I don't feel like I'm going out on a limb here when I say that snorkelers love fish, reef fish in particular. Given the affordability of underwater cameras nowadays, we've found that our guests absolutely loooooove to take photos of reef fish while on our snorkel safari. The thing is though, as much as they love taking photos of reef fish, many times the guests just aren't satisfied with their photos. Having run numerous Snorkel Venture snorkeling safaris with our camera-happy guests and having helped many realize and avoid many of the common pitfalls guests run into while photographing reef fish, I'd like to break down some of the elements that make up a really great reef fish photo. Subject is in Focus This is arguably one of the most important elements to any photo, if it's out of focus it just doesn't work no matter what. Eye Contact Eye contact is really what draws the viewer in, it's part of what give an image “life.” Visually Interesting Subject This is not a super important thing to focus on, but it does help. Don't get bogged down at finding the most rare and flamboyant creatures to photograph because you'll no doubt many other great subjects. Subject Fills at least 1/3 of the Frame This rule can be broken if you've framed the subject right and found a complementary background, but it's a good rule to follow as a subject that's just too small in the frame is not likely to grab the attention of the viewer. Pleasing Composition There is a lot of room for artistic interpretation here, obviously, but when you're first starting out it's a good idea to start with the basics and follow the Rule of Thirds and allow for your subject to have enough “look room”
I don’t feel like I’m going out on a limb here when I say that snorkelers love fish, reef fish in particular. Given the affordability of underwater cameras nowadays, we’ve found that our guests absolutely loooooove to take photos of reef fish while on our snorkel safari. The thing is though, as much as they
Before we talk about the benefits of taking wide-angle photos, I want to quickly explain what exactly I mean by “Wide Angle.” Wide-angle generally reefers to the photographer using a lens or a lens adapter that either goes onto the camera itself or mounts on the housing and will significantly increase the field of view beyond what the human eye can see. For example, most compact cameras will have a field of view when zoomed all the way out of about 70-90 degrees, this is roughly what the human eye sees in a fixed position. Interpretation of the differences in perspectives from a 'naked' compact camera lens and a wide-angle lens A wide-angle lens or a wide-angle lens adapter will increase the field of view to anywhere from 120-180 degrees, depending on the camera lens and or adapter. So, as you can see, most compact cameras, aside from the GoPro, really don't allow you to shoot true wide-angle photos. In order to do so, you'll need to purchase an after-market wide-angle lens. For wide-angle lens info, you can check out this blog. For now, let's talk about the benefits of shooting in “wide-angle”. 1. Closer Really, the biggest benefit of using a wide-angle lens underwater is the fact that with this increased field of view, we can now get nearly twice as close to our subject without cropping our intended composition. On land, where we're shooting through air, we can more or less compose the same scene regardless of whether we're using a wide-angle lens or a telephoto lens, we just need to back up further. It doesn't work like this underwater, unfortunately, the more water we have between our camera and the subject the more clarity and color we lose in the image, especially in water with a lot
Before we talk about the benefits of taking wide-angle photos, I want to quickly explain what exactly I mean by “Wide Angle.” Wide-angle generally reefers to the photographer using a lens or a lens adapter that either goes onto the camera itself or mounts on the housing and will significantly increase the field of view
Unless you're traveling business class, there's no denying that flying long distances—like from the United States to Asia—can be physically exhausting and uncomfortable, particularly if you happen to be someone who needs a bit more legroom and or just can't sleep on planes. As a full-time guide for Snorkel Venture who's originally from the U.S but has lived all over Asia since 2010, I've spent a considerable amount of time flying between many of the different Asia-U.S hubs. I won't lie, I've experienced some pretty miserable flights and layovers, but I've also had some quite pleasant trips once I figured out the better routes, which airlines to avoid, and what airports to transit through. So, for those of you who are planning or considering joining one of our Snorkel Safaris that take place in Asia but are a bit hesitant about the long flights, I'd like to share some of what I've learned so as to make your journey as comfortable as possible because I promise you, it will be worth it! Routes Your flight route will depend a bit on where you are coming from in the states, but most of the routes to Asia will be over the Pacific, even if you're on the east coast of the U.S. There is one route through Doha in the middle east which is also comparable in travel time to the Pacific itineraries. Travel times for any of the routes vary between nineteen and twenty-five hours. Actual flying time is about the same no matter which option you choose, the big difference in travel time is the layover. My personal favorite route is through either Singapore or Doha because it not only combines two of the world's best airlines, but also two of the world's best airports—particularly in the case of
