As in photographs taken topside, composition in underwater photographs makes all the difference. It is part art, and part science; part intuition, and part study. While the very best underwater photos usually look completely natural, the chances are very good that the photographer who captured those images put some effort info composing them. Anyone can compose beautiful photos. Here are some tips for underwater photo composition that can help you take your skills to the next level.
What Do You Want to Include in Your Photo?
The underwater world is a magical one; as a diver, you're part of the minority of people who are capable of exploring it and capturing the images that captivate your imagination. What elements of this world do you want to include in your photographs? This question is easily answered by finding the answer to a second question; that is: What fascinates you most? By spending just a little time thinking, you'll easily decide what to include in a photo and you'll also find it easier to decide what to leave out. As you become more skilled with underwater photography, you'll find that telling stories with your photos becomes easier.
Underwater Photo Composition Skills to Remember
While you probably learned about the rule of thirds and the importance of negative space when you got your first camera, those basic skills still apply.
In addition, you want to completely fill your frame with a subject or scene, ensuring each and every element of the image you are capturing fits with the rest. For example, if you're diving a kelp forest off the coast of California, and you want to capture a pair of garibaldis against the rocky substrate, the substrate should fill up the bottom third of the photo, the kelp and blue water, maybe with a sunburst, should fill up the top two thirds, and somewhere in the middle third, the garibaldis can be shown in action.
The best way to get a nice shot like this is to shoot from underneath - one of the cardinal rules of underwater photography is to shoot from eye level or lower most of the time. Get down low, don't let your bubbles interfere, and move nice and slow so you don't scare your subjects away. Pretend you're a famous movie director and frame your shot! Take lots of photos from the same position to improve your chances of getting a few great ones.
As you're taking photos of fish, give them "room to swim" inside the photo frame. Their noses shouldn't be near the edges of the photographs you take. A great way to compose good fish portraits is to try to capture photos head on or at a sideways angle, so it looks like the fish is swimming toward the viewer.
Finally, you want to avoid what's known as "bulls eyeing" or centering your subject in the photo. Move a little to the left or right and if you have to choose between amputating part of a fish's tail or giving it room to swim, go ahead and let some of the tail go.
Underwater photo composition gets easier the more you practice. Rather than being rigid rules, these tips can help you compose shots creatively. The more photos you take, the more natural and intuitive your composition will become. Don't be afraid to try new things, and don't forget to try tactics like cropping your shots and using photo editors to make your photos more interesting. Most of all, keep diving, keep taking pictures, and keep having fun as you work to create compelling images.