Techniques and Devices for Capturing Underwater Fishing Photos

Of all the ways you can capture light, underwater photography is among the more challenging and unique. Many people look at this as a daunting and expensive venture to get into; however, I’d argue that in this day and age, there is no excuse.

First, the term I coined, “capturing light,” is just a fancy way a photographer says taking a picture, but there is a difference. Someone who understands how light works can use any camera to create a meaningful photograph, but, without this knowledge and understanding, most will likely create a snapshot.

Knowing this, I would strongly urge anyone looking to pursue this passion to dive a bit deeper into any free or paid resources they can find to understand how to shape light.

That brings me to my next point — the media age has opened the world up to a huge segment of people who own surprisingly capable cameras. In the novice and beginner stages, when you are just taking pictures as a hobby, I would recommend starting with something simple like a cheap housing for the phone or even a GoPro. Some of my favorite photos have come from a GoPro underwater with simple editing techniques that really mold the final image into something unique and presentable.

The next step in this bracket would be entering into the DSLR and mirrorless zone, which can range from a crop-sensor to full-sensor camera paired with a sealed underwater housing. This will increase the quality quite a bit. At this stage, you are an enthusiast or hopefully getting paid in some way.

Something to consider as well is how technology like this tends to age and lose value. Sony, for example, releases a new camera body every year, which, in turn, devalues the previous generations. Small changes in design also mean that the fancy, expensive underwater housings will not fit the new generation cameras, meaning the business investment of buying an underwater housing new can be a hard pill to swallow.

Alternatively, if you are not diving deep, a few companies (Outex and GDome, to name a couple) produce quality domes in a soft and universal form that can house a vast range of cameras. These are colloquially called “surf housings.” The more robust housings capable of deeper shooting are much different than something such as the the Outex or GDome. 

Dive housings are generally bulkier and have specific button layouts corresponding to the camera. Some housings don’t have access to certain attributes, such as utilizing the zoom functions on a lens. At the top, you have Nauticam housings. The housing itself is about $3,000- $5,000 and, depending on the port and lens selection, it can range up to $7,000 and over. Add a camera body and lens to that and you’re looking at more than $10,000. Considering the depreciation mentioned above, it is up to you to decide whether it is worth the upgrade of quality or not.

TALKING ABOUT STYLE

Breaking down my photographic style and how I captured it is relatively simple. When working with a wild animal, such as a mahi, sharpness and freezing the moment is paramount. The balance between the exposure triangle is how to accomplish this.

Freezing motion is accomplished by high shutter speeds measured in fractions of a second. For example, my minimum for motion is 1/800th of a second. Depth of field would be the second part of the triangle when adjusting your camera, which is measured in “Fstop.” This, in layman’s terms, is the same thing as a pupil in your eye. Shallow depth of field is accomplished by opening the iris or “pupil” of the lens; conversely, if you close the iris, you’ll notice more of the photograph will have sharp focus. While taking photos at the waterline to achieve the famous “over/under” shot, you’ll need to keep the Fstop at f9 to f11.

While freezing the scene with a high shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, to reach the correct exposure the third part of the exposure triangle is ISO. The higher the ISO, the brighter the image, but with one caveat being noise. Noise is the introduction of artifacts in the image and, if pushed too far, the photo will lose quality. The thing to keep in mind is the more light the better in almost all instances. I prefer to expose for the top side of the photo, which is generally brighter, and edit the lower half of the photo to bring back balance.

If you are below the waterline completely, there is less contrast as the light is diffused due to the water. Keep in mind, fish are generally reflective; exposing the fish correctly can be tricky but is the key to nailing the final product. I prefer to capture the fish in an action sequence. Being a fisherman myself, I know what the moment above and below the water can feel like, such as a gaff entering the water as the mahi turns is head away in an effort to break free. Capturing this action directly translates to greater immersion for the consumer, bringing them into the moment.

Becoming a professional photographer has been a tough road, but I am extremely thankful for the places I’ve seen and the people I’ve met throughout the years. But speaking as a consumer myself, I don’t think we realize just how much the internet, brands and magazines influence us with photo and video content. Photos of local and remote destinations give me fuel to try and experience that for myself. Unique angles of fly fishing the flats for bonefish, a blue marlin jumping behind a sport fisher or an underwater photo of a sailfish not only provide short-term visual satisfaction but also inspire us subconsciously.