Unless you’re traveling business class, there’s no denying that flying long distances—like from the United States to Asia—can be physically exhausting and uncomfortable, particularly if you happen to be someone who needs a bit more legroom and or just can’t sleep on planes. As a full-time guide for Snorkel Venture who’s originally from the U.S
White balance is one of the principal camera settings or functions we need to understand in order to bring out the natural colors of the reef and our fishy friends. What is the white balance you ask? Well, in the most simple terms, white balance is a setting included on all digital cameras, usually indicated with a “WB”, which changes the overall color of the picture to accommodate different lighting environments. For example, a land photographer would change the white balance settings when they move from shooting in a sunny outdoor environment to an indoor environment lit entirely with fluorescent light. For us underwater shooters, we adjust the white balance to account for a loss in the red wavelength as we go deeper underwater. If you do not adjust your white balance your images will come back in shades of blue and green when they should be coming back with a full spectrum of colors. How do we correctly set our white balance? Let me explain. Underwater Auto Shooting Modes As I said, as we dive deeper underwater we start to lose certain colors, most importantly red. With this in mind, we need to try to account for this loss of red by utilizing our camera's built-in digital red filter, which is controlled through the white balance function. Many cameras like newer models of GoPro or the Olympus TG series—some of the most user-friendly cameras for snorkelers and divers—will have pretty fantastic auto-white balance settings for underwater shooters. For GoPro users, you'll just need to switch the white balance setting into Auto and just let the camera do its thing. In my experience, and from what I've seen from our guests using GoPros, the colors come back very accurate. For the Olympus TG folks, simply turn the little dial on
White balance is one of the principal camera settings or functions we need to understand in order to bring out the natural colors of the reef and our fishy friends. What is the white balance you ask? Well, in the most simple terms, white balance is a setting included on all digital cameras, usually indicated
If you haven't been snorkel shopping in a while you'll probably notice a bunch of different options for snorkels you never knew existed! The classic snorkels you are probably most familiar with can now roll up into a little ball while others have purge valves and chambers at the base to collect excess water. Some have silicon accordion-like sections while others boast of their splash-proof or even dry tops! Then there's the day-glow Darth Vader looking full face mask with a built-in snorkel protruding from the top of it! With all these vastly different options that all essentially serve the same purpose—a tube to breathe through as your face is planted in the water—you may be wondering which one is best for me? Here's a quick and simple breakdown of the different styles and the intended purposes of each snorkel. Classic Snorkel In function, the classic snorkel or J-snorkel as they are often referred to hasn't really changed much. What's changed though in a lot of new classic “j” snorkels is the materials used to manufacture them. Many are now made from various polymers which allow for some short-term flexibility in the snorkels. Some can even be folded or rolled up completely for easier packing. These snorkels are not recommended for those who are new to snorkeling as they require a bit more effort to clear the water from. If you are an experienced and confident snorkel who likes to dive down and comfortable clearing the water upon surfacing then these are great snorkels. Pros: Simple design Easy to pack Nearly indestructible Low profile/hydrodynamic Most affordable Cons: Water needs to be cleared with a big exhale Splashing water enters from the top more easily The rigidity can be uncomfortable for some Flexible Snorkels with Purge Valves Snorkels with the flexible rubber
If you haven’t been snorkel shopping in a while you’ll probably notice a bunch of different options for snorkels you never knew existed! The classic snorkels you are probably most familiar with can now roll up into a little ball while others have purge valves and chambers at the base to collect excess water. Some
