Making reds& orange pop in shot

[jrd]

Can some one help a newbe in underwater photography with an idea how to get my shots to reflect more true to life colors? I am using a Reefmaster 3.3 meg.pix.with one strobe & a wide angle lens,no filter. I took some shots on a dive with a videographer that was with us and it looked like a different dive completely.He was using no external lighting & his was so much more true to life I couldn't believe it.He let me use his red filter which I held in front of my camera & only made my shots too dark. Any help short of throwing away my current set up would be of great help. Thanks,JRD

 

[alcina]

Get close, get closer. Light it up. Make sure your strobe is positioned properly. Number one problem people have it aiming the strobe correctly and number two problem is being close enough...or vice versa, depending on the day

Video helps you "cheat" as it gathers more light than stills - you can shoot video on a dull day and the colours will look far better than they will from a still camera, even a really really good one, with no external light source.

Keep trying...it's worth it!

 

[maynard.hogg]

Get close, get closer. Light it up.

In postproduction, filters for color cast, color/contrast, etc. help, but they're no substitute for proper lighting.

 

[jrd]

Fabulous pics. OK so I'll purchase another strobe. Any difference in brands or just buy the duplicate of the reefmaster I have and have one on each side? Thanks, JRD

 

[maynard.hogg]

OK so I'll purchase another strobe.

That might be overkill. I think the original suggestion was to make more effective use of your current setup.

Personally, I'm leaning toward a video light. (I'm visually impaired, so my new bright LCD is now enough.)

 

[alcina]

Yup, I'd learn to use what you have. That said, more toys are nice

FWIW none of those shots used two strobes - they were all a single Inon 220s strobe.

Be aware that your camera has inherent limitations and if you do decide to buy more gear, I personally would start thinking about adding a strobe that could work with other systems as you will likely want to upgrade your current ReefMaster at some stage.

 

[Tollie]

Alcina,

These are just wonderful pictures.

Please tell me that they are not straight out of the box with no post processing. The octo is amazing...

For the octo did you use a wide angle lens? He (she?) let you in very close... did the strobe bother him (her?)... that is could you get a second shot? I find that some creatures will tolerate a number of shots while other spook.

 

[alcina]

Thanks, Tollie

I think I got two or maybe three frames of the octopus - he was running along the reef top and this is the only frame that I have aligned the way I want on the sponge. I was using my Canon 60mm lens and a single Inon strobe.

It really depends on what you mean by post-processing - all of my images have post processing, just like every exposed roll of film or slide. I haven't put in anything or taken anything out. I shoot in RAW and that means that I choose my white balance etc in the converter before going into Photoshop to change to web - that's kinda the lab. None of these examples are cropped.

Different creatures have different "personal spaces" - even different creatures of the same species. It's important to really observe so you don't infringe on the critters too much and then you have to act respectfully - I recently "gave up" shots of a porcupine fish because he clearly showed he had no interest in me and wanted to be away from me. Instead of chasing or crowding or forcing the issue, I just backed off, watched him quietly for a bit as he resumed his "normal" life and then I toddled off to find something else. I didn't try to get back in closer to him because of the behaviours I had observed the first time I saw him; with other creatures I might try again - it's situational and I make the best decisions I can at the time and then learn from each experience.

Close? Closer is better

Go slow, wait and watch...sometimes you get something funky

 

[Tollie]

Thanks A,

I think photography has several benifits for a diver. One that you spoke of is becoming a more observant diver.

I think it is very difficult for me to do good photography unless I'm doing a dedicated photo dive. Sometimes you do need to just wait a bit to see how the frame unfolds... you need to let things settle down. At times I wish I had a rebreather... so my impact could be moderated. Breath control is important for some creatures... but not all.

Iy does come down to an ethic... leave as little impact as you can... become part of the context... I get a real thrill out of seeing a scean come to life... in real color when I use the strobe.

Shooting has really changed the way I look at my own pleasure diving.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I solo a lot so I have time to look for little guys hiding in the rocks, sand or anywhere else. So many divers look but don't see. Close is good...