Help, photos all green?

[lord1234]

So I just started taking photos with my DC300 and an SL960. All my photos are all green...Anyone know what I can do to make them not so green? There is a lot of color underwater and I know that I am doing something wrong....

 

[matt215]

this is a real challenge for underwater photography. you've got to get light on your subject. are you using a strobe? if not you need to get one (or two). then get really close to whatever it is you are trying to photography, because the strobes can only put light on stuff about 6 or 7 feet away from you.
as far as the green photos you already have, you could try color correcting them in a editing program like photoshop, lightroom, iphoto, aperture, etc.
you may also want to check the white balance setting on your camera. make sure the white balance setting is on auto unless you want (and know how) to do a custom white balance. if you figure out how to do that let me know.
the deeper you go the more critical all this becomes. for example, all the red light is filtered out by the water after only 12 feet or so. so when you're at 80+ feet everything becomes monochromatic, and thus the need to put light on it.
hope this helps.

 

[under water]

Please post a couple of examples (small versions).
How close are you to the subjects you are trying to photograph? More than a few feet away and the strobe will not help much. Get close.
Are you sure your strobe is firing?

 

[lord1234]

I took these pics yesterday. The strobe was DEFINITELY firing. I was within a few feet.

pics are
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0002.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0003.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0004.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0005.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0006.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i22/sunstar1234/IMAG0007.jpg

 

[under water]

Those ARE green.
Do the shots above surface come out OK?
If the external strobe was firing, it sure doesn't look like the shutter was open at the same time. Any chance you have red-eye pre-flash turned on? That might trigger the strobe too early.
What happens when you don't use the SL960 but just the internal flash? If those are green too and you are within a few feet then I think that either you are diving in pea soup or the camera is kaput.

 

[lord1234]

Well...the vis wasn't *wonderful* yesterday...frank living out here u know how it is...The surface shots come out fine. I'll ahve to play with it more...6 shots does not a decision make.

 

[AndyT]

Maybe your strobe is not in sync with your camera - try pointing the camera and strobe at a mirror then take a picture. If you can see the strobe firing in the image then you should be OK.

 

[justleesa]

Maybe your strobe is not in sync with your camera - try pointing the camera and strobe at a mirror then take a picture. If you can see the strobe firing in the image then you should be OK.

That's what I was thinking - the strobe might be going off, but not at the right moment.

 

[diversteve]

At least with this one, it appears to have been close enough in sync to stop the bubbles. Although there may've been enough surface light for the camera to compensate by bumping up the shutter speed. Does the DC300 have an auto mode?



Maybe the water is too murky green..Got a pool nearby? Try it there.

 

[alcina]

I'm fairly confident that your strobe is not getting light to your subject in these.

You're either too far away for it (that soup is going to eat light., but if these are full frame no crops, then it looks like you should be close enough more or less), it's not firing, it's not firing at the right time or it's not pointing in the right direction.

Check to see if you're getting the right results on land with it first. If you are, then we can try to trouble shoot a bit more!