Shooting underwater is definitely different, but not all that hard to get good at. Learning how the camera reacts to light underwater, and how the water can influence your shots and your light, is a big part of mastering this art.
Water is really good at filtering out some natural color, so when you film at around 15 to 80 feet, a color correction filter is a really handy tool.
And it can get you back what the water manages to filter out.
For underwater shooting, the best way to set your zoom in on full wide angle. This gives you a better shot from you ability to shoot closer.
And the reason this shot is better, is that the less distance between you and the subject, the less water between you and the subject.
Then you can experience better lighting, better clarity, and better color all three. But a word of warning – don’t try to shoot TOO wide, because it can cause a subtle distortion, known as a lateral color fringe.
As a newbie to the underwater world of videos, one of the first lessons is to refrain from FIRE HOSING. This is what a lot of new photographers do.
It is when you move the camera back and forth like a fire hose, and like a person putting out a fire. You should always strive to keep the camera very still.
Also refrain from leaning on the zoom button. You do not want to zooming in and out underwater. Just set the zoom for the shot, then leave it until you get the shot.
When you try to get close-ups, use lights. Make sure that the lights you do use do not overpower that provided by the sun. And remember, that the closer you get to your target subject, the steadier and more still your camera needs to be. Even the smallest shaking can totally foil your best shot.
A good underwater video maker will always keeps this rule in mind. If you use a compact camera, you can use a WET LENSE. These are sometimes known as add-on lenses. They can give you additional macro and wide angle abilities.
They can be added while you are underwater, and removed as well. The way they get mounted is in two specific ways, from a bayonet mount that rotates and locks, to a screw mount. The screw mount is a bit more time consuming because it has to be screwed on.
Image sharpness is a vitally important aspect to underwater filming. It is in this area that most photographers really strive to improve. Lighting and composition, along with your subject matter, are crucially important. But it is the image sharpness that really pulls it together.
All photos have a point of focus where the sharpness is going to be at its maximum. This is where you need to position your subject, and it needs to be close to the camera. At times, we can all use some help with shooting underwater videos.
You can lose quite a bit of sharpness in water that is murky. This is when a good fisheye lens and getting up close on the subject can pull you out of a bad mess. Study and learn how water and light interact in relation to your filming equipment.