Learning (Underwater) Photography: The 5 books every student should own

[parabolic]

My $0.02, probably politically incorrect now, but here goes. The Jim Church books were good but in my opinion they dealt primarily with the mechanical details of the camera and less with how to take good pictures underwater. By far, the best book ever written on technique is Howard Hall's "Successful Underwater Photography", probably out of print now. There has never been anything like it. Howard invented the term "Close Focus Wide-Angle", and taught how to do it. A further comment, the best thing you can do to improve your underwater photography is to become a better diver. You can't worry about things like f-stops, strobe settings, composition, unless you are very comfortable underwater.

++Ken++

 

[tedtim]

I am no expert by any means. Of all of the books that I have bought on the subject, An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography by Mathier Meur and Michael Aw is my favorite. It gives good coverage to equipment, lighting, composition, and workflow for digital. This is a book that will benefit the complete beginner as well as the casual underwater photographer. I bought it through Amazon.com

 

[Cacia]

So, Ken...

How do you do close focus W/A? Or is it just pick a small subject, get really close and get the big scene behind it? I will look for Howard Hall's book...

I have the Drafahl's book. I wonder if Marty Snyderman or Clay Weisman have others.

 

[Jcsgt]

It would be very nice if somebody would put out a decent "how-to" video. Show the photographer approaching critters, getting close, adjusting strobes, lining up the shot, etc.

 

[Mariozi]

Yeah, even as I agree that "photographic" skills are much more important, knowledge on image-editing soft is very helpful.

 

[parabolic]

Catherine

CFWA is probably the most difficult type of underwater photo, but it can produce striking results. There is a basic formula to it:

1) Find a good, identifiable, colorful, relatively small and stationary reef subject (fan, sponge, benthic fish, or just a nice concentrated scene).

2) Compose the subject, getting as close as you can, with the most vertical angle possible (looking up). Try to get the sun in the frame if it is available.

3) Meter the background, get the smallest aperture with the slowest shutter speed possible.

4) Based on (3) adjust your strobe power settings and aim the strobes. Keep the strobes pointed as straight ahead as possible and as far away from the lens port as your strobe arms will permit (minimizes backscatter) while still lighting the subject. Big powerful strobes are fine but not necessary, you just want to splash on enough light to bring out the colors on the subject.

5) Take the picture when it is clear of bubbles.

6) Take another and another with slightly different settings and angles (change something a little with each bracket).

Many contemporary camera/strobe combinations will do a pretty good job of all this automatically with TTL. The technique there is to use aperture priority and use the smallest aperture possible that is within the strobe capabilities. Bracketing, of course, helps with both manual and TTL methods.

Marty Snyderman is an excellent still photographer although his primary interest is making films. He and Wiseman have a good book on Caribbean/Bahamas/Florida marine life id. Marty's books tend towards marine life id and behavior, less on photo technique. He used to offer a course on underwater photography on his website that I understand was excellent. I don't know if it is still available, you might google him and find out. It would be worth taking for any level U/W photographer. Marty has also published two editions of a classic book on California Marine Life. I am kinda partial to the second edition, it contains 43 of my images.

 

[Cacia]

THANKS! I will be printing your notes for plane ride reviews! I love brushing up and

getting ready on the 12 hour flights... (Bali next...then PNG if I save enough)

Chantal, one for our archives! IMO, Cudachaser has an excellent avatar that is a

great example of the technique described. I have that ID book and love their style. (CW +MS)

Marty has also published two editions of a classic book on California Marine Life. I am kinda partial to the second edition, it contains 43 of my images.

AHH-Hahh!:11: I knew I have good taste, and you have been holding out on us.


Thanks so much for sharing the steps.

 

[Jcsgt]

Thanks, PB, I took copious notes. I actually understand it! Now if I can just accomplish it underwater.

 

[Mariozi]

CFWA - variations:

"As close as you can" means most of the time: MINIMUM FOCUS DISTANCE.
If you dive in a not so clear water, since the composition angle is so radical you can try different approachs, I have seen nice results in not so nice waters by doing the following:

- Instead of opening the arms and pointing the strobes to the very front, if they have very low power settings you can get them very close to the dome, and slightly behind it, pointing it ahead or slightly to the sides.

- In very bad water you can open the arms wide and a bit behind the dome, and point the strobes towards your head!!! This way you will still illuminate the subject with the border of the light, and avoid illuminating any backscatter behind your main subject.

in CFWA you can sometimes "think outside the box" and get some pretty creative ideas specially about lighting and composition.

Best!

 

[_Bella_]

Two great books that I like are Bryan Petersons "Learning to See Creatively", and "Understanding Exposure"

However, I think any such list is something that is ever changing depending on your level. What might be a fountain of information now may seem overly simplistic after some practice and application. I still love my Ansel Adams books but I find little use for much of the information such as the chemicals portion of "The Print". Still, he was a master and coincidentally tweaked his prints until his dying days. Long long before the days of photoshop.