I love the colours that I see underwater. It is a different world. But it is not all bright garishness down there.

Like all underwater photographers, I strive to capture colours that mesmerise the viewer while conveying an approximation of what I saw with my eyes. While I want to be accurate, I also need to do what is necessary to convey a pleasing image. This means a little cheating at times.

But how does one create a truly accurate photograph of what one was actually seeing? The interactions of lens and sensor physics, depth, water quality, and computer post-processing create so many variables to deal with that it becomes a highly subjective exercise.

One thing that I’ve discovered is that the flash on the camera is my enemy. The photo above of a Moorish Idol (Zanclus comutus) was taken using only natural light. The flash was turned off. Without getting all technical, let’s just say that available light photography underwater stretches every corner of the photographic envelope. It’s not easy.

Chasing the fish, keeping it centred in the viewfinder, keeping it in focus, remembering that during all that you can’t shake the camera because you don’t have the flash to ‘freeze’ it for you . . . It all uses up a lot of air.

It’s worth it, however, because I can honestly say that the colours that you see in the photo are exactly (as near as I can remember) what I saw. It’s a new photographic adventure for me.

Here are a couple of other similar photos that I took yesterday at Planet Rock. This is an overhead shot of Richard Jones.

Here’s one of Rich along with Lorraine Collins as they photograph a magnificent anemone. Note that only the brightly coloured anemone stands out. (Click any photo for a larger one.) Another thing that I like is that all the shadows are in their natural positions. Things don’t look as if they are being illuminated artificially by a source not located overhead.

The colours are not vibrant, but they are accurate. These were taken on a hazy day at about 25 metres. The water above was milky and greenish from the discharge of the Golgol River. Nearer the surface colours would appear brighter, but never as vivid as is seen when using an electronic flash.

Related posts:

1. Planet Rock Frolic Author and underwater photographer Jan Messersmith illustrates the differences in effect between flash exposures and natural light exposures. Conclusion: Use flash if you must, but available light is better under most conditions....
2. To Flash or Not To Flash – That Is the Question When shooting underwater, the big question is, "Should it look real, or should it look colourful?" It usually comes down to whether you use flash or not....
3. An Impossibly Brilliant Anemone Saturday morning we made the arduous twenty minute journey out to Planet Rock  in Astrolabe Bay.  I shouldn’t moan about the travel time. Most of our dives are within ten minutes of my house. On the Southwest corner at about 23 metres is a large Bulb Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor).   I...
4. More Eel Garden Goodies More images from the Saturday dive near Pig Island at The Eel Garden. I didn't blow a sinus, which is a minor miracle....
5. Doing It in the Dark Every dinky camera made has a flash built in. That goes for even the most expensive of the point-and-shoots. A big clunky external flash unit puts you squarely in the geek realm insofar as fashion goes. However, most internal flash gizmos are next to useless if you want to create...
6. Photgraphing the Photographer Lt. Colonel Simon Watts knows his way around a camera. I seldom get shots of myself, as I'm to busy shooting other people. This one made me quite happy....
7. All the Colours of the Sea I'll not show you ALL of the colours of the sea, but a fair number of them from this dive at Planet Rock near Madang, Papua New Guinea....

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 23rd, 2008 at 13:51 and is filed under Under the Sea. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.