Once you’re proficient in your diving skills and ready to add a camera into the mix, there are some new rules when comparing above water to underwater photography that once understood, will take your underwater photography to the next level. Let’s dive in.
You might ask yourself, “why do all of my photos and videos look out of focus, too dark or grainy, or blue or green?” The short answer is that light underwater acts much differently than above water.
Water bends light, causing refraction. This makes objects appear 25% (or more) larger and closer than they actually are. This refraction can also mess with the accuracy of your auto-focus. This is definitely something to be aware of, and is also why I try to use manual focus as often as I can.
Water also absorbs light waves, and the deeper you go, the less available light there will be. Water also absorbs certain wavelengths/colors more than others. This addresses the issues of your photos and videos looking washed out with blue/green. Many people aren’t aware that by the time you reach 10 feet, most of your reds on the color spectrum have been completely absorbed by the surrounding water, and won’t be seen in your images. By 80 feet, only blues and violets on the color spectrum are visible.
We have two main ways to counteract the loss of reds, oranges, and yellows on the color spectrum. The first is the use of a red filter on your lens, which can actually enhance some of those reds back into the image. The other technique is the use of underwater strobes or video lights. Keep in mind that when used in tandem, the combination of red filters with underwater lights can actually overdo the corrections we are trying to make as underwater photographers. What I recommend is start with one as your budget allows, and practice, practice, practice. Add new gear and techniques slowly and constantly try new things and see what the results produce.