Nexus Glass Dome Ports
• RecSea Canon S95 Underwater Housing
• Ikelite housings for Canon SD4000, Sony W370, Panasonic DMC-TS2
• Aquatica Housing for Canon 7D
• Nauticam D90 Underwater Housing
• Review on Sea & Sea MDX-D300 underwater housing for Nikon D300
• Nauticam Viewfinder
• Best Micro-four lenses for underwater photography
• Canon 100mm Macro Lens Underwater Photos
• Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM Review
• Canon RF 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review
• Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 Lens Review
• Choosing a macro lens 60mm or 100/105mm
• First Shots With the Nikon Z 7II & Z mount Lens Review
• Introducing the Nauticam Super Macro Converter SMC
• Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe Review
• Lens Review: Dyron Double Macro M77
• Macro Lenses For Underwater Photography
• New Nikon & Canon Mirrorless Macro Lenses for Underwater Photography
• Nikon 8-15mm f3.5-4.5 Full Frame Fisheye Lens Pre-Review
• Nikon Z 105mm Macro Lens Review
• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 Wide Angle Lens Review
• Olympus 60mm macro lens review for underwater photographers
• Olympus 9-18mm Lens Review
• Panasonic 8mm Fisheye Lens Review
• Photos & Overview: Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens
• Sigma 15mm and Tokina fisheye on full-frame cameras
• The Best Sony Wide Angle Lens for Underwater Photography & Video
• Fantasea UWL-400F Wide Angle Wet Lens Review
• Guide to Fantasea AOI Wet Lenses
• In Review: Fantasea UWL-09F Ultra Wide Angle Wet Lens
• Kraken KRL-09S Wide Angle Conversion Lens Review
• Kraken KRL-11/12 Compact Wide Angle Wet Lens Review
• Kraken Sports KRL-01 Wet Wide Angle Lens Review
• Saga Magic Tube Review
• Diffraction tests with the Nikon 105mm
• Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye Lens
• Sigma 8-16mm lens
• Sea & Sea YS-D1 Strobe Review
• Inon Z240 Review
• Sea & Sea Optical YS Converter
• Strobe comparison - Sea & Sea YS-110 vs Inon Z240
• Using a Ring-Flash for Underwater Photography
• How to Fire Your Underwater Strobes
• Ikelite DS 230 Strobe Review
• Inon Z330 Strobe - a Photographer's Review
• Kraken KR-S02 Strobe Review
• Kraken KS-160 Strobe Review
• Marelux Apollo III Underwater Strobe Review
• Marelux Smart Optical Flash Tube (SOFT) Snoot Review
• Retra Flash Underwater First Impressions
• SEA&SEA YS-D2 vs YS-D1 Strobe Comparison
• Scubalamp D-Pro Underwater Strobe Review
• Sea & Sea YS-D3 Duo Review
• Sea & Sea YS-D3 Firmware Update Improves TTL
• Shooting with the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Strobe in the Sea of Cortez
• Sea Dragon Lighting System Review
• Sea&Sea YS-D2 Strobe Review
• SeaLife Sea Dragon Flash Review
• Snoot Review and Comparison
• iDiveSite Symbiosis SS3 Strobe and Video Light Review
• New Aquatica Dome Port for Micro 4/3
• Precision 5" Dome for Tokina 10-17mm Lens
• Sea & Sea Universal Dome Port Review
• Sea & Sea Glass & Acrylic Dome Port tests
• How To Charge Your Sola Dive Light
• I-Torch Venom38 Video Light Review
• Kraken 1000 FE Focus Light Review - with Snoot & Color Filters
• Kraken Hydra 15000 WRGBU Video Light Review
• Kraken Hydra 2500 Macro Light Review
• Kraken Hydra 4000 & 6000 WRGBU Video Light Review
• Kraken LTD 7000 Underwater Video Light Review
• Kraken Solar Flare Mini 15,000 Underwater Video
• Kraken Solar Flare Mini 15000 Review
• Kraken Sports 2500 V2 Video Light Review
• Kraken Sports Hydra 8000 Underwater Video Light Review
• Kraken Sports Weefine Ring Light Review
• Kraken Video Lights
• Kraken Weefine Ring Light 3000 Review
• Light & Motion Expands The SOLA Series
• Light & Motion GoBe Light Review
• Litra and Paralenz Underwater Timelapse and Video
• New and Improved Kraken Sports Hydra Lights
• SeaLife Sea Dragon 5000+ Underwater Video Light Review
• Sealife Sea Dragon 2000 Lumen Video Light Review
• Sola Video Pro Lights Initial Thoughts
• The Best Focus Lights
• The Best Underwater Snoot Video Light
• Understanding Underwater Video Lights
• Venom 60 RGB Video Light Review
• Review: Sola Nightsea UV Light
• 9 Hot Items We Can't Wait To See In 2013
• Apple's new Macbook Pro
• Batteries: Put to the Test
• Get a Handle on your Housing
• Lexar 128GB SDXC Memory Card Now Available
• Night Diving in a New (UV) Light
• Using the Right Arms and Clamps
• Batteries and Chargers
• Fluoro Diving
• How to Choose a Memory Card
• Kraken 5.5" Underwater Monitor Review
• Kraken 7" Ultra Bright HDMI Monitor Review
• Nauticam & Isotta Housings Are Compatible with Ikelite TTL!
