Photo / Video News & Reviews
Underwater Photography Essentials: Part 3
Tips, ideas and advice for budding underwater photographers
by Nick Robertson-Brown FRPS
Part 3: Getting to grips with your camera settings – ISO
Read Part 1 of Underwater Photography Essentials here.
Read Part 2 here.
The third element in controlling the exposure value is the ISO. The term ISO is an acronym for the International Standards Organisation which prescribed a common standard for the sensitivity of a film many years ago. The higher the ISO number, the greater the sensitivity to light; but it came at a price. As the sensitivity to light improves and the ISO number on the film gets higher, the lower the quality of the image becomes. With a high ISO film, the image looks grainy and hence the resolution is reduced. The same standard has been maintained in digital imagery, whereby the exposure value of a digital image will be the same as it is on a film camera, as long as all the settings are the same. There are, however, still penalties as you increase the ISO value. In much the same way as it did on film cameras, the image becomes grainy, but we refer to this as noise – and a noisy image has very restricted uses.
On the face of it, it would appear that increasing the ISO is a great way to increase the exposure value of your image with no major side-effects. Only a few years ago, using the ISO as part of the exposure triangle was restricted to changes between ISO 100 and ISO 800 (at best). Modern technology has come a long way in the last 4 to 5 years and on some cameras, mostly expensive ones, ISO values of 2500 can produce images with very little noise.
With the introduction of modern technology, the ISO setting is now a serious tool to be exploited underwater, as high ISOs are ideal for working in low light conditions. The ability of an individual camera at different ISOs will vary between manufacturers and camera models and it is important that you understand the limitations of your own camera so you know how far you can push the limits of the ISO setting. You can test this limit by taking a sequence of images into shadow and increasing the ISO on each shot. The low ISO image should look clean and black, whereas the high ISO image will look really noisy with hundreds of tiny red or blue dots which become clearly apparent when you zoom in. By taking a sequence of images, you can look at the effect as you increase the ISO, and you can decide how high an ISO value you are happy with. There is a certain amount of subjectivity in this, but it is what you think that is important.
Having the ISO set to the right value is still important, despite the advances in technology. Ideally, the default setting should be at your lowest ISO setting, which is usually 100 and this means your images will give the best resolution of your camera can produce. Whilst an image which you have taken at ISO 400 for example, may look as good as the one you took at 100, when you zoom in, and look really closely at it, you will appreciate the higher resolution of ISO 100.
One point I should make about using the ISO at high values, is that on certain images, the noise can actually work, possibly even enhancing the result. However, this is unusual, and increasing the ISO level should really only be used if reducing the shutter speed would induce motion blur or shake, and opening the f-stop would reduce your depth of field beyond the level you are comfortable with.
This image of the wreck of the Giannis D is shot with a high ISO (1250) on a Nikon D800, so whilst there is some noise, it suits a wreck shot.
Now that we have discussed all three factors that affect exposure control, pick up your camera, put it into manual, and start to experiment.
Whilst we are dedicated Nikon camera users, we found this useful tool on the Canon website and thought it was worth posting. You do not even need to get your camera out to see how ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed interact – as you can give it a go on this handy web tool whilst sat at your computer:
www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/play
————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Do you want to learn more? You can pick up a copy of Nick’s book “Underwater Photography Art & Techniques” by clicking here. For a signed copy, click here.
Underwater Photography Courses
Contact Nick for information on the Frogfish Photography Complete Underwater Photography Award, designed for 1:1 and small group sessions to improve your underwater photography at your pace.
www.frogfishphotography.com | frogfishphotos@gmail.com | 
+44 (0)161 9177101
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.”
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.”
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.”
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
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.
-
News3 months agoHone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews2 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone