There are many intriguing subjects to photograph in the water column. Underwater photographers Anita George-Ares and John A. Ares share their favorite blue-water photos as well as the thoughts behind each shot.
Wild dolphins. Photo by Anita George-Ares.
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One never knows what one might find in blue water: dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, seals or invertebrates. For Anita, when shooting marine life in blue water, the subjects are the center of attention, not their surroundings. Blue water illuminates the translucence, textures or contrasting patterns of a marine animal, especially if strobes or video lights are used.
In Photo 2, the translucence and variable textures of the spotted jellyfish are highlighted by the dark blue water. Blue water illuminates the translucence and texture of the squid in Photo 3. The contrasting patterns on the sea turtle’s head and flippers are accentuated in Photo 4.
When strobes are used, backscatter (spots in an image) may appear in blue-water images. Backscatter results from light being reflected by particles in the water column. Adjusting the strobe position will help reduce backscatter. The Remove tool in Adobe Photoshop is also useful for quickly removing large areas of backscatter.
Distant subjects
Sometimes the photographer cannot get close enough to the subject, especially when the subject is swimming away. Strobes and video lights are inadequate when the subject is too far away.
The images of the dolphins and the shark were taken with available light, then later cropped (Photos 1 and 5). It is a thrill to capture images of a critically endangered oceanic whitetip shark, in addition to a spinner dolphin with her calf. It is worth trying to capture an image even if conditions are not optimal.
Three-dimensionality
For John, one of the best aspects of blue-water diving is becoming three-dimensional. This lets one see creatures during the descent and ascent and allows for stops to admire the marine life.
The sea lions of Los Islotes, off La Paz, Mexico, live to play and spend a lot of time in mid-water, waiting to grab a diver’s fin. The sea lion in Photo 6 was highlighted by the sun as it descended toward John.
While John and Anita were diving in the Maldives, the formation of the crescent-tail bigeyes kept changing (Photo 7). The fish formed a line, or split into two, and everything in between.
Photographing divers
In addition to marine life, John likes to photograph divers. The three divers in Photo 8 create a strange, magical feeling, knowing that you will be ascending to the surface near the line.
In Photo 9, John shot through a torpedo hole inside the inverted Hoyo Maru wreck in Truk Lagoon. Anita and the dive guide in the background were suspended perfectly in mid-water, outside the wreck.
John was photographing the bigeyes when he realized that Anita was nearby, so he included her in the shot (Photo 10). He had to spread the strobes away from the center of the school, so the light did not bounce directly back into the camera, overexposing the image.
Conclusion
While reef photography can create wonderful images, blue water photography has the advantage of providing a simple background that highlights the marine life or the diver that is being photographed. The choice depends on the photographer’s objective. â–
