The demand for underwater photography is rapidly growing! If you've ever had an interest in Underwater Photography, then "Underwater Photography Guide" is the website to check out! Started by photographer Scott Gietler, this website serves as an online resource for all underwater photographers, regardless of his or her experience level. In short, Gietler loves photography but he also loves sharing his knowledge of the field with other photographers and divers. With the help of many guest authors and photographers, Gietler was able to create one of the very first free underwater photography guide. The information within this site could easily fill a 300 page book!
Similar to other specialty photography websites, the Underwater Photography Guide offers tutorials, tips, and techniques under the "Articles" tab. Perhaps you've used a compact underwater camera although now you want to switch to shooting with a DSLR underwater, you would find the "From Compact to DSLR: Preparing for the Switch" article useful. If you're creating an underwater video, you might want to check out the article titled "5 Best Underwater Video Editing Tips". Another helpful articles within the site is titled "Advanced Strobe Techniques - Backlighting". If you've attempted to shoot photographs underwater, then you're well aware that lighting is limited and can be tricky. In many cases, a strobe is necessary to show the brilliant colors of the sea. Although, for those of us who are not able to make it to a tropical location, might be more interested in taking underwater images in a pool, in which case, you might find the "Underwater Pool Photography" article interesting.
Gietler keeps a running list of spectacular destinations that photographers and divers can visit in order to capture unique underwater photographs. The specific destinations are broken down by geographic location: Caribbean, Central America, Indonesia, North America, Pacific Ocean, South East Asia and simply, "Other Destinations". On a diving trip to Bali, Gietler was able to capture this image:
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| Gietler, Scott, Reef at Nusa Penda, Bali, 2010. |
When a beginner underwater photographer looks at these photographs, naturally, one would wonder about the exposure settings and perhaps what type of lenses were used to shoot the image; Gietler also provides this information. For the photograph above taken in Bali, this was shot with an ISO of 200. The aperture was set to F11 and the shutter speed to 1/320th; a Tokina 10-17mm lens was used at 10mm. Click here to read more about Gietler's trip to Bali.
There are a slew of workshops scheduled that are listed under the "Trips" tab. Taking a photography workshop is probably one of the best ways to learn about a specific genre. The next upcoming workshop is scheduled for La Paz, Mexico towards the end of October. The all inclusive fee covers seven nights and eight days. Throughout this time, the students will take eighteen dives. Food, accommodations and transportation to and from the airport is also included in the price! For this particular location, students might have the opportunity to photograph a whale shark, hammerhead, sea lion, mobulas and huge schools of fish. To read more about this workshop, click here. Check out one of the photographs from Gietler's last workshop held in La Paz:
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| Gietler, Scott, Sea Lion Chasing Fish, 2012. |
There is a lot more to discover within the Underwater Photography Guide's website. Be sure to check it out!
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01. Gietler, Scott. "Underwater Photography Guide." Underwater Photography Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.