• Nauticam SMC + Multiplier vs. SubSee 10 + 5
• Nauticam SMC Review
• Olympus TG-6 Wide Angle Photography: FCON-T02 Fisheye Lens
• The Easiest Underwater Fluorescence Photography Kit
• TTL Converter Options
• Checklist and Cost of Equipment
• Best GoPro Hero 7 and 8 Underwater Settings
• Nikon Z7, Z7II, Z6, Z6II Underwater Settings
• Panasonic GH6 Underwater Settings
• Sony A7S III Underwater Settings
• Canon EOS R5 Underwater Settings
• Canon G7X II Best Settings
• Getting To Know Your Camera's Image Quality Formats
• Olympus OM-D and PEN underwater settings
• Panasonic LX100 Settings for Underwater Video
• Sony a7R II Best Video Settings for Underwater
• Top 5 Settings To Improve Your Underwater Photos
• Understanding Exposure
• Underwater Settings for Sony RX100 II & III & IV & V
• Utilizing Instant Recall Modes on your dSLR
• F8 and Be There
• Shutter Speed
• How High Can You Increase Your ISO?
• Underwater Camera Modes
• RAW versus JPEG
• Canon S90/S95/S100 G11/G12 Settings
• Nikon D300 & D90 Underwater settings
• Ultimate Guide to Canon 7D Underwater Settings
• Underwater Photography Tutorial - Canon G11, G12
• Underwater Settings for the Sony RX 100
• When Auto is Better than Manual - S and A Modes
• Understanding your underwater camera settings
• Changing Settings on a dive
• Reciprocity and stops
• Full Frame vs Cropped Sensors
• A Photographer's Guide to Muck Diving
• The Hidden Bokeh Benefit of Snoot Photography
• Top Ten Tips for Nice Underwater Bokeh
• Creative DIY Bokeh
• DSLR and TG-5: A New Level of Underwater Photography
• Essential Tips for Nudibranch Photography
• Five DSLR Life-hacks for Great Macro Photography
• How to Improve your Fish Portraits
• How to Shoot Stills with a Video Light
• Macro Methods: Sharp Eyes and Nice Bokeh
• Macro Wide Open
• Macro with a dome port
• Marelux SOFT Lite Snoot Review
• Nauticam EMWL (Extended Macro Wide Angle) Lens Review
• Photo Tips for Blackwater Diving
• Pushing the Limits of Macro with a Compact Camera
• The Art of Blackwater Photography
• The Quick Guide to Macro Composition
• Tips for Artistic Macro Shooting
• Tips for Shooting with Diopters
• Ultimate Guide to Snoot Photography
• Learning Super Macro in Papua New Guinea
• Story Behind the Shot: Bettina Balnis
• Story Behind the Shot: Super Macro in Puget Sound
• Stunning Super Macro with Diopters
• Teleconverters
• Supermacro with the New SubSee Diopter
• 3 Quick Tips for Dive Buddy Photos
• 9 Wide Angle Underwater Photography Tips
• 10 Essential Ambient Light U/W Photo Tips
• Ambient Photography: An Artist’s Pursuit for the Most Natural Underwater Photography
• Tips to Create Striking Ambient Light Photos
• Are You Playing to Win or Playing Not to Lose?
• Capturing Fast Ocean Action
• Fisheye Lens vs. Wide-Angle Lens
• Guide to Shooting Striking Sunbursts
• Ocean Art Wide-Angle Winner
• Shooting Tips: Canon 5D Mark IV in Poor Vis
• Shooting Tips: Sharks and Sunbursts
• Shooting from the Hip
• Shooting with a Dive Model
• Ten Amazing Photos You Can Take With A Fisheye Lens
• The Big Picture: Shooting Reefscapes
• Ultimate Guide to Photographing Sea Lions Up Close
• Whale Shark Photo & Video Tips
• Wide Angle Tutorial on the Oil Rigs
• Wide-Angle Photography in Low Light Conditions
• Wide-Angle Strobe Exposures
• Story of the Shot: Todd Winner
• Image Sharpness
• Fish photography
• Pelagic Fish Photography
• Inside Look: Gear for Shooting Models in Pools
• Top tips for working with a model underwater
• 5 Easy Steps To Process Your Underwater Photos
• Lightroom 4.2 Update Supports Sony RX100
• Color Filters vs. Post-Processing
• Cropping example
• Enhancing your Images with Photoshop
• How to Create a Fractal Image in Photoshop
• How to Remove Backscatter Quickly & Easily with Photoshop
• How to convert images to black & white
• Keeping Your Digital Images Safe
• Copyright, Trademark and Patent – The Difference
• How to Register Your Images
• Why You Should Register Your Images
• Lightroom 3 Adjustment Brush
• Lightroom CC vs Lightroom Classic
• Lightroom Lens Correction
• Lightroom Overview - Who and Why you should use Lightroom
• Lightroom Tips & Tricks: Crop Image Overlay Tool
• Lightroom Tips & Tricks: The Spray Can Tool
• Lightroom Tricks: Adjusting Tones using the Histogram
• Lightroom for the Rest of Us
• Nikon Releases RAW Image Processing Software
• One-Click Editing with Vivid-Pix
• Optimizing Your Lightroom Workflow
• ProRes RAW Now Possible with Nikon Z6/Z7
• Removing Backscatter in Photoshop
• Removing Backscatter with Photoshop’s Content Aware Tool
• The Basics of Editing Underwater Photos in Adobe Lightroom
• Using Dehaze in new Adobe Lightroom CC
• Vivid-Pix Land & Sea 1-click Photo Editing
• Workflow Basics in Adobe Lightroom
• Underwater Photoshop Lesson - Gaussian Blur
• 5 Tips for Underwater Photography at Night
• Advance your Skills with Underwater Photography Workshops
• Creating Simple and Strong Compositions
• Making Underwater Photography Simple with the TG-5
• Stories from a Underwater photo workshop
• Take Your Photography to the Next Level
• Visualization to Realization
• 5 Photos you Need in your Portfolio
• 5 Tips for Surf Photography
• 7 Tips for Great Sea Lion Photos
• A Field Guide to Blackwater Diving in Hawai‘i
• Adobe Lightroom vs Photoshop for Underwater Photographers
• Best Photoshop Tips for Underwater Photography
• Best Strobe Positions for Underwater Macro Photography
• Best Ways to Protect the Ocean
• Capture Great Photos in Blue Water
• Color Space, Color Profiles, and Color Management
• Editing Video With GoPro Quik
• Fish Photography
• How to Choose Award Winning Images
• How to Combine Strobe and Video Light
• How to Set Up and Maintain Your Underwater Camera
• Jason Ching: Photographing Alaska Salmon
• Mermaids and Underwater Fashion Photography
• Nauticam M10 Ball Mount Installation
• Panasonic GH4 Underwater Video Settings
• Photographing Pygmy Seahorses
• Picture Perfect: What Makes a Good Image Great
• Preparing Photos For Print
• Pro Tips for Achieving Sharp Focus
• Selling Your Photos: Art Shows and Printing
• The Essentials of Wave Photography
• Top 10 Tips for Photographing Eels and Eel-Like Fish
• Top Stay-at-Home Tutorials for Underwater Photography
