Good place to putz around with a camera

[mikemill]

So my brother got a camera and strobe for Christmas. He wants to go diving to play around with it and get a feel for it.

I was thinking of doing breakwater along the wall. Is that a half decent spot for shotting?

 

[sarita75]

I think so!

 

[Brewski]

Oh yeah. you can always find something along the wall. Plan on being real close to your subjects to avoid backscatter. 3 feet or closer should do it.

 

[Peter_C]

The Metridium Field off of San Carlos Beach is also a great place for pictures. So one dive at each spot and you never have to move the car. If you need help locating the Metridiums there are plenty of posts in the NorCal forum that will help guide you.

 

[Brewski]

I took him there last weekend, hopefully he was paying attention.

 

[mikemill]

Lets see, long ass surface swim, decend, hit turn around pressure, and then yeah...

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Oh yeah. you can always find something along the wall. Plan on being real close to your subjects to avoid backscatter. 3 feet or closer should do it.

Three feet is a LONG way underwater. Be thinking inches. Famous
underwater photographer Howard Hall once said (roughly): "To
take good pictures underwater, first remove as much water as
possible from between you and your subject.". And Ken Howard
says "Get low, get close, shoot up."

And backscatter comes from your strobe overexposing the close
crud in the water. Tip your strobe up as much as possible while
still lighting the subject. Digital makes it easy to check this.

 

[matt mattison]

Hey chuck thanks for the advice I will have to try that, I am just getting into photography my self.

 

[mikemill]

Thanks all, I'll pass along the advice. I doubt I'll be taking a turn behind it. For one thing I want to get more comfortable with the basic stuff before adding more complexity to it.