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ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Swimming,
snorkelling and diving
While taking pictures underwater
presents its own set of unique © W W W .IS T OCKPHO T O . C O . UK
technical issues, by far the biggest
hurdle for most photographers is
the physical challenge of shooting
while suspended in water. Obviously,
you’ll need to be a good swimmer in
order to manoeuvre yourself about
and take underwater photographs
safely. In addition, you need to
familiarise yourself with local
conditions beforehand, taking
things like tides, currents and swell
conditions into account. If you’re
swimming or snorkelling somewhere
unfamiliar then try to seek out local
advice, too, to ensure you’re not
inadvertently putting yourself in any
danger. And if you’re lucky enough
to be snorkelling somewhere with
strong sun, do apply plenty of
high-factor sunscreen, or better still To take decent There are numerous PADI diving a strong dull blue/grey tint and
invest in a UV-blocking rash vest or underwater images like centres in the UK where you can do contain very little colour. There are
this one, you’ll need to
snorkel suit – there’s nothing worse the course, with international PADI plenty of specialist underwater
ensure your subject is
than getting horribly sunburnt on sufficiently illuminated centres also found near recognised strobes available at a wide range
your first day in the water! diving sites worldwide. You’ll need of price points. Which type is right
If the conditions are right, then to pass some medical checks before for you will depend primarily on
snorkelling and shallow freediving is you can enrol and you can expect whether you want to concentrate on
a great way to view life underwater, it to cost about £400 should you capturing still images or video. You
especially in calm, clear water. There choose to do it in the UK. In theory can, of course, use the continuous
are numerous beach resorts around all PADI-affiliated dive centres have light generated by video lights to
the world that have coral reefs or to conform to the same rigorous capture still images with, however
rock shelves located just offshore, safety practices, but if you plan to strobes of a similar size will
and snorkelling is by far the easiest tak the course abroad then you generally produce more power.
way to see them, though you should might want to research your options In order to attach a strobe – or
always be mindful of any local beforehand and check out feedback better still, twin strobes – to your
conservation issues. Arm yourself from previous participants. camera you’ll need to invest in a set
with a decent pair of diving fins, of specialist cables or a wireless
a snorkel vest and a half-decent Underwater lighting slave device. While most underwater
waterproof compact and you’ll be One of the biggest technical issues housing systems designed for CSCs
able to capture everything you can that you’ll need to overcome is and DSLRs can use electronic sync
see underwater too. creating enough light to illuminate cables to connect the strobe
If you’re looking to shoot at your subjects properly. This is directly to the camera’s hotshoe via
deeper depths than you can basically because water blocks out a watertight connection to provide
manage with a mask and snorkel sunlight. As you might expect, the full TTL flash metering, this isn’t
then you’ll need to be able to use amount of sunlight decreases the always possible with compacts. If
scuba equipment, which entails deeper you go. If you’re snorkelling you want to connect a camera
attending a course and gaining in bright sunlight in shallow, clear without a hotshoe to an external
a certificate. There are a number water then this isn’t likely to be strobe, then a wireless optical slave
of recognised diving bodies who much of an issue. You might still arrangement is your best option.
award the required certification, have to raise your ISO settings to You can, of course, use an optical
and the best known of these is the compensate for the loss of light, but slave system with a CSC or DSLR,
Professional Association of Diving your camera should be able to cope too. Many of the better underwater
Instructors (PADI). The Open Water without utilising an artificial light strobes have optical sensors built-in,
Diver Course is PADI’s most basic source. Once you start diving although if required you can buy
diving qualification and completing deeper than five or six metres, a standalone sensor and connect it
it will allow you to rent scuba however, you will probably need to to the strobe. Either way, once in
equipment from affiliated PADI dive employ an underwater strobe or place the strobe will be triggered
centres. Holding a PADI certificate video light. If you don’t then your by the flash on your camera – in
will also enable you to access images are likely to come out with much the same way that Nikon’s
specialist diving holidays where
everything is put into place for you. “Once you start diving deeper than 5m or 6m, you may
The Open Water Diver Course can
be completed in four to seven days. need to employ an underwater strobe or video light ”

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