Shooting underwater can be a tricky old business, but with these handy hints you'll be hooked-up in no time!
Up Close and Personal
To achieve the maximum Fisheye effect it's important to get as close to your subject as possible. A distance of between 10cm and 1 metre is optimal, especially for capturing small marine creatures! If the photo is shot too far away the subject simply blends into its surroundings.
The Need for Speed
Water swallows up a lot of light. Therefore the deeper you go the less natural light will be picked up. A speedy 400 ISO film is recommended to snap those rays.
'Reflection Remedy'
Shooting underwater is a bit like taking a photo through a window. It is common to get those pesky unwanted reflections. The best thing is to minimise the distance the water between you and your target and make use of the Flash Diffuser. Therefore, again, the closer the better!
Banish Backscatter
What the hell is 'Backscatter'? Well, it is sand, rocks, seaweed and all other odds and sods that your flash can reflect off. Swimming and splashing about in the water can cause Backscatter and totally ruin your shot. The Flash Diffuser that comes with the Fisheye Sub can help with this. However, the best thing is to take a deep breath and wait until the water clears and becomes calm again.
Colour sea Beautiful
As we know, shooting underwater is a challenge. The water swallows up red light and a lot of warm coloured lights. This can leave shots lacking colour or completely blue. To increase the chance of picking up the best colours, feed your Fisheye with a nice Slide film. The Fuji Provia comes highly recommended due to its intense colour saturation. However, the Fuji Sensia is a gem as when cross-processed it can create a nice rosy tint, which can counter the blue stew effect. Mention this to your friendly developer when you hand your film in.
Follow the Sun
The best time to use the sun is when it is at its brightest. However, many eager snappers make the mistake of shooting downwards, away from the sun. This negates the effect of the sun. To get the best colours, try to shoot from under your subject if possible. Shooting from below also has the benefit of creating a simple blue background, which will make your subject more striking. Try to make sure the sun is behind, or at least near to your target, so it doesn't steal the focus.
Clean and Close
Remember! Shooting in water is like shooting through glass. Everything is ruined if your camera lens and Fisheye Sub lens opening are not clean and scratch free. Also, make sure that the Fisheye camera lens is locked in nice and tight and as close to the Sub's lens opening as possible.
