As a photographer, I was always intrigued by the ocean. However, the thought of getting into the water and submerging my precious camera stopped me in my tracks. Not only does underwater photography require a new set of skills, but it’s a whole series of expenses on top of the already costly field of photography. That being said, it’s also the most fun I’ve had with a camera! If you’ve ever wanted to get into underwater photography but were unsure where to start, please read on, because this article is for you.
The first step to being an underwater photographer actually has nothing to do with photography: it’s becoming comfortable in the ocean. This doesn’t just mean swimming, but using specialized gear that will allow you to see below the surface. For some, that might mean using a mask and snorkel and staying shallow. For others, it might mean freediving, where you swim down on a single breath hold. And then there’s the activity that allows you to stay underwater the longest: scuba diving! For any of these activities, it should go without saying that you must be confident in the water. While I recommend taking a freediving course with a professional, if it’s something that interests you, let’s focus on the logistics of becoming a scuba diver and taking photos on scuba.
To put it very simply, scuba diving allows you to breathe underwater for long periods of time from a portable air cylinder. That’s why scuba diving absolutely requires training from a professional. You can access scuba training through dive shops, which should have a reputable dive instruction organization that they’re affiliated with. This means that the shop offers scuba lessons designed by a professional agency and carried out by an instructor certified to teach that agency’s standards. Depending on where you live, you may have a scuba shop nearby, but if not, many people travel in order to complete their training.
During your entry level certification, you’ll learn the principles of diving through both written and practical instruction. Most classes begin in a pool, and end in a larger body of water like a lake or the ocean. Once you’ve completed this type of course, you’ll receive a certification card, which will enable you to rent scuba gear from shops, obtain air cylinders, and dive in open water without an instructor (but always with a buddy!). Many agencies offer certifications to children as young as ten, though these junior certifications will likely have other restrictions attached.
Scuba diving lessons can be expensive and not within someone’s budget. Don’t panic yet; there are scholarships available! The Women Divers Hall of Fame offers grants every year for basic dive training, and a quick internet search may illuminate other financial assistance available in your area. You can also look for grants through the websites of professional dive organizations or ask your local dive shop. In some cases, you may even be able to get certified through your high school or college.
While you don’t have to buy your own scuba equipment right away, renting gear over and over can become more expensive than buying it. Investing in quality gear and taking good care of it will ensure that it lasts a long time. If your budget is limited, keep a sharp eye out for secondhand gear on social media. Many people resell gear that has hardly been used, so you can often get quality items at a discount if you are persistent in checking these sites. Always have any used gear serviced by a professional scuba shop before you trust your life with it
So you’ve gotten scuba certified and you have your own gear- now what? Resist the temptation to take a camera with you immediately and practice your scuba skills! Building confidence and comfortability underwater should be your first priority, and you don’t want to make a mistake because you’ve introduced a camera before you were ready. You may even want to take additional scuba courses before you get to this point. Once you’re very confident in your diving abilities, you can add a camera.
Perhaps you already own a nice camera, and want to but an underwater housing for it. I wouldn’t recommend this as a fist step. A proper dive housing for a professional camera may be more expensive than the camera itself! This is because the housing must be able to withstand huge amounts of water pressure for sustained periods of time in order to keep your camera dry and safe. These housings are vacuum sealed and rated to depths well beyond what you would be diving, and are not to be confused with “waterproof” housings. While “waterproof” may sound like you can take it scuba diving, you will want to look closely at the technical specs, because waterproof may really mean that it allows you to briefly submerge your camera at the surface. This is not something you will want to cut corners on, as a failure of you housing can ruin both the housing and your camera.
With this in mind, most beginner underwater photographers start with a simpler and less expensive underwater camera setup while they master the principles of diving and underwater photography.
The Olympus TG-6 is a very popular entry level option. On its own, it has a depth rating of 50 feet, but you should purchase the dive housing for this small camera, changing its depth rating to 150 feet. This camera will shoot 4k video and 12 megapixel photos, and has a built in 25-100mm lens with a macro function. This allows you to shoot in a variety of styles and figure out what style of underwater photography you like.
The GoPro Hero series is another great option. These cameras shoot video and photos, are super compact, and can be used with a wide variety of mounts and accessories. Just remember to buy the protective housing, which will allow you to take it to depths of 192ft (far deeper that you’ll go on a recreational scuba dive!).
If you have a decent camera on your smartphone, this can be another great beginner underwater camera! Companies like Sealife sell housings for smartphones that make them waterproof up to 130 feet. If you’re interested in experimenting with artificial light to enhance your photos, Sealife even offers trays with lights attached, which also make it easier to hold your phone underwater.
Now that you’ve got your camera, go play! You’ll probably find, as I did, that adding a new element to your diving makes it feel like you’re on your first dive all over again. That’s okay! Take your time, stay clam, adjust to the new feelings, and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come together right away.
You’ll also discover that underwater photography is completely different from shooting on land; it’s almost like learning photography all over again. Water absorbs light, so everything is much darker. In fact, many underwater photographers choose to use strobes with their professional setups, a complicated subject that deserves its own article. If you’re working with a beginner’s setup, and no lights, you’ll quickly realize that only shallower subjects are illuminated enough to get a decent photograph. This is also okay! Working with natural light is a good place to start while you learn.
Water also distorts things, so you’ll find that you may need to be much closer to a subject than what you’re accustomed to. This often means waiting patiently for a fish to swim right in front of your lens, where you’ll have only a second to snap the perfect frame. Sometimes I’ll wait by a particularly pretty rock or kelp clearing until a fish comes by, because I think it will make a nice background. As you go out and experiment, you’ll find other strategies that work for you, and that just takes practice.
Once you’ve mastered your basic underwater camera, you may decide to upgrade to a professional camera and dive housing, along with a set of strobes. Just like with scuba gear, you can get a good deal on something lightly used if you look hard enough. Regularly check dive forums, social media and your local scuba shop, because people are likely to resell something relatively unused for a much better price than new gear.
Hopefully, this has given you some clarity on a field where there is so much new information to absorb. If you’re still nervous about the prospect of going underwater, please know that this is totally normal! The key is to be patient. Be patient with your scuba skills, be patient with mastering underwater photography, be patient waiting until the time is right before you finally purchase your long-awaited professional dive camera setup. The payoff for that patience is the privilege of visiting and documenting places that most humans will never get to see. What could be more worthwhile than that?
Thank you for reading!
Chelsea Mayer (She/Her) grew up in
Huntington Beach, California, and
attended UCLA’s School of Theater,
Film and Television. After working
on film sets, she took a job with
a whale watching company as a
photographer and deckhand, and she
fell in love with wildlife
photography. Wanting to explore as much of the sea as
possible, Chelsea earned her 100 ton captain’s license,
and then took up scuba diving and became a divemaster.
She continues to work on boats as a divemaster, captain
and naturalist, in addition to working as an underwater
photographer.
Such an inspiring post! I love how you broke down the steps to become an underwater photographer. The tips on equipment and practice are really helpful for beginners. Can’t wait to dive in and start learning more about this unique photography style. Thanks for the guidance! Visit : http://www.orcadiveclub.in/