Rules for photographing underwater. Everything you need

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Every day new tricks and tricks appear on the Internet that help to cope with any situation and simplify everyday worries. Some are so simple that it’s hard to understand how we didn’t think of this before.

website Based on the advice of professionals, I have compiled 12 tricks for you to take the coolest photos with a regular smartphone.

Headset as a shutter release

A non-obvious feature of the headset is its use as a remote control.

What to do: Connect the headset to your phone, open the camera app and press the “+” button to take a photo.

Selfie "without hands"

Selfie with big amount man is difficult to do. Someone always misses the frame or their hand covers most of the photo. To solve this problem, build a simple tripod.

What to do: Take an unnecessary plastic card and bend it in three places; you can put your phone on one of the bends. Use headphones or a timer to take a photo from a distance.

Panoramic Twins

Use the panoramic shooting feature to create doubles in one photo without using image editors.

What to do: Select Panorama mode. Place a person in the frame and begin to smoothly move your smartphone in any direction. As soon as the person is outside the footage, stop or slow down. At this time, the model should run behind you into the next frame.

Little Earth

Use a variety of apps to add interesting effects to your photos. For example, the RollWorld application can make a miniature of the globe from your photo.

What to do: Download the app and upload a pre-made panorama or other interesting photo. Experiment with the settings and you will get a unique, fantastic photo.

Underwater photos

Taking pictures in water or underwater with a smartphone is much more convenient than with a regular camera. However, you do not have to buy a protective case.

What to do: Place the phone in a regular transparent glass, and lower the glass 2/3 into water. Use the headset as a remote control. For photos at depth, put a condom on the gadget. This will protect it from moisture, and the sensor will be just as sensitive.

Use a reflector

When shooting portraits, sometimes you need to highlight a dark area, add depth and brightness. Any reflective surfaces are suitable for this task.

What to do: Take a solar reflector for your car or regular foil. Reflective material can be used to highlight dark areas or add highlights to a photo.

Use the HDR feature

The HDR function combines several images of different brightness into one. Because of this, photographs are brighter, more voluminous and richer.

What to do: Open your camera, turn on HDR, and take a photo.

Advice: Photos taken in this mode take up more space in the smartphone memory, so use this function in special cases. For example, if you want to capture a sunset, the greenery of trees or beautiful flowers.

Attach your phone to a balloon

You don't have to buy an expensive drone to take a photo of a landscape from above. You can attach your phone to balloon.

What to do: Take a big one balloon, filled with helium. Securely attach your phone and a strong thread to it. Launch the ball and take a photo using the timer.

Advice: Put a protective case on your smartphone and turn on the phone finder function. This will save your device if something goes wrong.

Shooting underwater produces some of the most breathtaking and unusual images. However, they are difficult to obtain and the process itself requires expensive equipment. The key to good photos- preliminary practice, especially if you have a chance rare chance go on vacation. It is also important to feel comfortable in the water. Here are some tips for taking great underwater photos.

1. Practice in the pool

Before photographing in the ocean, where the water is unpredictable, try taking a couple of shots in the pool. This will require additional underwater equipment. Most popular compact and DSLR cameras have special plastic cases that insulate the camera itself and the lenses. They are waterproof and therefore important for protecting equipment. Don't forget about a polarizing filter - it will reduce glare, as well as unwanted reflections in the water.

2. Seize the moment

​Practice staying underwater for longer periods of time while keeping your camera in a stable position. Lower your ISO to get a noise-free shot, and set your shutter speed to 1/250th of a second or faster. You can use the camera flash when shooting in the pool, “freezing” the moment. If you can't keep your eyes open underwater, put on some goggles and try to capture a funny portrait of a person swimming.

3. Semi-underwater photographs (“half and half”)

The main technical problem that photographers face when shooting images like this is the different exposure above and below the surface of the water. This is due to the refraction process, which affects the overall focus of the overwater segment. However, the problem can be solved by using special split diopter filters designed to compensate for this disadvantage.

4. Keep your camera level

Holding a camera steadily underwater is a challenge for everyone, because water is always moving. It is quite useful to swim and get comfortable in the water before moving on to shooting. Don't be afraid to use your friend or a rock to stabilize your body and keep the camera level. However, it is not recommended to hold it with one hand.

5. Lighting

When shooting underwater, you will need a special strobe flash. You can buy it at a camera supply store; A regular flash is not powerful enough to illuminate dark sea/ocean water. Reduce ISO as much as possible, as low-light conditions can result in grainy images; Set ISO to 50 or 25 if possible.

6. Zoom in for details

Underwater macro photography can yield amazing results. Use attachment lenses (usually 50mm - 200mm) to focus on objects a few centimeters from the lens. Shoot in RAW format - this the best choice, if you later want to adjust the color using special programs. RAW images will not lose their quality even after the color correction process.

