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Fluoroscent Photography Underwater

On a night dive in the Philippines several years ago, I had an opportunity to do a "fluoro" night dive. Atlantis Dive Resort rented blue underwater flashlights and yellow filter shields that went over divers' masks. Geared up, I set off into the night. The blue light was very dim and the dive was much darker than a normal night dive. After a few moments of wondering what exactly I was doing underwater in the blackness of night, my eyes started to adjust and the first fluorescent colors started to show up.

Words:
Brandi Mueller
Images:
Brandi Mueller
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Photo & Video

I suddenly felt like I was in a neon video game with the underwater world transforming into vibrant greens, reds and yellows. A bright, glowing light snaked across the sand, and on closer inspection, it was an eel that was vivid green. Later in the dive, I saw the outline of a red fish in the sand. It turned out to be a scorpionfish with only the outline of its body glowing reddish-pink while its lacy appendages along its body did not. Hard corals, which during the day were a bland ivory color, were now dazzling green and yellow, with tinges of maroon.

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Flourescent night diving on the rise

Fluorescence night dives, or fluoro, UV and glow dives, as they are also known, are becoming increasingly popular as more and more dive centres offer scuba divers and underwater photographers the chance to experience this unique underwater phenomenon.

There are also an increasing number of vendors offering diving equipment for use on these special dives, and the purpose of this article is to explain the basics, background, techniques and equipment associated with this interesting aspect of the underwater world.

Words:
Steffen Beyer
Images:
Steffen Beyer
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The basics—what is it?

Fluorescence is the capability of certain materials to absorb light transmitted on one wavelength and then emit it again nanoseconds later on a different wavelength. The phenomenon occurs in certain living organisms, various minerals and in petrified fossils.

 

Fluorescence should not be confused with either phosphorescence, which is the capability to store light and then emit again over time such as on the dials of our diving gear or watches, or bio-luminescence where light is produced by living organisms when they consume energy.

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