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Underwater Photography
Almost every photographer is thrilled when taking his or her first pictures under water, whether in a swimming pool or the ocean's depths. The excitement comes not only from the very idea of capturing an underwater scene on film or on a digital camera's sensor, but also from being in a completely-different environment - another world, it seems.Underwater Photography in a Word
If the difficulties encountered in shooting underwater had to be summed up in one word, perhaps the best word would be ¡°limitations. Communication and travel below the surface are limited. Natural light and visibility are limited. Equipment selection is limited. Even time is limited, since we are air-breathing creatures and must at some point come to the surface.
The secret to successful underwater photography occurs in how well we overcome these limitations.
The rewards of underwater photography can be great. Since it is a specialized area that relatively few photographers attempt, the opportunities for new and different images are many. People who have little interest in your vacation pictures will usually look for
ward with eagerness to seeing your underwater pictures, since there is a novelty aspect to them and because we are all fascinated by images from places we seldom see in person.
Persistence - Underwater photography is fraught with frustrations and challenges. It takes many dives to form a nice collection of images. Only by repeated attempts and learning from your mistakes can you develop the skills and techniques for producing award winning photos.
Photographic knowledge - If you jump in the water with an expensive camera system but a total lack of knowledge on how to use it, you'll probably find that your photos turn out quite disappointing. Even with cameras that automate focus and exposure, you should still have an understanding of exposure control, aperture settings, focus, composition basics, and other aspects of photography.
A place to dive - If you live in a place like coastal California where great diving may only be minutes away, it's not difficult to dive on a consistent basis if you can find the time. If you're even luckier, your dive buddy has a boat! Most people live many miles from the nearest body of water, however, which certainly limits diving opportunities.
If the difficulties encountered in shooting underwater had to be summed up in one word, perhaps the best word would be ¡°limitations. Communication and travel below the surface are limited. Natural light and visibility are limited. Equipment selection is limited. Even time is limited, since we are air-breathing creatures and must at some point come to the surface.
The secret to successful underwater photography occurs in how well we overcome these limitations.
The rewards of underwater photography can be great. Since it is a specialized area that relatively few photographers attempt, the opportunities for new and different images are many. People who have little interest in your vacation pictures will usually look for
Persistence - Underwater photography is fraught with frustrations and challenges. It takes many dives to form a nice collection of images. Only by repeated attempts and learning from your mistakes can you develop the skills and techniques for producing award winning photos.
Photographic knowledge - If you jump in the water with an expensive camera system but a total lack of knowledge on how to use it, you'll probably find that your photos turn out quite disappointing. Even with cameras that automate focus and exposure, you should still have an understanding of exposure control, aperture settings, focus, composition basics, and other aspects of photography.
A place to dive - If you live in a place like coastal California where great diving may only be minutes away, it's not difficult to dive on a consistent basis if you can find the time. If you're even luckier, your dive buddy has a boat! Most people live many miles from the nearest body of water, however, which certainly limits diving opportunities.
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