AD 2018 Q1

IMAGING
PHOTO TECHNIQUES
illumination from a continuous light source
requires a slower shutter speed or a higher
ISO, and this can lead to motion blur. A little
strobe light in the foreground, however, will
easily freeze the motion from marine life while
simultaneously adding authentic color. This style
of shooting may actually benefit from limiting
ambient light, ideally by using a low ISO (100)
and fast shutter speed (1/200). This is especially
important in shallow or sunny environments and
less so at night.
My favorite lens choice for this is the 105mm
Micro-Nikkor, because it narrows the angle of view
and allows the use of the light’s beam but excludes
the torch from the frame. A 60mm macro lens
works well for larger subjects such as Rhinopias,
but these techniques can also be applied when
shooting wide angle, too — as long as you can
obscure the presence of the torch in the frame. A
100 mm or 105 mm lens is also preferred for fullframed
sensors.
While applying two-point lighting to this frogfish, a nearby sponge
coincidentally began to spawn, which gave the appearance of smoke.
I had no warning that this was going to happen, and in just a few
frames it was over.
ADVANTAGES AND PITFALLS
Intentional, strategic use of lighting offers
interesting and creative options in underwater
photography. Consider both the benefits and the
challenges of leveraging light.
Advantages
• freedom to move around the subject
• ability to create unique images of common subjects
• no synch speed limits (unless you use a strobe)
• precise light placement
• backlighting and sidelighting
• transilluminates transparent subjects
• can be accomplished in a sunny environment
Ambon scorpionfish are a tough subject for me. They are highly
detailed with transparent tags and appendages covering their heads.
The females have what appear to be exaggerated eyebrows; males are
less ornate and slightly smaller. Using my torch and a high shutter
speed, I lit the subject from the left and slightly behind.
Pitfalls
• shadow in the foreground without fill flash
• excessive illumination of particulate matter
(backscatter)
As you can see, the advantages far outweigh the
pitfalls on my list. I hope you will find the same
with practice. The power of creativity is often right
in our hands, and we do not even realize it. Try
placing your hand-held torch or modeling light
behind your subject or off to the side, and see what
kinds of mysteries you unlock. Experiment often
and with different subjects, and enjoy the process
of learning. AD
Experimenting with the red or blue accent lights that now come with
many torches is a great way to get creative. I placed the red light
directly behind the bottle, lighting it up and making it glow. I waited for
the goby to stick its head out and used my snoot to control the strobe
flash placement. Without the snoot, the broad wash of the strobe would
have overpowered the red light diffusing through the glass.
102 | WINTER 2018