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The Art of Snooting

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Are you a black background enthusiast? Do you enjoy playing with the texture and shadows of your subject? Are you looking for a new challenge? If you answered yes to any of these questions, snooting could be the next technique you need to master!

For this post I’ve collaborated with Ajiex Dharma, a freelance dive guide and accomplished macro photographer, based out of Tulamben, Bali. Well known for his signature black background photography, Ajiex regularly teaches keen divers the snooting technique. In this blog, we’re going to be talking through the benefits of snooting and some tips and tricks for you to get started.

Before we get started, what is snooting? Usually reserved for shooting macro subjects, snooting is a lighting technique where a tube or funnel is placed over the front of strobe(s), allowing the photographer to direct light onto the subject in a more precise manner. The photographer will typically shoot photographs of this style using a high shutter speed, higher f-stop value and a low ISO. This creates a crisp black background in contrast to the illuminated subject.

A relatively inexpensive technique to try out for yourself, gear ranges from home made ten dollar funnels, through to the more expensive Retra snoot… and everything in between. There really is an option to suit every budget.

I asked Ajiex what he thinks is the benefit of the technique and what a photographer can expect to gain from shooting using snooted lighting in comparison to a less fiddly technique?

Snooting is a different shape of lighting. It is particularly useful when you enjoy achieving a black background in your photographs. A snoot is really worth the extra effort for isolating a subject where, due to how the subject is located, you can anticipate a messy foreground or bland background. You can make a subject stunning and elevate your photograph from an ID shot to a work of art!” AD

So, let’s get started, these are our top tips and tricks you need to consider when trying your hand at snooting.

1: Get your buoyancy under control

Snooting requires you to get very close to your subject, so as you can imagine, buoyancy is critically important. As a photographer, you want to approach your subject in a calm and controlled manner to prevent your subject from running away or hiding. Creeping up on your subject with minimal disruption to it or the muck and sand around you will save you time editing out backscatter in post. It will also allow you more time with your subject, minimizing any stress you may cause it.

Additionally, like in all underwater photography, the more rapidly you breathe and the more you move, the faster you’re going to run through your air while also introducing motion blur into your image.

2: Know your camera

“Understanding your equipment is really important. It helps you understand what settings you need to get the shot you want. For example, if you shoot a hairy shrimp with a backlight, you need to know how to capture the details. If you use a big f stop (f5), you will get more light but you will probably find your picture is too bright. You will also find this depth of field too shallow. If you use f22 (or higher) this image will be even better because it will be sharp” AD

As with all macro photography, you need to understand the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. You will still need to evaluate the size of your subject and the effect you want to create. The lighting technique is not a substitute for good macro practices. Make sure the eyes or key features of your subject are sharp and in focus and that you’re shooting with intent.

3: Get a friend to help you

Picture an actor standing on a stage with a spotlight above them. One step in either direction and your actor is in darkness. A snoot performs in much the same way. The beam of light can be so narrow that one centimetre in the wrong direction and your beautiful nudibranch or decorator crab will be in darkness.

Getting a friend or assistant to give you a hand will make getting the hang of snooting initially much easier. Eventually, after a lot of practice, you will get a feel for the new piece of equipment and will develop an understanding of where the snoot needs to be placed in relation to your camera and subject. However, when you’re just starting, doing this on your own will be infuriating. Your friend or buddy will be able to see the subject easily and help you place the light more efficiently onto the subject.

If your strobe has a focus light, use it. It’s so much easier to be able to see a beam of light coming from your strobe before you take the shot. It will give you a much better idea of what features will be illuminated, how the shadows will fall and whether or not your subject will be over or under exposed.

This will be a great help for your buddy initially to get light placement just right. Additionally, when you come to shooting on your own, this will be an invaluable learning aid.

4: Get creative!

“Snooting is about getting creative and using different lighting. Backlighting, side lighting, it’s about drama!” AD

Remember my spotlight analogy from point two? Now forget it! It’s time to get creative. Top down lighting is not your only option. The real benefit of snooting is that you can direct light precisely from any direction imaginable. When you’re first learning, find a single interesting subject and stay with it. Snoot it from the top, the back (particularly if it’s transparent), the sides, underneath and watch how the shadows and the texture of the subject change. Although maybe try and find a subject without eyes that won’t mind being blasted with light over and over again…

As an example, I’ve included an image below of an emperor shrimp on a nudibranch. I’ve seen many of these pics with the shrimp sitting in between the rhinophores lit from the top down. I wanted to do something different. The snoot was placed facing the shrimps face but with the power of my strobe dialled right down.

By doing this, it allowed me to showcase the texture of the nudibranch skin. You can actually see the little feet of the shrimp digging into the surface of the nudibranch. If you keep looking at the images, you can even see the wrinkles and fold of the skin. I thought it was something beautiful and unique, worth capturing.

To show you a different effect, Ajiex and I photographed the Pikachu nudi using a side lighting technique. The snoot was held to the side of the subject, allowing the transparency to become the feature of the photograph. Additionally, by creating highlights and shallows, the folds of the face became far more apparent. I feel like it gave the subject an interesting personality and interest.

As a final tip, when snooting, remember you don’t have to capture the subject in isolation. Sometimes it is interesting to include a little of the background of context. If there is a beautiful tunicate, try and include this in your shot. Really this tip is about playing with your gear and really finding out what you like and the best way to achieve shots that you feel proud of.

Wrapping up, I really hope you’ve got a good sense of what snooting is and some practical tips to help you get stuck in. It’s a technique I absolutely love using. Despite the initial frustrations of learning how to place the snoot and using the power setting on my strobe to get a light balance that I enjoy, it’s been a really worthwhile challenge and I highly recommend that you give it a go!

If you’re ever in the Tulamben area and want to take lessons or learn more about snooting, you can reach Ajiex here on Facebook or Instagram @ajiexdharma.

Check out more of Miranda-Clare’s photos on Instagram @divingphotos or visit her website www.mirandaclare.com.

Diving and underwater photography enthusiast Miranda-Clare first discovered her passion after moving to Grand Cayman in 2015. Since then, it has become her obsession to explore and capture the underwater world. Now based in South East Asia, she enjoys sharing her journey with other aspiring photographers. Find out more at www.mirandaclare.com.

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Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph

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UPY

An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”

UPY

Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero

Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”

“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”

Photo: Jenny Stock

In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”

UPY

Photo: Nuno Sá

More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.

About Underwater Photographer of the Year

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.

Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson

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World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023

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The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.

Grand Prize Winners

  • Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
  • Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
  • Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 cash prize award.

Celebrating Diversity and Innovation

This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation

World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.

This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.

Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.

Explore the Stunning Collection

Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.

For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.

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