• Underwater Photography Technique: Envision Your Capture
• Using a Crop Sensor Lens on a Full Frame Camera (and Vise Versa)
• Wide Angle Macro Photography
• Lighting Fundamentals
• Shooting with a Single Strobe
• Strobe Positioning for Wide-Angle Underwater
• Ambient Light & Manual White Balance
• Getting Good Blues Underwater
• Magic Filters
• Underwater Lighting with Strobes
• Backscatter in underwater photography, cause and prevention
• Advanced Strobe Techniques - Backlighting
• Black Backgrounds and Strobe Techniques
• Snoot Mounting for Easy Macro Photography
• Wide-Angle with One Strobe
• Preventing Hot Spots In Underwater Photography
• Strobes on Manual Power
• Underwater Snoots
• 3 Reasons to Shoot Vertical
• Close Focus Wide Angle (CFWA)
• Composition for Beginners
• Diagonal Underwater Composition
• Face-on Composition
• Frozen Perspectives: Behind the Scenes on Greenland Iceberg Photo Composition and Post-Processing
• The Secrets of Shooting Amazing Patterns
• Underwater Composition: Fill the Frame
• Careful Composition in your Underwater Photos
• More Composition Ideas
• 5 Tips for Creative Wreck Photos
• Black Backgrounds
• Silhouettes
• The Ultimate Guide to Shooting Wrecks
• Wide-Angle at Night
• Wreck Photography
• Black and White Underwater Photography
• Snell's Window
• Reflections
• Artistic Compositions
• Story of the Shot: Douglas Hoffman
• Lens choices and Composition
• Guide to Manual White Balance on the Sony a6500
• 5 Tips for Awesome Over-Under Shots
• Acting Snooty!
• Anatomy of a Shark Dive
• Fascinating Fluoro Photography
• How to Shoot Your Way Out of a Slump
• How to Use In-Camera Image Overlays
• How to Use the Zoom-Effect Underwater
• Kraken Smart Phone Housing photos
• Mastering the Art of Split Level Photography
• New Technique: Shooting Blind
• Photographing Underwater Textures & Designs
• Shooting Underwater Panoramas
• Slow Shutter Speeds in Underwater Photography
• Taking Vintage Lenses Underwater
• Tips for Lighting Quick Critters with a Snoot
• Top 5 Shooting Tips for Underwater Snoots
• Diving with a new lens
• Photographing A Perfect Sunburst
• 10 Tips for Shooting Underwater Video
• 3 Tips for Underwater Macro Video
• 5 Best Underwater Video Editing Tips
• Best Underwater Video Cameras
• Best Underwater Video Lights
• Creating Videos with GoPro Studio 2.0
• External Underwater Video Monitors & Recorders
• Light & Motion Sola 2500 Review
• SeaLife announces new Sea Dragon Duo 10K+ Color Boost™ Underwater Photo-Video Light Set
• Sony A7R III 4K Underwater Video
• Sony a6400 Underwater Video
• Video with the Panasonic GH5
• 10 Epic Shark Dive Destinations
• Alor: Indonesia's Secret Gem
• Best UK Diving
• Cave Photography in Mexico's Lesser-Known Cenotes
• Choosing a dive destination
• Critters in Ambon Photo Essay
• Dancing with (Sea) Dragons in South Australia
• Dispatch from Batanta Island
• Dispatch from Yap, Micronesia
• Diving Cabilao, Bohol: A Wall Diving Underwater Photography Tutorial
• Diving Fiji after Cyclone Winston
• Diving French Poly: Moorea, Bora Bora, and Huahine
• Diving Japan's Ogasawara Islands
• Diving Komodo, Indonesia
• Diving Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Diving the Mexico Cenotes
• Diving the World's Fastest Tidal Current
• Diving with Volcanoes
• Dolphin Play in Bimini
• Epic Photo Destinations: French Polynesia
• Epic Photo Destinations: Raja Ampat
• Epic Photo Destinations: Solomon Islands
• Fisheyed in Fakarava - Premiere Shark Diving
• Hawaii Underwater
• Jurassic Park Meets The Beach
