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Capturing Great Underwater Photos Using Natural Light With Kim Coleman

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natural light

Taking underwater photos with only natural light can be extremely difficult. There are many factors involved with getting good images, the most obvious being good overhead sunlight, clear water with good visibility and no particles causing backscatter of light. There is the colour of the water to consider, the depth in which you are taking the photos, the distance of your subject, and so on. But with patience and a little effort, good quality photos are very achievable – and you don’t need really expensive cameras to do it.

natural lightI recently joined a dive trip to the Yucatan in Mexico organised by John Spencer-Ades from The Scuba Place.  Throughout our time there visiting many different dive sites, Kim Coleman quietly took photos with her Cannon S110 compact in a Nauticam NA-S110 housing and it was not until towards the end of the trip that I asked to see some of her photos. As I looked through an impressive selection it dawned on me that she had taken all the photos with natural available light and was using no flash at all.

I asked her to tell me about the techniques she was using…

natural light

Kim: Before this trip I had always used the auto setting on my camera and was never completely satisfied with the results. Often the exposure was too bright and many of my photos had a wishy washy look to them. Then a friend took time to show me and explain about the manual settings on my camera. I began to explore the different settings for exposure, the different settings for aperture and shutter speed priority as well as changing the ISO settings. I thought it would be hard, but after playing with the camera in my kitchen I soon got the hang of taking control of how I wanted my pictures to be exposed. There was a eureka moment when it all suddenly made sense.

natural light

Jeff: So this is the first trip where you have put into practice all you learnt at home?

Kim: Yes. I feel much more confident now about making the camera do what I want.

Jeff: But there is more to your photos than just good exposure; the composition and framing is excellent, as is the feeling of action and life.

natural lightKim: As the quality of my photos is getting better so I have the confidence to take more time over each shot. I think now about perspective on subjects and work at getting my position right with what ever I am photographing. Getting down to eye level is important as is being able to hold the camera steady for a sharp image. I now watch what’s going on around me, take my time and think about composition. Where as before I may have rushed to take a few shots on auto and been happy, now I will wait until everything is right before pressing the button.

natural lightJeff:  So are you diving differently now?

Kim:  Much slower, taking my time to look closely at all the incredible marine life and now I begin to notice all the individual behaviours of animals that I had simply missed before. My diving is much more relaxed.

Jeff:  What’s next?

Kim:  The main reason for me buying a camera was to take pictures to remember my dive holidays with and show them to my husband who doesn’t dive.  But now I think I would like to do a course to learn more and print up some of my better photos to hang at home.

natural lightCongratulations to Kim for exploring her camera and its capabilities beyond the auto settings. I am sure that having done this her diving experiences will move up a whole new level as she continues to develop her skills. Whether you are taking still photos or shooting video, being confident with your camera will produce great results and this in turn will lead to a new way of diving.

Try to relax underwater; fish and other marine animals can tell if you are nervous or uncomfortable and so will stay away from you. Move slowly and deliberately. Breathe rhythmically and gently; explosive exhalation from your demand valve will make animals nervous. The most important skill is to get your buoyancy under control. Being too negative or positive in the water is exhausting and will make diving much harder than it need be. Neutral buoyancy diving is completely comfortable and helps immensely when taking photos.

natural light

 

Jeff is a multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold his passion with over 10.000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for the RAID training agency. Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life, witnessing, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time. Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.

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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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