How to avoid color loss

One of the biggest challenges in underwater photography is the loss of color and contrast. When submerged in water, objects appear blue or green. This is due to the fact that the colors are longer waves are absorbed. Color loss occurs both horizontally and vertically, making distant objects appear colorless and blurry. This problem can be solved by getting as close to your subject as possible and using a wide-angle lens, or using flash to help restore color.

When shooting underwater, use as low an ISO as possible to get a photo with minimum quantity noise You'll need a shutter speed of about 1/125 - 1/500 second to freeze a moment - a school of fish, for example. Use a small aperture (f/11-f/20), making foreground and background subjects clear. If possible, shoot in RAW format - this will allow you to make color corrections later.

You will need a suitable waterproof housing made specifically for your camera (these are usually made by third party companies; shop around and look for the best option). Another useful tool is a strobe flash if you plan to shoot at depth or in muddy water. The best lenses for this type of photography are attachment lenses and wide-angle ones. A telephoto lens will be useless as it will not allow enough light to take a clear photograph.

conclusions

Underwater photography is a serious challenge that can be expensive. However, if you want to make this your hobby, you will need the right equipment. Don't forget about the rules of composition and focal points, because you are underwater! Also practice adjusting your camera settings underwater. You can do this while swimming or diving in the pool. Ultimately, don't be afraid to take the time. Unique photos will be worth it!

This amazing series of photographs is called “Over/Under”. Its author, photographer Matthew Smith, is an Englishman who, due to his irresistible craving to the ocean in 2007 he moved to live in Australia. According to the author of these unusual photographs, he has had an attraction to water for as long as he can remember. Matthew's first early memories are of scuba diving on a family holiday to the French coast Mediterranean Sea. It was then that he first began to observe with great interest how unusually light behaves on the fluctuating surface of the sea and in deep blue water. This childhood hobby determined him future life. Matthew has become a renowned photographer who specializes in photography above and below water at the same time. He has won many prestigious awards in various international photography competitions, including the title of “Nature Photographer of the Year 2014.” Check out these amazing photos at the intersection of two worlds: above and below water.

14 PHOTOS

1. Silky sharks, Cuba. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
2. Portuguese man of war, also called bluebottle. The photo was taken in Shellharbour, Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
3. Very beautiful, but also very dangerous for humans Portuguese man of war. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
4. A beautiful transparent bubble filled with gas allows the Portuguese man of war to float on the surface of the water. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
5. The tentacles of the Portuguese man of war contain poison that is deadly to humans. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
6. Gusters at dawn. The photo was taken on the south coast of New South Wales in Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
7. Mermaid necklace. Hyams Beach Jervis Bay, Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
8. Gusters are broke. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
9. High tide at MM Beach, Port Kembla, Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
10. "Aquarium". Photo taken at Bushrangers Bay, New South Wales, Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)
11. A modest Portuguese man-of-war at dawn in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. (Photo: Matthew Smith)

Surely many remember: once upon a time there was a wonderful program that everyone, young and old, watched - “The Odyssey of Jacques Cousteau. Undersea world"They looked with admiration, with open mouths..

And we live in a wonderful time when we can afford a camera for underwater photography! It's great that we can create our own underwater photo world!

Underwater photography is a novelty for many. When you start doing something new, a million questions always arise: what equipment do you need, what accessories do you need?

Are you wondering what you need for underwater photography?

First, you need a camera (at least). Secondly, you should decide what you are going to photograph and at what depth.

There are special cameras for professional underwater photography. For example, DX 8000 G. With such cameras you can take pictures at a depth of 40-50 meters. If there is such a need, for example, you are an oceanologist. The cost of such a camera is quite high, so if you are not engaged in studying underwater depths, then move on to the following options.

There are cameras with a waterproof body, for example, the Pentax Optio W30. In terms of price, such cameras are not much more expensive than similar models in a regular case. With such cameras you cannot go to great depths; the Pentax Optio has a maximum permissible depth of 3 meters. You can go 10 meters deep with the Olympus mju 770 SW camera.

But we’ll immediately identify the disadvantages: you won’t be able to stay underwater with similar models of cameras for a long time.

The most simple solution Today there is a photobox, also known as aquabox. But there are different types of aquaboxes: a plastic sealed bag and a hard aquabox.

Both types have their pros and cons.

Sealed plastic bag It is a two-layer polyvinyl chloride with a built-in glass lens eye. All you need to do is choose the size for your camera. Pros: “bags” or cases vary in size, not by camera model. Cons: you cannot connect an additional device (for example, an external flash); with such packages you can only dive to a maximum of 10 meters.

