Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
It’s summer and you’re probably in or near the water.
If you have a waterproof camera: maybe your phone, an all weather point and shoot, or an underwater housing for your camera; getting good underwater portraits can be tricky.
In this article, I am going to share my top three tips to capture better underwater photos.
No matter if you’re up for some holiday selfies under the sea, or an underwater photo session, AquaTech will help you take your underwater shots with an iPhone. The company has released the AxisGo system, a waterproof housing that will turn your iPhone into an underwater rig with a lens, a grip and a few other accessories.
We have certainly seen all kinds of dangerous stunts for the sake of photography. A recent video published by New York Post shows one of the crazies I’ve seen so far. Underwater photographer Ken Kiefer took three models to crocodile-infested waters for underwater shots – and the women got face to face with the fierce animals. What’s more, the team even used lionfish to lure the beasts near the models.
If you’ve ever tried to photograph a person underwater, you know how important crystal clear water is to producing usable images.
I do most of my underwater photography in Georgian Bay which is exceptionally clean and clear.
It’s also freezing cold, and far away from urban areas – which complicates the logistics required to produce a commercial photography session (it’s a 3 or 4 hour drive for me and most models, stylists, make up artists etc. and there is a window of about two weeks in August when it’s warm enough to swim without a wet suit).
However, I live right beside Lake Ontario (which is not exactly known for being clean or clear), so I thought I’d try an underwater photography session here – with easy access to talent from Toronto.
In this article I will share a few of my tips and tricks for underwater photography in murky water.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest has announced the winners of 2018 competition. The best of the best have been chosen in eleven categories, among over 5000 entries from all around the world. We bring you the winning images in all categories, and they are all absolutely fantastic.
Next in our ongoing Photographer Spotlight series we have Rafal Makiela.
Rafal is a Polish underwater fashion and commercial advertising photographer, currently based in Dubai. His work has been featured by various newspapers, monthly magazines, advertising campaigns and editorials and he is currently a brand ambassador for Ikelite underwater camera housings.
Outex has launched a new underwater housing on Kickstarter. Unlike their previous models, this time they offer a completely transparent cover, and it seems like a really handy piece of gear. It’s light-weight and modular, so the makers promise a versatile and travel-friendly cover. It’s also malleable and adaptable, so you have the complete tactile control over the camera.
Back in June, I was given the opportunity to test the new crazy lens by Laowa – the Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Relay Lens. It measures about 40cm in length and looks more like an endoscope rather than a traditional lens. While such relay lens designs are not entirely new with a few other examples in underwater macro photography, there are rarely any readily available options for terrestrial macro photography.
I only managed to spend a few hours with it during an inter-tidal shoot, and compiled some clips in the intro video here:
Layers on layers on layers on layers …. I’ve been working on this image for far too long, just long enough, but also not nearly as much as I’d like to? Needless to say, I put a lot of time and love into this edit and really really enjoyed the process of adding in the countless tiny details.
To be honest, it took some major restraint on my part to finally call it “done” and move onto the next project. Seriously though, people – I feel like I could continue to zoom way in and refine/add more details for-EVAH. Which is exactly what I’d like to talk about today: taking your time and adding more details!
The underwater world hides many wonderful creatures in its depths. Australian photographer Jem Cresswell is particularly fascinated with humpback whales, and he documented their beauty in a series of intimate black and white portraits. His series “Giants” took 3 years to complete, and it captures these “gentle giants” in the southern Pacific Ocean around Tonga.
The artistic set of portraits will get you closer to these wonderful creatures. It will help you dive into their world, get to know them, and see how powerful and amazing they are.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
Find my work on My website or follow me on Facebook or My page
