DAN_World_Alert_Diver_Q1_2019

Research, Education & Medicine

strobes and set my shutter speed and aperture for what is likely to be the right exposure if I am fortunate enough to make the shot count. I move in very slowly, careful to not push a wave of water in front of me. With possibly only one shot, I don’t want to spook the subject with any extraneous motion from adjusting strobes or camera controls. Seeing the composition in your mind’s eye and carefully positioning yourself to achieve it is an acquired skill. Once you become thoroughly familiar with the field of view of your lenses at various distances, you can better predict how close you’ll have to be for the photo you envision. subjects determine where I am in the water column at any given time. It has taken discipline and a few trips to the recompression chamber for me to realise I am healthier when I photograph the deepest subjects first, and then gradually work my way up to shallower depths. Many of the places we dive have reef slopes that go almost to the surface, and those are my favourite for long trips with multiple dives per day. Even when diving very conservatively, I can get in long dives and be very productive photographically. I make a point of spending considerable time in the shallows, offgassing while working with whatever subjects might be in the environment. Buddy Diving Diving with a buddy is admittedly a challenge for underwater photographers, as it tends to be boring for a nonphotographer to cruise the reef at the excruciatingly slow pace we sometimes move, and two photographers may have such divergent views of the reef they can drift irretrievably apart during a dive. “Same dive, same ocean,” however, is not a sustainable credo. At some point you or your buddy will need assistance, and your camera won’t be much help. Regardless of whether you come to underwater photography as a diver interested in a new creative pastime or a photographer eager to capture the beauty of the marine ecosystem, you’ll find that complementary diving skills and shooting skills are integral to success. Zigzag Profiles I’ve been guilty of letting my underwater

structures. The ability to hover near the reef without contact is crucial. Using small inhalations to slightly rise and exhalations to sink is important. I typically choose to be somewhat negatively buoyant so I can remain motionless on the seafloor when photographing the benthic zone, but the position of the weights is also significant. Buoyancy but also trim are both critical skills – as important as f-stops. A properly weighted diver can lift off the bottom without stirring a lot of particulate matter, which is a good thing for any other nearby photographers and any corals that would prefer to not be cloaked with a layer of sand. Deciding when to exhale is a significant skill, as confirmed by watching a tiny pygmy seahorse slide around to the other side of a gorgonian at the relatively explosive sound of a single noisy exhalation. Slowing down before entering the “shoot zone” lets me control my breathing, position my Breath Control Breath control is important when approaching skittish marine life.

Fins I’ll use different fins for different tasks. For freediving I like long-bladed performance fins (mine have carbon- fibre blades) to allow me to get closer to deep-diving marine life such as whales or dolphins. For reef diving I prefer a fin that helps me navigate around fragile corals with precision and provides sufficient thrust when in currents. Fins are an exceedingly personal decision, so whether split fins or paddle fins, full foot or open heel, there are many variables in determining the right one for each use. DIVE SKILLS Any skilled scuba diver can take on the challenges of underwater photography. Once the life-support aspect of scuba becomes more autonomic, it is not that difficult to take on another task, but success in underwater photography is certainly facilitated by in-water control. Buoyancy Proper buoyancy is important not only for personal comfort and safety but also to avoid contact with fragile corals. Photography requires proximity, and proximity bears risk to delicate reef

DIVE GEAR

WETSUIT

MASK

REGULATOR

FINS

OPPOSITE PAGE Good buoyancy skills and knowledge of marine animals’ behaviour help underwater photographers achieve the proximity necessary for optimal images

BUOYANCY COMPENSATOR

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