Rigid photo boxes are a plastic form where all the connections different parts the housings are protected by special sealing rings. To control the camera underwater, special elements (wheels, levers, buttons, etc.) are placed on the surface of the box. They are located opposite the camera controls, transmitting external forces to them.

With such an avkabox you can conquer depths of both 40 and 60 meters!

Photo boxes are suitable for most camera models, but many people want to be the owner of a photo box for their camera. Such a whim will cost more.

When purchasing, pay attention to the fact that the aquabox has a place for mounting a flash, and the “porthole” of the box must have a thread for attaching filters and additional attachments.

Important!

If it seems to you that the bag is not so sealed or the waterproof aquabox does not inspire confidence in you, you can lubricate the gaskets, rotating elements and other plastic and rubber products with regular silicone gel.

Natural light is not enough for underwater photography. You will be able to shoot with the “real” sun at a depth of 1.5-2 meters. The built-in flash of the camera is also not suitable. For underwater photography you will need an external flash.

The FANTASEA Cool Flash model is very popular among photographers. Although it is known more among amateur photographers, nevertheless, it can be used to go down to a depth of 40 meters, and such a flash can be used not only under water. You can successfully use it on land.

But don’t forget to purchase a barbell or flexible bar along the way. Holding a camera with one hand and a flash with the other is a difficult task.

The circle of professional photographers involved in underwater photography is not as narrow as it might seem at first glance. Underwater photography itself originated a very long time ago against the backdrop of study and careful research. depths of the sea. It was practically not considered as art. Along with the emergence of underwater sports, underwater photography began to become an art.
Underwater photography requires very good physical training, good health and nerves of steel.

Underwater photography very much depends on the conditions: the ability to swim, dive; correct photography; there must be a special camera that allows you to take photos underwater. Of course, it is unlikely that anything can be seen and captured on the surface of the water, so you will also need good underwater equipment in addition to a mask and snorkel. And, as statistics say, not all beginners have the courage to remain a submariner photographer; many retrain.

When taking photographs, you need to clearly understand that underwater photography is not proof that you were at a certain depth. This is, first of all, the art of conveying all the charm of the underwater landscape, all the beauty of depth.
Underwater photography is still photography first, and only then underwater. This means that all the rules that apply “on land” are also used under water. Great photographs require composition. I’m not talking about what kind of composition it is, but I’m just asking you not to forget about it. Don't forget about the correct exposure, otherwise you will get tired of explaining to your friends that " black spot on a blue-green background" - this is actually beautiful tropical fish Red.

Good photographs require the photographer's relationship with the subject or subject. What did you want to show? Why did you click the shutter? Just to photograph the tail of a fleeing fish? Even the argument that this particular fish is found only in this place of this sea will not make your image good and interesting. Therefore, when photographing underwater, do not forget that photography is not just the fact that certain Marine life really exist.

Water absorbs light and color. And very strongly. We can conclude that the closer to the object, the more colors will be captured in the photo. After a certain distance, any object underwater will be visible either green or blue. That is why you should be as close as possible to the object you are photographing.
For underwater photography, only 2 types of lenses are recommended: an ultra-wide-angle lens and a macro lens. The first allows you to focus at a distance of 10-15cm, and the macro lens is ideal for photographing tiny underwater creatures.

You must use flash underwater! It will restore the bright colors absorbed by the water. Normal pictures can be taken underwater using an external flash, which will be attached to the camera with a rod. Today they produce kits for underwater photography, which are equipped with both a box and a rod with a long and flexible mount.
Your precious underwater camera should be protected in its housing, even if it is considered waterproof. This camera equipment is divided into two types: transparent, soft cases and hard boxes, usually plastic.

The advantages of soft boxes include ease of use, suitability for absolutely any camera, and relative cheapness. Disadvantages are low strength; the maximum depth they can withstand is 10m; Also, because of them, there is not the slightest possibility of connecting an additional device to the camera.

Mostly all hard boxes are distinguished by their strength. They allow you to dive to 60m! The transparent plastic has ridges that allow you to press all the buttons on the camera. But, alas, the hard case is made for each camera model. And, if it is universal, then it is also impossible to attach any addition.

The following accessories are mandatory for underwater photography: red filter, silicone gel, anti-fog liquid. A red filter compensates for warm tones absorbed by water. These filters are produced individually for different boxes. Silicone gel is necessary for lubricating all folds, seals, and rings of the box to ensure that no water gets inside. You have to buy anti-fog protective liquid yourself, but you can’t do without it. It is necessary to prevent fogging of the eye on the box.

So, let's summarize what you need for underwater photography:
- clear, clean water
- bright and bright sunny day
- transparent case, hard box
- flash and wide-angle lens
- subject to be photographed at close range

Underwater photography is most likely the most expensive, but how much pleasure and joy it can bring!