Newly certified divers often ask me the best way to begin underwater photography. Usually the questions focus on equipment and arise immediately after I give someone a camera to use in the pool or lake during training. “Should I purchase a housing for my Nikon before heading to Belize?”
My first recommendation is to become at ease in the ocean and develop reasonable buoyancy skills before strapping a camera to your wrist. At a minimum, spend the first few dives of your trip getting comfortable with the environment, above and below the water, and your basic equipment. I typically leave the camera in the room for the first day of trip to ensure my regulator, jacket, weights, wetsuit etc. are all properly functioning and observe how the crew on the dive boat handles cameras. More importantly, the routine between arriving at my destination, checking-in, unpacking and boarding the dive boat is normally a busy process. I avoid the additional stress of trying to assemble my camera & strobe arms in just a few minutes. This guidance can be applied to any new diving situation. If you’re drift diving for the first time, my suggestion is to leave the camera on the boat. A few years ago, a student returned from vacation very upset because he lost a new camera system trying to follow a dive guide through a series of swim-throughs.
My second recommendation is to focus on taking basic snapshots of the marine life. Build your approach, buoyancy, framing and lighting skills on easy subjects like passing barracuda, schools of grunts or grey angelfish. Starting your foray into underwater photography by attempting to capture a bouncing spotted drum under a tight ledge or a macro image of a juvenile trunkfish isn’t the best path. Beyond frustration, you will probably damage the coral and create a cloud of backscatter for yourself and other photographers.
My third recommendation is to invest in a point & shoot system that includes the camera, housing and strobe all in one package. The cost of most complete point & shoot packages is roughly the same as the housing for a sophisticated digital camera. The features of point & shoot cameras are continually improving and with a little practice you can create pictures that rival the most expensive arrangements. I still use point & shoot cameras for a few reasons.
- In my carry-on bag I can pack two cameras, two housings, three decent-sized strobes and still have room for my regulator, mask and other travel necessities. The average-sized bag is deceptively heavy, but no one has ever checked the weight. Toting a hard case for a larger camera system through an airport can be a hassle. Moreover, if you check a locked case your luggage fees increase along with the risk of a lost bag.
- Most divers can only afford one of the high-end cameras. Opting for a little less functionality allows me to purchase back-up components in case a housing or strobe fails.
- The larger the camera systems can be cumbersome to manage underwater especially in a current. I can also place, or take, my rig into tight spaces without any major adjustments.
Equipment envy is an easy trap to fall into around the camera table on a dive boat. Remember, it is not about the gear, but who gets the shot of the inverted, mating hammerheads.
