What Is A Split Shot? Also Known As A Half-half Or An Over-under Shot? Well, in the world of underwater photography, technically they’re a way to show the above world and the immediate underwater, all at once, and they’re a really fun way to let the viewer know what it is we do, all captured in the one image. A picture where the topside of the picture and the land or seascape is visible, but the bottom half of the view is the underwater reef scene. As travellers with Snorkel Venture, we’re very lucky to visit some of the most beautiful tropical paradises in the world. And I’ve always been fond of taking shots that show the viewer exactly what it is we do and where, so what better way than a split shot? It’s like two for the price of one click of the shutter. And the great news is that they’re easier and much less expensive to achieve than you may think. The Necessary Kit And Equipment. Being an underwater photographer, also teaching underwater photography workshops alongside my job as a Snorkel Venture guide, has meant that I have amassed a lot of expensive underwater photo kit over the years. My bigger camera, lenses, housing, and strobes come to more than $15-20K, and it allows me to do some extraordinary things with it, but aside from the price, it’s huge and costly to travel with. So it was a revelation that when I started doing more of the Snorkel Venture trips, I could leave it all at home and instead use exactly what the majority of our SV clients use, and that was, in the main either GoPros or similar or the seemingly ubiquitous Olympus Tough range, currently the Olympus TG7. Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical at
What Is A Split Shot? Also Known As A Half-half Or An Over-under Shot? Well, in the world of underwater photography, technically they’re a way to show the above world and the immediate underwater, all at once, and they’re a really fun way to let the viewer know what it is we do, all captured
It wasn’t too long ago that if you wanted to take your precious camera underwater with you, you needed to jam it into a cumbersome metal enclosure so as to keep the water out. This often meant a significant additional expense in purchasing the housing, one more bulky item to pack for your snorkeling trip, not to mention the fact that the housing would increase the size and weight of your camera by two or three times. What was once a small point-and-shoot camera that could easily be operated with one hand has now become a hefty burden that requires two hands to wield. Thankfully, for those of us who want a reliable camera that fits in the palm of our hand and also functions beneath the waves, there is the Olympus TG series. These cameras have been out for quite a while now, with the most recent model being the TG-7, and have really set the standard for what amphibious compact cameras should offer the shooter. Olympus has done such a superb job of building a camera that’s ready to be submerged right out of the box; other camera manufacturers like Sony, Canon, or Nikon have basically backed away from this corner of the market. As a result, the TG series has become the obvious camera choice for snorkelers around the world. While the TG cameras are ready to start shooting underwater straight away, I’d like to ever so delicately present the idea of purchasing a housing for your TG camera, using only the most rock-solid points. I get that this might sound a little contradictory as I’ve just set TG cameras on a pretty high pedestal for their underwater readiness sans accessories. In my opinion, the TG camera’s pedestal position is very well deserved, and I don’t offer
It wasn’t too long ago that if you wanted to take your precious camera underwater with you, you needed to jam it into a cumbersome metal enclosure so as to keep the water out. This often meant a significant additional expense in purchasing the housing, one more bulky item to pack for your snorkeling trip,
This video also applies to Olympus TG-6 Cameras The Olympus TG-7 camera is easily the most popular snorkeling camera choice by our snorkeling guests. It’s compact, easy to use, waterproof right out of the box, and packs a real punch where image quality is concerned. Guests are always impressed by the beautiful natural colors this camera showcases their underwater snaps in. While the Olympus TG-7 is very easy to use, it does require a bit of setup and maintenance to achieve the colors you’re after, while also maintaining the camera’s overall health. This video will walk you through everything you’ll need to know about getting this camera and housing up, maintaining the camera and housing, and what settings we recommend for the best results for shooting underwater! https://youtu.be/JBw14i39E9Q?si=EZUn1pbfeXgFID02
This video also applies to Olympus TG-6 Cameras The Olympus TG-7 camera is easily the most popular snorkeling camera choice by our snorkeling guests. It’s compact, easy to use, waterproof right out of the box, and packs a real punch where image quality is concerned. Guests are always impressed by the beautiful natural colors this
We are very excited to announce that the second issue of Snorkel Venture Magazine is now available! The latest edition is a compilation of articles written by the entire Snorkel Venture team and is brimming with ocean content for you to dive into. If you’ve ever chatted with one of our team members, you’ll know how much we love sharing our knowledge and passion for the underwater world. Each of us comes from a different background and brings our own experiences and expertise to the table. Creating this magazine gave us the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into our favorite topic—the ocean—and share our insights. Alongside being a great read the magazine serves a second purpose - giving back. As part of our Snorkel for Good program, all magazine contributions are donated directly to our charity partners, whose fabulous work you can catch up on in this issue. Where can I read the magazine? Online - both issues of the magazine are available free of charge on our website. Take a virtual flip through and explore at your leisure! In print - If you like reading magazines the old school way, hard copy in hand, lounging in an arm chair, with a cup of coffee in the morning, you're in luck, both issues will soon be available to order on our Snorkel for Good webshop. All proceeds go to charity! On tour - Each of our tour leaders will bring a few copies of both issues on tour. Grab one, kick back, and enjoy a sunset read. Have a Sneak Peak Inside... ⇒ Photography Marcus chats us through his favorite photo subjects of the year and the moments leading up to each shot, Duxy lays out how to get that tricky split shot and Alex delves deep into TG camera housing pros
We are very excited to announce that the second issue of Snorkel Venture Magazine is now available! The latest edition is a compilation of articles written by the entire Snorkel Venture team and is brimming with ocean content for you to dive into. If you’ve ever chatted with one of our team members, you’ll know
This summer, we held our first-ever Snorkel Venture Friendly Photo Competition, and we were thrilled to see the results of your photographic endeavors! So many great photos from your snorkeling adventures around the world. From the first of June 2025 and up until the end of the month, the powers that be over here at Snorkel Venture HQ were sequestered away into a dimly lit room with no connection to the outside world aside from these wondrous photos displayed upon the whitewashed stone walls. With nothing more than a few right-angled wooden chairs and a straw mattress on the floor, the deliberation phase was in full swing. Now, if you've ever deliberated before, it's a long and tedious process. Fueled by Açaí smoothie bowls and bottomless oat-milk matcha lattes, our esteemed judging panel were sequestered until they agreed on a champion, which was announced via multicolored smoke from an undisclosed chimney in the global epicenter of all things artistic, Paris…Texas. Also, Facebook and email. The Champion was eventually crowned on the 1st of July, 2025. Big congratulations to Mary Sirchel for her stunning image of a red crinoid seemingly dancing on top of an immaculate piece of hard coral. She will soon receive her bounty from Fourth Element, who've been kind enough to donate these wonderful prizes to this fun little competition. Also, a big round of applause to Brenda MacAlpine, Robert Orrizzi, and Pat Goding for their beautifully captured images! Winner | Mary Shircel |"Dancing on Coral" Judges Comments: This is a perfect example of a common subject being flattered by the photographer using very simple techniques for a truly stunning image. We loved the little rainbow effect of the natural light on the hard coral below. The way the light hits only a few of the arms of
This summer, we held our first-ever Snorkel Venture Friendly Photo Competition, and we were thrilled to see the results of your photographic endeavors! So many great photos from your snorkeling adventures around the world. From the first of June 2025 and up until the end of the month, the powers that be over here at
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