If you had to give 3 tips to a rookie...

[danvolker]

I have a sense that he's looking for a little more basic advice. Here's what I'd say:

1. At first, go automatic until you feel more comfortable with the difference in conditions under water and above water. Particularly since you have not been diving that much, it's important not to overload yourself with additional things to think about.
2. If vis is good, and you're not too deep, don't depend too much on flash. Instead, shoot up toward your subject to take advantage of sunlight.
3. If using flash, do not aim it directly at the subject, as that will increase backscatter. Aim your flash(es) so that they provide light at the periphery of your subject and don't cause bounce back directly to the lens.

I'll add a fourth, which I had some difficulty with at first after years of on land photography. Don't hold your breath before you shoot. I know that's a maxim of diving, but it's natural on land to hold a breath to keep the camera steady. That is very dangerous under water. So, to keep bubbles out of your image, just shoot immediately before or after you take a breath.

Now that I think about it, I'll also add a fifth. I've been on dive trips with photographers who completely lose sight of the fact that there are other people, creatures or coral around. I've been bumped out of the way, only to watch somebody focus so much on the perfect shot that they are killing coral with their fins. So, be very mindful of where you are and what's around you. Don't get too focused on the perfect shot.

That's my 2 cents worth.

I have to add to this .... forget just the new photographers, i will include some of the world's best underwater photo takers
I can't tell you how many I see of the top pros that will STAND on the bottom to take shots, or if they are following a large fish, they will be flutter kicking close to the bottom, silting the h*ll out of the water behind them.

One issue here is, many of these people are great photographers, and they do not feel they need to be aware of ANYTHING other than what it takes to get a good shot....( of course, when they silt, they do often compromise shots they are trying to get in the following minutes, unless they move on)....
You CAN package the great artistic skills, with great bouyancy and trim, and with it, you will NOT silt, you will NOT stand on the bottom, and you will still be able tp get the best shots you are artistically capable of.

 

[Average]

Wow, thanks to all for the feedback. I was away and kind of forgot I started this thread right before leaving and now I have alot of great pointers to think about.

3 Years ago when diving with a cam, I found it pretty easy to adapt, I'm sure I will get into it pretty fast again. Its just that I didnt have an idea about the technical side of photography.
I do not plan to take it with me on the first dives, we're diving for 3 weeks, so there will be plenty of time to take it with me.
RAW sounds also like a good tip. I'm quite agile with computers and my photoshop skills are there (not the underwater related knowhow though). Anyways, if I have the space, I'll shoot raw. Then use a autoconverter at home for "just for the web" pics, and if I have a few favorites I really want to work on, I'll have them in RAW.
I'm also ok with video editing, so I'll also do alot of video. Yes, it'll be nowhere near to professional, but the most important thing is to be able to show one's friends, and to them everything is awesome hehe, as long its you that made the shots yourself.

Alot of superb advice! Some questions:

@daz88: Good tips. I will shoot alot of pic on land, with the case. Maybe even with gloves on. WB ==> I guess this must be the white balance? I'll try and play with that, and see what comes out of it.

@mblazer: "Instead, shoot up toward your subject to take advantage of sunlight." This sounds like I should be below the subject, with the sunlight behind it? Won't this result in a "black subject"? Or what did you mean exactly, how do I use the sunlight correctly?

@Larry C: very interesting, the "hiding eyes" part. Never thought about that..

@highdesert: GOLD!

@most of you: ok, CLOSE! I need to get CLOSE! haha.. okok!

Thanks @all, it was just what I hoped for.

 

[Average]

Oh, and one more thing: alot of you suggested I make sure I have enough memory, to go all out with the resolution:

- what is the largest Memory card for that kind of camera that will be "recognized"? Its SDHC I think, will a 32GB work? Yes, it might be overkill, but the prices are crazy low, and I also would like to leave it in the camera as "thank you" gift to my friend who didn't hesitate to borrow it to me.

- I recently bought a 32GB Micro SDHC for my HTC Sensation and I know there are classes 2 to 10. The Sensation can film at 1080p, so speed was an issue. What kind of class should I get at least, for this cam (also going to shoot video).

 

[Average]

any feedback on the sd cards?

 

[highdesert]

Similar question here ...

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/396608-anyone-using-16gb-class-10-media-s90-s95.html

I don't think the camera can utilize more than a Class 6, though it will still work fine.

 

[Warren_L]

Much of the best advice has already been said, but for me, the most important ones would be (i) watch your buoyancy and be able to control your position in the water and (ii) think about your shot and do not just randomly rapid fire the camera. I cannot stress (i) enough!

I will add one last thing. If you are using an onboard flash, your best results are going to be the up close macro type shots, primarily in the 1-2 ft range of your subject. Trying to take wide angle scenery shots or anything significantly further away will be challenging to keep any backscatter to a minimum, however, if you do find you're getting a lot of backscatter for the further away shots, try turning off the flash and shooting with ambient light. Being in the shallows with lots of ambient light can produce some great results too.

 

[Wisnu]

Go to Tulamben before Lembongan, contact Jeff Mulin, get 1-2-1 day course with him. You'll surprise what you can get.
Both my daughters - check the link below my signature are his students.

 

[diver 85]

(1) If you think you're close enough, get a lot closer..
(2)(assuming you have no ext strobe for S90)put the camera on Av with the fish Icon(for WB), on macro all the time, flash of camera on, & F5.6(may need to go to a lower number at depth---just experiment a little with the F-stop)
(3)If you think you're close enough, get A LOT closer...


good luck, let us know/see how things work out.....

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I would say if you want to get closer, first take your pix at the closest reasonable distance to your subject, after getting a good shot, get closer and shoot again, then repeat that until you are as close as you can get to it. This way, if getting too close scares the subject away, at least you got your shots already.

 

[KeithG]

1) do not hold your breath (like you tend to do topside) - you will find the subject tends to recede downwards when you do this....
2) learn to operate your camera with your eyes closed (practise in a closet with your eyes closed!)
3) since you are digital, shoot more pictures - take way too many of each subject until your dive buddy starts to smack you for being so slow.