Sport fishing photography also has a key role to play in bringing awareness and educating consumers about conservation, inevitably for the betterment of the environment.

For this reason alone, although photography is a seemingly saturated market, inspiring others to pick up a camera and capture moments has never been a secondary thought of mine.

TECH BOX

Choosing an underwater camera and housing

When choosing an underwater camera and housing set up, there are some options to consider. Before proceeding, it’s important to keep in mind that most fishing imagery occurs in the top 15 feet of the water column. As such, it’s important to keep in mind that an underwater camera rig for fishing is going to be different than one for diving and deeper-water imaging.

So, are you ready to make the move to a full-size rig with a DSLR or mirrorless camera

If not, then other options are a GoPro or a waterproof case for your phone. Both will shoot decent photos, but you’re still not going to get the quality you would from a full-size camera.

If you are ready to move into a full-size camera and housing, there are still further levels to consider.

Step one is picking a camera body. In the DLSR and mirrorless camera world, there are two kinds of sensors. You won’t want to pick out an underwater housing until you’ve chosen a camera that it will hold.

Sensor A: A DX sensor is the smaller, less-expensive sensor found in entry-level DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. These are good cameras with decent sensors, however, due to their size, they create a 1.5X crop factor. To translate, when mounting a lens on these cameras, they are 1.5X their listed focal length. This means a 20mm shoots as 30mm, a 50mm shoots as a 75mm, etc.

Sensor B: An FX sensor is bigger than a DX sensor. They are the size of a standard 35mm piece of film. Cameras with an FX sensor shoot full-resolution images and all lenses shoot true to their focal length — a 16mm is 16mm, 50mm is 50mm, etc.

It’s fair to say that if you can afford it, it’s worth getting a full-frame FX camera. Ultimately, you’re going to get better, higher-resolution imagery and you’ll find it easier to operate without the 1.5X crop factor that a DX sensor has.

For shooting sport fishing with an underwater camera, you’re going to want a lens that is wide angle but not so wide that it creates too much distortion. Something in the 16-24mm range is a good place to start. Many fishing images are shot with the over/under or 50/50 view in mind. This is where the shot displays half the image above the surface and half below. With this in mind, a dome attachment is a critical part of your rig and accompanying the dome with a quality wide-angle lens is a winning combination.

Once you’ve picked your camera and lens combo, you’re ready to make the move on a housing. These can run anywhere from several hundred dollars up to and over $10,000. It’s smart to do your homework as there are many brands and models, each with their own features. 

Here are two options we’ve worked with:

• GDome: All-in under $1,000. These housings are on the low end of the price spectrum but are also for non-diving applications. They are mainly used by photographers shooting things like waves, surfing and sportfishing photos. They cannot be used for diving below 30 feet. That said, they are effective for shooting fishing without breaking your bank. The GDome package comes with everything you need to get rolling, which is great because they don’t nickel and dime you with accessories and add-ons that add up quickly. We have used the GDome and can attest to its effectiveness as a practical option for shooting sport fishing. getgdome.com.

• Nauticam: As high as $10,000 and beyond. These are top-shelf housings and can be used for shooting as deep as 100 meters. They are high-quality devices with a ton of features, and prices to go with them. While the housing alone will run around $3,000, a full set up for your full-frame/FX camera can run you upward of $10,000. This includes the housing, a glass dome, pump system (for pressurizing the housing), a hard travel case and other accessories.

We have used the Nauticam and, while they are expensive, the quality is undeniable. If you’re ready to move into real-deal underwater photography that includes diving well below 20 feet, this is your best option. nauticamusa.com In between these two bookends are a ton of other brands and options in a bunch of different price points. The best way to proceed is to do your homework and take a practical look at how you’re going to use the set up. You can always upgrade over time. Step one is getting your feet wet and seeing where this killer art form takes you.

Source: https://floridasportfishing.com/techniques-and-devices-for-capturing-underwater-fishing-photos/