10 Smart Strategies For Successful Underwater Photography

On Assignment Curacao

Tanya G. Burnett

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Capturing Curacao
This spring, Sport Diver took a group of avid readers to the pristine island of Curacao for an eight-day instructional photography experience known as "On Assignment." On this trip, the budding photographers were treated to a mix of hands-on underwater photography sessions, along with inside photo tips from famed Sport Diver photographer Tanya G. Burnett. The goal of the trip: Give the readers a true sense of what it's really like to be on assignment for the magazine and to challenge their underwater photography and travel writing skills along the way. 

For those readers who couldn't make it this time, here are some important lessons from the “On Assignment” curriculum — simple tips that every budding photo pro should practice to progress.

10 Smart Strategies For Successful Underwater Photography
* Buoyancy Matters: To maximize effectiveness with the camera — and minimize impact on the reef — always maintain neutral buoyancy.
* Take Test Shots: Fire off a few test shots to fine-tune exposure and strobe-light placement.
* Approach Carefully: First responsibility is to protect the reef, so consider the best angle of approach, move slowly and watch your fin tips.
* Get Close: Get as close as you can to your subject and when you think you’re close enough, carefully get a little closer. The less water between you and the subject, the better the color, sharpness and apparent clarity of the water in the resulting image.
* Shoot Upward: Upward angles give underwater images more dimension and blue backgrounds that help your subject stand out.
* Focus on the Eyes: When shooting an animal, the eye is the most compelling connection to the viewer, so it has to be sharp.
* Patience Pays: Rushing in generally doesn’t produce a cooperative subject or a good image. Sometimes waiting reveals a more compelling perspective or a more interesting behavior.
* Review Often: If you don’t pause to review the images you’re producing during a dive, how will you know what to fix?
* Shoot Multiples: With slight changes, you might discover a better composition or more effective exposure by bracketing f-stops.
* Practice Good Etiquette: Give others a respectful distance, wait your turn for a subject and be appropriately courteous if others are also looking forward to shooting your target.