• Photo Dispatch from Alor, Indonesia
• Photo Dispatch from Misool, Raja Ampat
• Photo Dispatch from Siau, Indonesia
• Raja Ampat After Dark
• Singapore’s First Marine Park
• Striped Marlin and Baitballs in Mexico - An Adrenaline Rush
• Swimming with Dinosaurs in Mexico
• The Hammerheads of Bimini
• The Unforgettable Red Sea
• Top 10 Macro Photography Destinations
• Top 5 Big Animal Encounters
• Wall of Sharks, Thousands of Groupers & More in French Polynesia
• What You Need to Know about Diving Tiger Beach
• Wide-Angle in Bunaken Marine Park
• Wide-Angle in the Andaman Islands
• Choosing a Dive Destination, Part 2
• 5 Reasons to Dive Malapascua
• A Guide to Mixing Business with (Scuba) Pleasure
• Anilao Photo Essay
• Anilao Shootout Winners 2011
• Anilao Underwater Photo Workshop and Shootout 2011
• Anilao Workshop Photo Essay
• Anilao Workshop Photo Essay December 2017
• Anilao in Photos - A Must-Visit Destination
• Beautiful Underwater Photos from Anilao
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track (pg 3)
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track (pg2)
• Sogod Bay: Dive Paradise off the Beaten Track
• Diving in the South Georgia Islands
• Baja Underwater: Where Desert Sun Meets Blue Sea
• Blue Whales in Sri Lanka with Theresa Guise and Peter de Maagt
• Cocos Island
• Coiba: Fish Photography at Surprise Island
• Diving Cozumel: A Photo Essay
• Discovering Shetland, Scotland
• Dispatch from Reunion Island
• Dive Adventure: Arenui Liveaboard
• Dive Adventure: Dive Damai
• Dive Adventure: Diving the Arctic
• Dive Adventure: Grand Cayman
• Dive Adventure: Valparaiso, Chile
• Dive Ancient Ruins of Lion City in Qiandao Lake
• An Unforgettable Octopus Encounter
• Bali: A Diving Safari To "The Other Side"
• Diving Nusa Penida, Bali
• Diving Tulamben, Bali: Macro, Wide and Wreck!
• Photographer's Guide to Tulamben
• Diving Belize
• A Weekend Dive Getaway in Cabo
• Diving Cebu, Philippines
• Must Do Diving in Curacao
• Diving Grand Bahama Island
• Diving Jeju Island, South Korea
• Diving Kenya
• La Paz 2010 workshop at Club Cantamar
• La Paz Through a Mollusk Photographer's Lens
• UWPG La Paz photo workshop 2011
• Underwater Photo Journey Through La Paz
• Diving Malapascua – Beyond the Thresher Sharks
• Diving Reunion Island
• Photo Journey Through Southeast Sulawesi
• Diving into Egyptian History: Cleopatra's Palace
• Diving into History: The Flooded Farms
• Diving on the Socorro Vortex
• Diving the Bay Islands of Honduras
• Beyond the Resorts: Diving in the Dominican Republic
• Dive Adventure: Dumaguete
• Aboard Nai'a, Destination: Fiji
• The Colorful Fish of Fiji
• The Vibrant Soft Corals of Fiji
• An Immersion into Evolution: Galapagos Photo Essay
• Buddy Dive starts Galapagos Island, Wolf / Darwin itinerary
• Diving with Great White Sharks
• One Shark Diver's Perspective: Caged vs Open Water Shark Diving
• Story of the Shot: Guadalupe Island
• The Cage Diving Experience and Photo Tips
• Heaven is a Place on Earth: Diving Mauritius
• Ice Diving Greenland: A Story of Icebergs, Frozen Critters, and Unique Lingo
• Iceland: Diving in the Land of Fire and Ice
• Jupiter by Surprise
• Macro Surprises at the Blue Heron Bridge
• Malpelo in Photos - Sharks & Big Fish Galore
• Silky Sharks of Malpelo Island
• Marsa Shagra, Red Sea
• Northern Exploring: Discovering the Remote Arctic
• Our Favorite Dive Destinations, Part 1
• Photo Essay: Port Hardy, British Columbia
• Portraits from God's Pocket
• Palau Workshop Report - Epic Diving!
