The basic technique is to get close to the subject while balancing the lighting between foreground and background.
Underwater Photography Article Center
The Olympus TG-4/TG-3 Cameras have a robust selection of flash modes. Generally all you have to do is put the camera in auto/forced flash mode, but on some strobes TTL won’t sync with these settings. Fortunately Olympus has provided an alternative sync mode that does seem to work. To access it you must first enable it, then select it from the flash settings. It is best used in Program or Aperture camera modes. Here's how to set it up...
I’m just back from a 10 day live aboard dive trip to the Solomon Islands. I had packed 5 different cameras and systems to do a round table of testing and comparing in order to write some practical reviews.
As usual, I spent time going over each camera system making sure I had packed all the necessary batteries, chargers, lenses and attachments. All was reasonably packed into two cases. One was carried aboard and my Seahorse hard case and dive bag/clothes checked. With everything spread out the day before, I tried to balance their weights, airline requirements for lith-ion batteries, etc. What I didn’t do was to make sure that essential chargers, batteries and mounts were all packed together with each camera. Oops.
Underwater, the closer we look, the more we see. Slow down, go small and look into the plants and growth. You’ll find surprisingly beautiful and fascinating subjects. Macro photography allows photographers to get in close, reducing the amount of water between the camera and subject; bringing out color, sharpness and details in photos.
Ring lights have long been a popular way for macro photographers to get bright, even light directly onto small subjects.
Due to the magnification involved, macro photos can consume a lot of light. Underwater photographers have long struggled to get their camera housings with two strobes into tight spaces, or get the lights positioned close enough to the front of the lens without creating lens flare or shadows from the port.
Divers and models make nice subjects to inspire wonder and excitement for the underwater environment. A human presence in this surreal, weightless surrounding can really draw your viewer in and help them relate to your image.
Mysterious underwater creatures exist. Capturing these interactions fuels the imagination and inspires creativity.
If you have been doing underwater photography, and want to venture into underwater video – here are some practical tips.
Lighting and strobe positioning are major factors in capturing the rich colors and textures of an underwater scene. Strobes are very important for capturing both brilliant colors and intricate details we see on our dives.
Next to lighting and exposure, nothing is more important to photography than good compositon - and it costs nothing to achieve.
The Handbook gives you an overview of practical starting tips and techniques for taking better underwater photos.