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Taking a perfectly good camera and submerging it in the ocean may seem like a crazy thing to do to most sensible people. I've questioned my sanity more than once doing exactly that. So why risk a perfectly good camera and an expensive one at that, which may eventually become yet another paper weight? Well the reason is to hopefully capture that perfect moment under the sea and show people (typically non-divers) what the underwater world is like with all its strange and beautiful creatures.
To be a good underwater photographer, you have to be a good scuba diver. Imagine trying to take pictures in a weightless environment. Your subject may be swimming above you one moment and under you the next. The photographer may also be on the move if there is any current or your buoyancy is not just right.
The first crude underwater images were taken in the late 1800's. However modern underwater photography really began in 1957 when the first waterproof 35 mm camera was invented. Jacques Yves Cousteau, although not the actual inventor, presented the idea to a Belgian named Jean de Wouters who designed the camera. In the early 1960s, Nikon acquired the license for the production of the amphibious camera, which they called the Nikonos. A series of rubber o-rings when lightly greased keeps the camera waterproof. Any compromise in the seal and the camera will flood. I personally know this because I have flooded 5 cameras since I started taking pictures underwater. All Nikonos cameras are rangefinders, In other words, you do not focus the camera but have to estimate the distance and then set the approximate distance on a set of calipers located on the lens. This takes a bit of practice, because things appear bigger and closer underwater than what they really are.
About 2 years ago, Nikon discontinued the Nikonos. The last model was the Nikonos 5, which was in production for over 15 years. There are several other manufacturers that sell underwater cameras most notably Sea & Sea. However none of these cameras are considered by serious underwater photographers usually because of their limited depth ratings. The Nikonos had an approved depth rating of 130 feet although many divers have gone deeper with their cameras.
Housings are another method underwater photographers use to get their equipment below the sea. Although not as convenient as a submersible 35 mm camera, and a lot bulkier, housings are becoming very popular with the advent of digital cameras and the discontinuation of the Nikonos. Most housings are made of either metal, such as aluminum, or clear plastics. Rubber o-rings are used on all levers and switches to keep water out and the camera dry. The front of each housing has a port, which is what the lens looks through. There are two types of ports: dome ports for wide-angle lenses and flat ports for close-up or macro lenses. In between the port and housing is .... you guessed it, an o-ring.
Light, or to be more specific the lack of light, is a very crucial element in underwater photography. Because the colors of the light spectrum are lost very quickly the deeper underwater you go (red being the first to go below 4 or 5 feet / 1 or 2 meters), an artificial light source is a must. A photographer must use a flash, commonly called a strobe by underwater photographers, to capture all the amazing colors underwater. A red sponge 30 feet (10 meters) underwater will look dark brown until a flash of light illuminates it and you see the bright red color. Because light is absorbed so quickly underwater, a subject more than 10 feet away will most likely not be illuminated by a strobe and appear blue. Big subjects such as whales, sharks, and rays are better photographed closer to the surface where ambient light can help light the subject.
My usual advise to any beginning underwater photographer is to get as close as possible to your subject, and shoot at an upward angle to get blue water in the background. Patience is also important. It's amazing how many marine creatures will approach you if you stay calm and do not make too many sudden movements. Once they are used to your presence, they will actually approach you.
Underwater photography can be a very rewarding experience. As with most things, it takes lots of practice to get good. If you have any questions, you can send a private message to Photon5.
Happy shooting! - Peter
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