• Diving Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea
• Diving Papua New Guinea on the MV Febrina
• Diving Papua New Guinea, Part II: Macro
• Philippines Diving Hot Spot: Moalboal (pg 2)
• Philippines Diving Hot Spot: Moalboal
• Photographing the Wrecks of the St. Lawrence River (pg 2)
• Photographing the Wrecks of the St. Lawrence River
• Putting Kosrae on the Map
• Raja Ampat Dive Report
• Raja Ampat on the Indo-Siren - massive fish report
• Misool and Triton Bay on the Arenui
• Russia's White Sea
• SCUBA Diving Mozambique
• Inspiring Photos from the Sea of Cortez
• Secret Dances in the Sand Flats
• Secret Macro Subjects of the Sea of Cortez
• Wide-Angle in the Sea of Cortez & Midriff Islands
• Sipadan History and Upcoming Underwater Camera Ban
• Big Animal Encounter: Humpback Whales
• Socorro Island Adventure on the Solmar V
• Socorro Workshop Photos & Report
• The Circle of Life at Socorro
• Vortex: The Full Ride
• 10 Dive Sites you Must See in the Solomon Islands
• Southern Red Sea
• St. Vincent
• Swimming with Crocodiles in Banco Chinchorro
• The Allure of Papua New Guinea
• The Amazing and Unique Underwater World of Blackwater Diving
• The Best Kept Shark Diving Secret: Cuba (pg 2)
• The Best Kept Shark Diving Secret: Cuba
• The Two Faces of Dumaguete
• Trip Report: Komodo
• Trip Report: Tioman Island
• Truk Lagoon
• Under the Jungle in México's Flooded Caves
• Underwater Photographer's Guide to Raja Ampat
• Bunaken Island diving
• Diving KBR Resort Lembeh
• Huge School of Fish Loved by Photographers Almost Captured by Fishermen
• Manta Ray Night Dive
• California Sea Lions Nursing at Eureka Rigs
• Channel Islands Diving Report
• How to Get the Shot: Oil Rigs
• The Wild Side of the Channel Islands
• Catalina Fish Photography
• Catalina island macro
• Catalina Island Dive Report Jan 2010
• Best Diving & Underwater Photography Locations in Southeast Asia
• Dive Adventure: Blue Heron Bridge
• The Bali Muck Diving Experience
• Underwater Photo Essay: Ambon, Indonesia
• Rapid bay jetty
• Edithburgh Jetty
• Maldives Liveaboard Photo Essay
• Best Shark Diving Destinations
• Diving Ticao and Donsol, the Philippines
• Milford Sound
• 10 Tips for Fun Beach Diving
• Dive Equipment
• Dive Travel: Making a List
• Diving Under the Ice
• Shore Diving with a dSLR
• Trip Planning - Article 1
• Underwater Photography On A Non-Diving Vacation
• Dive Site Research and Planning
• Dive Etiquette
• Inside Look at a Philippines Liveaboard Photo Workshop
• Is a liveboard right for you?
• Etiquette on Liveaboards and at Resorts
• Baggage Fees
• Beating Airline Baggage fees, part 2
• Must-Pack Items for your Underwater Photo Trip
• Packing Strategies for Traveling Photographers
• Top 10 Tips for Dive Travel
• Lessons learned - dive safety
• Navigating the Kelp Forest Safely Underwater and Still Getting that Great Shot
• A Family Humpback Adventure in Moorea
• Get the Most from your Photo Workshop
• I Went for a Dive in the Gulf of Maine and I Saw One Fish
• Inside Look: Cold Water Expeditions
• Liveaboard Customizations for Photographers
• Photo Tips for Adventure Diving and Expeditions
• The Packing Guide for Underwater Photographers
• Time is Perfection: the Launch of the Socorro Vortex
• Kruger park safari logistics and photography information
• Top 5 Tips for New Underwater Photographers
• Easy Ways to Eliminate Backscatter in your Photos
• Essential Drift Diving Photo Tips
• The Breakdown on Back Button Focus
• Guide to underwater video with the Canon 7D
• Howard Hall's amazing underwater video
• Achieving Fast Focus Underwater
• Focusing in Low Light Underwater
• Great Color in your Underwater Photos
• How to Choose Photos for a Competition
• How to Start Taking Underwater Photos
• It's All in the Flash
• Never Leave Your Macro Gear at Home
• Shallow Depth of Field Underwater
• Shooting Fast Action Underwater
• Shooting Great Portraits of Sharks
• The Art of Backlighting Waves
• Tips for Capturing Marine Life Behavior
• Tips for Dive Model Photography
• Tips to Capture Amazing Freshwater Images
• Top 11 Tips for Cenote Photography
• Photographing Behavior Underwater
• An 8-Arm Camera Thief
• In The News: Fish Uses Tool to Get Food
• Nudibranch Self Defense in Action
• Sperm Whale Photography with Franco Banfi
• Marine Taxonomy
• 10 Underwater Creature Facts You Don't Know
• 5 Critters You Must See in the Indo-Pacific
• Indo-Pacific Critter Guide Gets Updated
• California Marine Life
• Bartick's Water Column: Mimic, Muck, & Beyond
• Bartick's Water Column: Searching for Rhinopias
• Celebrating California's Underwater Parks
• Diving Underwater With Manatees
• Diving with Whale Sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
• Diving with the West Papua Whale Sharks
• Fascinating Creatures of the Pacific Northwest
• January Critter Season
• 3 Tips to Capture Manta Ray Action
• An Encounter with Orcas in Mexico
• Behind the Scenes at Bimini Sharklab
• California Squid Run: A Photo Essay
• Caribbean Creature Feature: Glass Blennies
• Caribbean Creature Feature: Hamlets
• Caribbean Creature Feature: The Secretary Blenny
• Cephalopods of Okinawa, Japan
• Coral Reefs Now More Resistant to Ocean Warming than a Decade Ago
• Diving with Devils - Ultimate Guide to Manta Rays
• Encounter with an Oceanic Whitetip Shark
• Environmental Message Behind Darwin's Dream Film
• Face-to-Face with Killer Whales
• Facts about Orcas, aka Killer Whales
• Get Involved: Protecting Our Ocean
• Green Sea Turtles
• How Coral Photography Can Inspire Your Next Dive
• Inside Look: Training Sharks to Eat Lionfish
• Interview with Rene Umberger - Scuba Diver who was attacked underwater
• Knowing your Subject: its Habits, Habitat and Behavior
• Lionfish Invade the Mediterranean
• Photographing Signal Blennies
• Plastic Pollution: What You Can Do to Save Our Oceans
• Satellite Tagging – The SHARC Tag Program
• Sea Stars of the Ocean
• Secret Worlds Magnified
• Seeing Double: Colorful Fish Couples
• The Craziest Critters in Lembeh
• The Gentle Giants of the Pacific Northwest
• The Mimic Octopus: Photos, Behavior and Best Dive Sites
• The Sand Tiger Sharks of North Carolina
• The Spider Crabs of Rye Pier
• Three Crazy Critters of the Dauin Coast
• Tips for Interacting with Dolphins and Whales
• Tips to Capture Vibrant Manta Ray Photos
• Ultimate Guide to Sea Turtle Photography
• Video: Octopus Life, Death & Birth
• Wolf Eels: A Face Only a Mother Could Love
• Mouthbrooding Cardinalfish
• Once in a Lifetime Humpback Whale Experience
• Swimming with the Manatees in Crystal River
• Return to Tiger Beach
• Shark Angels - Making a Difference
• The Hunt For The Pink Frogfish
• Where and How to Photograph Basking Sharks
• Black Sea Bass
• Blue Ringed Octopus
• Bobbit worm - ambush predator, Eunice aphroditois
• Giant Kelp Forests
• Harlequin Shrimp
• Diving underwater with giant jellyfish
• Jellyfish Encounters
• Photographing Jellyfish Lakes
• Bartick's Critter Column: Reflecting on 2011
• Blue-water Diving for Pelagic Invertebrates
• Bluefin Tuna - What You Can Do
• Leafy Sea Dragon
• A Nudibranch Safari in Norway
• Basic Breakdown: Nudibranch Defenses
• How to Find Nudibranchs
• Kevin Lee Photos Featured At Univ Of Connecticut
• The Sand Dwelling Slugs of California
• 3 Really Unique Nudibranchs
• Hippocampus ingens
• Wonderpus Octopus
• Don't Melt Your Lens - Literally
• Ten Amazing Photos from Friends of the Guide
• 10 Amazing Photos from Friends of the Guide
• Story Behind the Shot: Lion-mane Nudibranch
• Story Behind the Shot: Frozen Fjord
• Story Behind the Shot: Cave Reflection
• Story Behind the Shot: "Manta Madness"
• Bryde's Whale: Story Behind the Shot
• Experimenting with Color Strobe Gels
• Free Frogfishes Book: Interview with Teresa Zubi
• Incredible Photo Sequence "Eyes Bigger than the Stomach"
• Insight into Art: Amok Island
• Mating Blue-Ringed Octopus: Story Behind the Shot
• Rolling in the Deep: Komodo Macro
• Rolling in the Deep: Komodo Wide-Angle
• Story Behind the Shot "Angry Sepiola"
• 4 Photos with Matt Draper
• Diving in Italy: Interview with Pietro Formis
• Dugong Photos on a Single Breath
• Duncan Murrell: The Story of a Whaleman and his Kayak
• Made in Puget Sound
• May, 2020: A Month of AWESOME Content!
