Wide Angle Portfolio

Wide-angle underwater photography is a captivating technique that captures expansive scenes and dramatic perspectives beneath the ocean’s surface. Using specialised equipment and techniques, photographers aim to capture vast underwater landscapes, marine life in their habitats, and interactions within aquatic environments.

Wide-angle lenses and dome ports are key tools, allowing for sharp focus from foreground to background and emphasising the grandeur of underwater scenery. This style of photography not only showcases the beauty and diversity of marine ecosystems but also requires skill in composition, lighting, and understanding of underwater conditions to create stunning visual narratives beneath the sea.

Here are some key considerations and tecniques I use for wide angle underwater photography:

1. Choosing the Right Lens:

• Wide-Angle Lenses: Great for capturing large underwater scenes. They let you get close to your subject while still showing a lot of the background.
• Most of my images are shot with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR.
• Fisheye Lenses: These give an even wider view and can create a dramatic effect, but they might make the edges of your photo look too rounded and a bit distorted, commonly known as “barrel distortion” but some love the effect.

2. Keeping Things in Focus:

• Wide-Angle Lenses: These lenses usually keep more of the scene in focus, which helps show both the subject and the surroundings.
• Fisheye Lenses: They also keep a lot in focus but might blur the photo’s edges.

3. Using Zoom:

• Zoom Lenses: These let you adjust the view but can be tricky to use underwater. Fixed lenses often give better quality photos.
• Zooming: Changing the zoom can alter your photo’s look, so be mindful of how it changes your composition.

4. Lighting:

• Natural (ambient) Light: Light underwater fades quickly, so extra lighting (like underwater flashes) helps brighten up your photos and bring out colours.
• Strobe: (artificial) Light: These help reduce the blue or green tint that can happen underwater and make your subjects look better.

5. Distance and Perspective:

• Get Close: The closer you are to your subject, the more precise your photo will generally be.
• Perspective: Wide-angle lenses can make things look more significant and more dramatic.

6. Photo Composition:

• Foreground: Adding exciting things in the front of your photo makes it more engaging.
• Background: Keep it simple to make sure your main subject stands out.
• Orientation: Shoot portrait or landscape, but regardless, avoid shooting down, shoot level, or up up!

With these tips, you can improve your underwater photos and capture beautiful, wide-angle shots of the underwater world.