• Moments with a Humpback Mother & Calf
• Nudibranch Encounters Pygmy Squid: Story Behind the Shot
• Celebrating Rajan the Swimming Elephant
• Story Behind the Shot: Octopus Sunball
• Surprise Encounter with Spawning Corals
• Story Behind the Shot: A Happy Bunch
• Story Behind the Shot: A Sad Catch
• Story Behind the Shot: Chew With Your Mouth Closed!
• Story Behind the Shot: Dolphin Formation
• Story Behind the Shot: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
• Story Behind the Shot: En Garde
• Story Behind the Shot: Love Between Scales
• Story Behind the Shot: Octopus Mother
• Story Behind the Shot: Swallows Cave
• Story Behind the Wave
• The Ocean Decade Exhibition
• Video: Diving a Nuclear Missile Silo
• Video: The Wrecks of Bell Island
• What's in the Camera Bag: Brook Peterson
• What's in the Camera Bag: Ken Kiefer
• What's in the Camera Bag: Mike Bartick
• What's in the Camera Bag: Ron Watkins
• What's in the Camera Bag: Serge Abourjeily
• An Interview with PT Hirschfield
• Story Behind the Shot "Kirra Underwater"
• Story Behind the Shot "Lionfish Stares at its Lunch"
• Story Behind the Shot "Underwater Circus"
• Story Behind the Shot: "Shout"
• The Squid Eye: Story Behind the Shot
• Diving the Oil Rigs: An Interview with Milton Love
• Featured Artist: Joshua Lambus
• Featured Artist: Cynthia Hankins
• Featured Artist: Steve Rosenberg
• Featured Artist: Brandi E. Irwin Ultraviolet light
• Photography Glossary
• Alor Diving: What if Lembeh had a Raja?
• Coral Seeding - Synergies in Technology and Application to Restore Coral Reefs in the Caribbean
• How to Support the Maui Dive Community
• 2016 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2015 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• Ocean Art Photo Competition: Rules, Judges, Categories, Prizes
• 2013 Ocean Art Photo Competition
• Cold/ Temperate Water 2011 Winners
• Compact Macro 2011 Winners
• Compact Marine Life Behavior 2011 Winners
• Compact Wide-Angle 2011 Winners
• Diver/ Fashion 2011 Winners
• Macro 2011 Winners
• Marine Life Behavior 2011 Winners
• Marine Life Portrait 2011 Winners
• Novice dSLR 2011 Winners
• Nudibranchs 2011 Winners
• SuperMacro 2011 Winners
• Wide-Angle 2011 Winners
• Winners Announced for 2011 Ocean Art Contest
• 2011 Ocean Art Photo Competition
• 2012 SoCal Shootout Winners Announced
• Wide Angle 2010 winners
• Macro underwater photos 2010 winners
• Marine Life Portrait 2010 winners
• Marine Life Behavior 2010 winners
• Divers & Fashion 2010 winners
• Nudibranchs 2010 winners
• Supermacro 2010 winners
• Novice dSLR 2010 winners
• Compact Wide Angle 2010 winners
• Compact Camera Macro 2010 winners
• Compact Camera Behavior 2010 winners
• Underwater Photo Contest 2010
• 2018 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2019 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• 2020 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• Ocean Art Photo Competition 2021 Judges Comments
• Ocean Art 2022 - 1st Place Blackwater
• 2023 Ocean Art Contest Winners
• An Underwater Panorama - "The Ruby" by Nicolas Barraqué
• Ocean Art 2023 Photo Competition Judges Comments
• Ocean Art 2023 Winners Announced
• Ocean Art Media Coverage
• Ocean Art Photo Competition 2022 Judges Comments
• Photography as a Tool for Nature Conservation
• Safeguarding the Genetic Diversity of Bonaire’s Coral Reefs

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All text and photos copyright 2018 by Scott Gietler unless otherwise noted

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